New tactic from G24/CCS?

Allan_Boult

Hi, back in July I received a letter from G24 as I was the RK of a vehicle that had overstayed on the carpark at Focus DIY in Burnley, Lancs, I was aware of the threads on here and elswhere so I did a search for advice on how to handle the inevitable deluge of letters that would surely be heading my way!

As things stand at the moment I am on letter number 5 which is a "Notice of intended legal action" (which is helpfully highlighted in yellow presumably to reinforce the seriousness of the situation?) This letter informs me that documents are being prepared for the final recovery of the debt and that I have until 10:00am on the 20th of October to pay the debt to CCSCOLLECT, anyway, as with all the other letters that they've sent me I just filed them away, however this morning I had a call from CCS asking for me by name regarding a "business matter" I ID'd myself as the recipient of the letters whereupon they asked me (for data protection matters) to confirm some details, at this point I stopped the call by saying that I wouldn't be confirming any details and that if they want to talk further then they should take me to court, at this point the lady that called me politely said goodbye.
Within a minute there was another call from a different woman who said that she was phoning from a company called (I think) SAS security, foolishly (only because I would now be interested to hear what BLX she had to say) I said that the only way that I would talk would be in a courtroom and followed it by saying that "this is where you hang up on me" she kept the line open for about 20 seconds and didn't say anything else.

I have to say that I am getting a certain amount of pleasure in this whole matter and am considering writing to them once the letters dry up so that they may think that they have a fish dangling on the line (anyone fancy a competition to see how many silly letters you can collect?)

The reason for this post is to let folk know that G24/CCS may be changing the tactics that they use to harass their "customers", (I have done a search to see if anyone else has had phone calls from them but couldn't find anything) I'm not in the slightest worried that I will be taken to court and even if I were I am sure that they wouldn't win the case because of errors and assumptions on their part.

trisontana

They are probably getting desperate and are feeling the financial pinch. They must know that more people are getting clued up about what to do or not do over these parking scams. Do we feel sorry for them? No! They should go out and get a proper job instead of trying to scare and con people out of their money.

BFG_2

IIRC you can insist that any communication is ONLY done in writing. If they continue calling you can complain about harrassment [to, iirc, the FSA/OFT] and have their credit licence withdrawn.

AlexisV

Nice one.

Have some fun with the people who's sole job it is to call innocent folks and try and get money out of them all day. Zzzzzz.

cakinwande

I recieved this template from lawanswers.com last year. Rest assured I never heard from G24 again. You have to be very resilient with them.

"I have received a parking charge notice under your reference [123456]. To enable me to consider your claim, please advise of the following:

1 What evidence do you hold that shows I was parking in your car park over the allotted time? If you hold documentary evidence please provide copies of the same. As a private car park, any claim you have lies in contract and not in Statute. I could only be contractually liable if I personally parked a car in the car park. Mere evidence that a car registered to me was parked in your car park does not prove that it was the case that I parked it.

2 What are your charges for parking in your car park? If there are no charges then what are the contractual terms that you (your client) apply in relation to this car
park.

3 Please provide me with a copy of any ticket you claim to have issued.

4 Please advise me how it is alleged I have breached any purported contract. In anticipation of receiving the documents requested above I would make the following comments:
1. As your claim lies in contract it represents a claim for damages for breach of that contract. Your penalty charge of £[??] bears no correlation to the damages you have allegedly incurred.
2. In light of the damages you have claimed, your claim represents a penalty charge and is consequently not recoverable in contract law.
3. It is my view that any contractual terms you rely upon to claim your penalty charge are unfair and consequently unenforceable pursuant to the Unfair Terms and Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.

Please refrain from any further contact regarding this matter unless and until you have answered each of the points above and where appropriate provided copies of the letters referred to. [If appropriate] I have found your letter distressing and put you on notice that any further attempt to demand monies from me without responding to my reasonable request for information as set out above, will result in my solicitors being instructed to bring proceedings under the Protection from Harassment Act which entitles me to an award of damages together with a non-harassment order. In that event my solicitors will also seek the costs of those proceedings.

Yours faithfully"

Hope this may help a bit

muckybutt

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1988/Ukpga_19880027_en_1.htm

Link to Malicious Communications Act 1988 for mail based invoices and threats

http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?&parentActiveTextDocId=2232318&ActiveTextDocId=2232391

Link to Telecommunications Act 1984 for harassing phone calls