Parking ticket fell off dashboard..

PaulJM

It's been a few months now...
I've had two letters - first one threatening legal action, and to pay up the £100.
Second one (received yesterday), saying they will take me to court if not paid up in 14 days - so should be interesting.
I've been told that if they did take me to court over this, which they probably won't (fingers crossed, I don't know where I'd get the time from!), it would be a small claims court, and they'd have to claim for the initial loss, which is potentially 50p, for the initial ticket I didn't display. The court would be £30 to £80 if I lost...so I'm better off losing in court than paying up now
Incidently - I really liked the guy on BBC Watchdog the week before last, who basically stated everything that's been said here. Reassuring!

Coupon-mad

Once they have given up and stopped writing to you Paul, if you can do so it would be great if you could scan and post the letters into our 'example letters' thread here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2214803

We don't have Excel examples on there yet, they would be a good addition.

Make sure you remove any ID details first plus remove any dates, references, ticket number or payment slip/barcode. ITY's just the letterheading and wording that you need to show, to reassure others that it just a computerised standard letter scam.

If you are not sure how to host & post them, or want them given the once-over for any trace of ID before posting them, just pm Crabman (the OP of that thread) who can help you ensure you get completely anonymous scans shown.

Keep on ignoring and let us know if any other letters arrive.

mulmul

can they proved that you dont have a ticket on dashboard?

peter_the_piper

mulmul wrote: »

can they proved that you dont have a ticket on dashboard?

It does not matter one jot if they can or cannot prove anything, to ignore is best as they always give up eventually.

mulmul

peter_the_piper wrote: »

It does not matter one jot if they can or cannot prove anything, to ignore is best as they always give up eventually.

true, however my point being, if they dont have enough evidence on that then you will know you have an upper hand to win the appeal, then you can ignore it with ease.

It is more of psychological thing when it deals with thing like that , the stress and the pressure, people are tended to give in because of the stress, whereas if you know you are not on the wrong side then it at less make you feel much better :A:A

PaulJM

mulmul wrote: »

It is more of psychological thing when it deals with thing like that , the stress and the pressure, people are tended to give in because of the stress, whereas if you know you are not on the wrong side then it at less make you feel much better :A:A

I agree with this - I'm pretty sensible, and I'm resolved to not do a thing about this, but I must admit that you can read these letters and feel doubtful again, whether you see an expert on Watchdog, or the guys in here tell you to ignore or not!

The best piece of advice was that even if the worst happened, and you did get taken to court, it'd be a affordable small claims court, probably cost less than your 'fine' (if you lost), and they'd most probably rule that you should pay back the initial cost of the ticket. I like this

PaulJM

I can't find out how to get a copy of my letters on here, so I'll just tell you whats happened...
If anyone can help me with getting them on the site, let me know!

So, 2 weeks ago, received a letter from the debt collection agency - actually it was a bit lame - I thought they'd be the heavy ones.
This one basically said - "Pay now or we'll get some solicitors"

Yesterday received a letter from Graham Wright solicitors.
Quite threatening, and stating a table of 'potential charges', should they go to court. Aparently my next letter will be court proceedings - but they've said that for a few months!
They sight that any charges could invoke CCJ's, bailiffs etc, carefully skirting around the fact that that would only happen if I didn't pay the court after they'd ruled!
Seriously though, this solicitor letter is intimidating, and resulted in my rather nice wife saying "I'll kill you if you get taken to court"
I've explained it'll be a small claims court...etc.

However, if you can now send me any links or advice I'd need to take into court if it came to that, I'd be really grateful...
I know it's not going to happen, but I worry it'd really mess me up financially if I got charged £300 from the court, I couldn't take time off work, or I'd get called to court during time I have booked abroad!

I guess they're meant to work on these insecurities - so wouldn't mind being ready!!

taffy056

PaulJM wrote: »

However, if you can now send me any links or advice I'd need to take into court if it came to that, I'd be really grateful...
I know it's not going to happen, but I worry it'd really mess me up financially if I got charged £300 from the court, I couldn't take time off work, or I'd get called to court during time I have booked abroad!

I guess they're meant to work on these insecurities - so wouldn't mind being ready!!

.let me just reassure you, it will not go anywhere near a court, these tickets are NOT enforceable at all, if they took it to court they would lose on a number of points, mostly they can only get what their actual loss would be, a couple of quid at best! They are just looking for mugs and easy targets, you I am sure will not be one of them, or i'll get your wife to slap you one

Please don't worry about court unless they actually do issue you with papers, I am 100% sure it will not happen!

** By the way their loss is nothing, just noticed you are the OP , you had a ticket, the court would throw it out straight away **

Coupon-mad

PaulJM wrote: »

However, if you can now send me any links or advice I'd need to take into court if it came to that, I'd be really grateful...
I know it's not going to happen, but I worry it'd really mess me up financially if I got charged £300 from the court, I couldn't take time off work, or I'd get called to court during time I have booked abroad!

I guess they're meant to work on these insecurities - so wouldn't mind being ready!!

You don't need links about Court because Graham White don't do Court. Not EVER, NEVER!

The links you need to look at are these:

1. MSE example debt collector/Graham White letters

and

2. pepipoo.com forums exposure of Roxburghe passing themselves off as Graham White

and

3. Watchdog April 2010 -what to do with ANY private parking ticket



Sit your lovely wife down to read those links and watch the Watchdog lawyer's advice, then Google 'Graham White parking scam' if you want any more reassurance.

This scam firm is all over forums like this and pepipoo, they are VERY well known and as you can see from link number 2, they are only another letterhead that Roxburghe use!

Only today, one of our posters confirmed that he/she has reported Graham White to the SRA (Solicitors' Regulatory Authority) who confirmed that they would add the complaint to the huge file of complaints they have already, and that there in an investigation underway of that so-called Solicitor firm.

HTH

PaulJM

Cheers all.
I like to get a bit of moral support every so often

Grrrr. They really pee me off.

Any ideas what to tell my son to say (12) if he picks up the phone to them when I'm not about? (I guess they get the nmbr for the address out of phone book)
I've told him to put the phone down, but I know he finds that difficult - even with the off-shore telemarketers, who don't listen even when he says what I've told him to say - he's a minor and cannot discuss...