Graham White Soliciters Over Apcoa Parking Fines

Sir_Roger_deLodger

Hettie1 wrote: »

I have lost sleepless nights over this despite my decision to make a stand - I almost wobbled and payed the £115 yesterday just to put my mind at rest as I am fearful of these threats.

NO! Please don't send them any money, it is all a scam. Roxburghe/G.White are very well known [they are the same people], and they have never ever taken anyone to court.

Apcoa are committing fraud by claiming their ticket is issued under byelaw 14 then threatening civil action, genuine byelaw tickets go to the magistrates court.

see this thread for examples of PPC letter chains, [plenty from Roxburghe/GW in there] and this from Watchdog.

Coupon-mad

Seconded.

Hettie1, NEVER pay a private parking ticket, it's not a real fine. Do look at those links Sir Roger deLodger has given you, Watchdog covered this scam in May very clearly and simply.

The PPC and debt collectors' behaviour is indeed bullying and it is harassment, which is actually a criminal offence on their part. Plenty of ideas & info about reporting them for harassment here:

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/en...=03_harassment

Please don't lose any more sleep over it, this is just a damp squib and the scam is nearly over. Nothing else happens.

HTH

Hettie1

Many, many, thanks.....I had a fab nights sleep after watching that solicitor on Watchdog make a paper plan out of the threatening letter....

onward and upward!

adc82140

Just a thought. Has anyone complained to First Great Western (in instances where it is their car park that the fines are being issued in). There is a specific issue in Twyford carpark where there are two sets of markings for the same spaces and you get the letter trail if you are missaligned with one of sets. It has made the local press but I'm still getting the letters. : )

That is exactly the reason why I'm here- got invoiced at Twyford for that exact "infringement".

Anyway the letter I will send to GW on receipt of the "Final Warning" will be:

"Final Warning- In my previous correspondence dated xx/yy/2010 I required you to cease and desist any further communication with me and refer my file back to APCOA. This is a final notice that if you contact me again, I will instruct my soliciors, Messrs Graham White & Co of Harpenden. Hertfordshire, to take action against you."


I would so like to hire the real GW to take up my case against the fake GW, but quite frankly I don't have the spare cash to do that.

I have spoken to customer services at FGW about the tactics of their car park operatives. They claim they have no control over APCOA- well it's strange that the vans have "APCOA- working with First Great Western" written on the side.

There is a "meet the manager" session coming up at Paddington in the not too distant future- I will take all my letterchain to this and show it to Mark Hopwood, the MD of FGW, and see if he agrees that his customers are being treated very shoddily.

Judd_2

Has anyone with a letter from Gtahma White Solicitors ever called them ?...Just been reading the thread...and yes, I just got a letter from them today !

Coupon-mad

Judd wrote: »

Has anyone with a letter from G White Solicitors ever called them ?...Just been reading the thread...and yes, I just got a letter from them today !

No, why would we waste our money? MSE is a moneysaving website!

But to be fair, yes some newbies who don't know it's a scam call the debt collectors who try to tell them to pay (for in fact that letter you have there came from Roxburghe Debt Collectors, not from a Solicitors office at all - in spite of the misleading letter-heading).

See this pepipoo thread by Alexis, showing you how the Roxburghe 'GW' letter template system works and that the Roxburghe (non-Solicitor of course) clerks pass themselves off as 'GW' when calling people:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=52809

Worry not, this is just a scam like a Nigerian Lottery-winning email. IGNORE IT.

Hettie1

"FINAL NOTICE"
I recieved a second letter from Graham White this morning - demanding that I "TAKE NOTE....commencing litigation.....consequences of litigation will be far reaching....COURT ACTION...seizure of assets by bailiffs..." etc, etc...

I also rec'd a phone call at 5pm today. I asked the lady to refer the matter back to Apcoa as their original 'fine' is illegal. She said I should complain to some traffiic parking soc (???) I simply replied that I am making a formal complaint about the solicitor and I had already spoken to The Law Society and that I have also contacted the national press about this matter.

She made a hasty retreat!

Hopefully I will hear no more. I've wasted enough time on this shabby matter.

adc82140

Still not got my "Final Warning"


Just out of interest, Hettie1, how did they get your phone number? Have you revealed it at any time during correspondence?

If they call again, simply state that you do not have to talk to them, and that any further calls will result in a nuisance phone call report to BT, which could result in the prosecution of the specific person making the call.

Anyway. I have now prepared the following for the response to the "Final Warning" letter

Dear Mr Soreballs,




FINAL WARNING


In my correspondence to you on [date deleted], I instructed you to cease and desist any correspondence with me regarding any alleged debt, and to return the file to APCOA. You have clearly ignored this instruction. Therefore I must warn you that if I receive any further communication from you, I will be instructing my solicitors, Graham White & Co of Bushey, Hertfordshire to take action against you. Please be aware that this is a serious matter, as you are in breach of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.


I must also warn you that according to Office of Fair Trading Debt Collection Guidance, you must not send communication that:


-Does not make it clear who the company is
-Implies action can be taken that is legally not possible
-Ignores disputes about whether money is owed
-Refuses to freeze action if a debt is disputed
-Claims that collection costs are payable


These new consumer protection rules came into force in May 2008. They are designed to stop traders acting unfairly including the use of what the rules call ‘aggressive commercial practices’. The OFT and trading standards now have the power to take enforcement action against creditors. This can lead to fines or even imprisonment if the creditor is found guilty of an offence.


The OFT has issued guidance on how they will take action under the rules. This includes examples such as:


A debt collector threatening you with action, such as use of bailiffs, to recover money for unenforceable debts.


I trust I have made my position clear.


Yours sincerely

:D:D:D

bromsgrovebarry

I love the letter, its about time the scammers got threatening letters!

Moose118

OK, so it’s a long shot and I don't know if it will work but why don't we try and find a lawyer and take these guys on for harassment. There was the recent case with the clamping company and there may be a law firm out there that will take it on for the publicity. I don't know if it will stick but I know I'm fed up with the harassment (I’m on my first solicitor’s letter).

The Twyford Car Park story is, I think, being covered by the Wokingham Times and Twyford Advertiser this week. Wokingham Times have already covered it on the grounds of just how unreasonable it is but I have pointed both newspapers at this link and told them there is an even better story in it if they look at the scam nature of their behaviour. I also suggested that they go at FGW as I have not had a reply to my complaints (I know Wokingham times have at least contacted them for comment).

With regard the earlier comment re "meet the manager" then someone publish when it is on here and lets all go..... I'm up for it. I really think this is a FGW problem. I know I'd never get away with hiding behind a suppliers failures where I work so why should they.

So, from my perspective if you have got caught in the ridiculous “two sets of lines” scan at Twyford then please contact me at [EMAIL="angry.bloke@hotmail.co.uk"]angry.bloke@hotmail.co.uk[/EMAIL] and I’ll have a dig and see if I can find a law firm to take it on. At the very least I’ll keep pushing on the publicity front… maybe try and get a national interested…. strength in numbers etc

Re the meet the manager then just let me know where and when….