Parking Ticket -

trisontana

No need to worry about credit ratings and please don't confuse debt collectors with bailiffs. The only way a credit rating can be affected is if the case goes to court (very unlikely), the case is lost (very,very unlikely) and then the person refuses to pay whatever the judge orders. This is so remote that it's not worth worrying about.

Debt collectors are just private citizens with no special powers, they cannot enter you property, they cannot seize goods and they cannot damage your credit rating without going through the procedure mentioned above. Stop worrying and relax, nothing is going to happen.

peter_the_piper

""What should our next move be and what is the worst case scenario especially as they have our address etc ?""
Continue to be strong and ignore them.
For any blot on your credit to appear you would have to be taken to court (county court) very unlikely. Lose or not turn up, even more unlikely. Lose and not pay what the judge determines even, even more unlikely.
Likelihood of being taken to court think lottery ticket and winning top prize.
Save all the scraps of paper they send as I don't think Crabman has a set of these.

ps. Slower typer than Mr T.

richardvc

I am off to work soon but shall attempt to scan the details into the MSE database of private parking peeps.

Thank you all so far for your advice - your help and guidance are much appreciated.

Coupon-mad

richardvc wrote: »

I am off to work soon but shall attempt to scan the details into the MSE database of private parking peeps.

Thank you all so far for your advice - your help and guidance are much appreciated.

Great, here's the thread to post pics of all their letters in just in case you hadn't located it yet:

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

Typically, as you will see from that thread, you'll get threatograms saying they'll 'refer it to their legal team' and that 'it could lead to a CCJ' (only if you didn't turn up or a daft judge found in their favour, as we've correctly stated above). Don't believe anything that's just a letter with no Court papers, even letters with BOLD type and scary headings like 'debt collector' and 'solicitor'. There are examples on our thread there of solicitor letters which don't even come from a solicitor, just the same debt collector as before using different letter-headings.

I have some examples in my handbag of debt-collector letters that were sent to me by a PPC in Sussex last year. I ignored them until they gave up, there's honestly no effect on your credit rating and the fact they might use words like 'ticket' 'debt' and 'parking charge' means diddly-squat.

There's nothing to worry about but I would be prepared for some fairly bullying letters - which you can report for harassment (a criminal charge) using the contacts suggested here:

http://www.bdl.org.uk/images/03_ew_harassment.pdf

I think bearing in mind their track record as a prime example of rogue clampers they are unlikely to be the tamest PPC in terms of their letters. Be strong and report them if those letters if, as I suspect, they say anything unlawful or misrepresent your legal position.

They cannot clamp your car legally for an alleged debt but if I were you I would personally avoid that car park until the Freedom Bill bans clamping in a few months. This is not a nice company at all - as you would have seen from the previous link I gave to that forum discussing c2c's activities.

richardvc

Coupon-Mad thanks ever so much for your help and reassurance.

One more question I'm afraid - My OH responded to their ticket when she appealed by stating the following :

"Dear Sirs
TICKET NUMBER ????
I was issued with a parking fine on Saturday 25 September 2010 for the Market Place in Burgess Hill.
Please find enclosed a valid parking ticket which adequately covered the time I was parked.
I await your comments."

Because she has responded by appealing does that change anything ? Ie She has indirectly confirmed that it was her car in the car park etc etc

Mark_Hewitt

richardvc wrote: »

Because she has responded by appealing does that change anything ? Ie She has indirectly confirmed that it was her car in the car park etc etc

No it hasn't changed anything. They will doubtless write back to refuse the appeal, but just carry on ignoring them.

Hayley_McCulloch

Please do not pay this "fine" - it is a scam. What may happen next is:
You will get a letter from a debt collecting agency - IGNORE THIS
You will then get a solicitors letter requesting payment threatening that if you do not pay up then the costs will escalate - IGNORE THIS.
The "solicitors" may then contact you by phone - apparently the DVLA give out telephone numbers ! now that's interesting - surely data protection comes into it somewhere. BE READY FOR THIS CALL, DON'T GIVE ANY INFORMATION AWAY, IF NECESSARY STATE THAT THE PERSON DOESN'T LIVE THERE.

THIS IS A SCAM, YOU WILL NOT BE TAKEN TO COURT, THERE WILL BE NO COUNTY COURT JUDGMENT.

I have just been through all this with Central Ticketing, Birmingham when I parked in staff parking at a "free parking" retail outlet near Chester. It has taken me just over a year to get sorted. My elderly parents were extremely upset because they thought it was their fault because I had taken them shopping. They left me an open cheque to pay the fine - Please don't pay and do not be intimidated by the letters you receive from the company, their debt collectors or their solicitors.