Athena - LIDL Charge

mattey13

Will the debt that i supposedly own go up?

trisontana

mattey13 wrote: »

Will the debt that i supposedly own go up?

Even if it does, you don't have to pay it. So nothing to worry about. Please stop taking these seriously. They are only another form of phishing.

MGolden

Ferry_Jambo wrote: »

Hi Mattey13

I seem to be about the same stage of the process as yourself. My car was also parked at a Lidl store in Edinburgh / got the Athena invoice through the door about a week later.

So far I've received 3 letters from Athena and 1 from (Il)Legal Recoveries and Collections.

Up to now its all working out as predicted on here and various other parking forums. I actually look forward to receiving each new letter and was disappointed when the first from the Debt Collectors took over a month to come through!

The best bits so far (IMO) were both from Athena:

First - The statement "You were the driver" in their 2nd letter. How can they possibly prove that? I'd just love to see their evidence for that statement!

Second, they threatened me with a CCJ in the 3rd letter (they don't appear to have a grip on geography. Edinburgh's in Scotland guys, I wasn't aware CCJ's were available under Scots law).

Not sure if either of these are actually legally significant but along with the advice on here, those 2 items convinced me that I have nothing to worry about. If they're stupid enough to go to court, using what appears to be one size fits all templates riddled with errors and empty threats, I don't think it would take too much of a defence to see them off (and thats before considering the question of who was actually driving that day + their dodgy signage).

Ignore them (whilst quietly enjoying their increasing desperation)


FJ

I've just received a 'final reminder' letter from Athena - like you they've assumed I was driving the car. I know I wasn't and the quality of the photos they sent in the first letter is so poor it looks like the car is driving itself!

Having read these posts and replies to my own post on this subject I am quite looking forward to their increasingly desperate and legally inaccurate threatening letters. I will not consider replying to or even acknowledging their correspondence.
Thanks to all of you who've advised on this!

Oopsadaisy

mattey13 wrote: »

Will the debt that i supposedly own go up?

Yes...to several million pounds....which equally won't be legally enforceable....so pretty pointless

mattey13

I got my final demand today from LRC, will this actually be my final demand?

Or will they keep pestering me?

Oopsadaisy

Don't know...does it really matter????

You just need to keep ignoring them [which is not exactly an onerous task].

mattey13

I have been speaking to a few folk about what the outcome of all this will be.

Some have re-assured some have got me quite worried so I have no idea what to think.

I am wondering if a CCJ can be made against me without going to court or anything else that can be put on my credit rating through Athena or LRC?

I will be wanting to apply for a mortgage pretty soon and I don't want to wait until a CCJ would be cleared off my name.

Can they enforce this over something as little as a parking charge from a PPC?

Cheers

Sir_Roger_deLodger

mattey13 wrote: »

I have been speaking to a few folk about what the outcome of all this will be.

Some have re-assured some have got me quite worried so I have no idea what to think.

I am wondering if a CCJ can be made against me without going to court or anything else that can be put on my credit rating through Athena or LRC?

I will be wanting to apply for a mortgage pretty soon and I don't want to wait until a CCJ would be cleared off my name.

Can they enforce this over something as little as a parking charge from a PPC?

Cheers

It is impossible to get a CCJ without going to court. They cannot just issue one.
If I said you owed me money, do you think I could ruin your credit rating? Thought not. It is no different with these companies.
Your credit rating is ONLY affected after you have lost a court case and still not paid.
These parasites rely on people not understanding how credit ratings actually work.
Direct the people who have got you worried to this forum.

taffy056

You can't get a ccj without it going to court, you losing and you refusing to pay the judgement within 28 days, but honestly it's not going to happen, they never do court ever!

trisontana

mattey13 wrote: »

I am wondering if a CCJ can be made against me without going to court or anything else that can be put on my credit rating through Athena or LRC?

I will be wanting to apply for a mortgage pretty soon and I don't want to wait until a CCJ would be cleared off my name.

Can they enforce this over something as little as a parking charge from a PPC?

Cheers

For a CCJ to be issued against you, the case has to go to court (very unlikely) you lose (very, very unlikely) then you refuse to pay whatever the judge orders within 28 days. That whole scenario is so,so remote that it's not worth worrying about. The PPCs and their tame debt collectors should be forced to explain all that in their threatening and intimidating letters.

Edit, Taffy056 beat me to it, but it's worth repeating!