Help with Bristow & Sutor Debt Collect...

crawfy

I have been paying Bristow and Sutor £15 weekly for outstanding parking tickets (yes i know!!) for 5months now with an agreement spreading payments over 6months. However i got another letter this morning about another fine (again i know!) and rang to arrange payment. I tried to see if i could extended my agreement or set up a new one to pay off the £95 for my new fine but was told all i could do was add it to the end of my current agreement to make it £40per week or wait for baliffs!!
Obviously i want to avoid baliffs coming but i can't afford £40 a week as i am a single parent recieving benefits. The lady was rude and unhelpful and let me confused as to what i can do! Is this normal/legal? Its not like i'm ignoring letters or trying to avoid payment, i just can't afford to pay that much per week

Any ideas or help please guys
Thank you x

poppasmurf_bewdley

Are these for parking tickets from a local authority, or from a private company?

crawfy

Local Authority

poppasmurf_bewdley

In that case, you'll have to pay. I suggest you try different parking arrangements if you keep getting parking tickets.

I fail to understand why people are unable to understand parking regulations, and have the money available to flout the rules.

And before anyone says anything, my 21 year old son is a typical example of someone who attracts parking tickets like light does for moths.

crawfy

Do u mean i have to pay the £40 to them as i can't extend the agreement?

crawfy

Someone please help me x

FireWyrm

Unfortunately, there's nothing much you can do about it. If the issuer of the parking fine was anything other than the Local Authority, I'd say tell them to stick it since the fine is just an invoice, but, the LA has the authority to do pretty much anything, a bit like Council Tax. Can you borrow the money from friends and family? Perhaps someone can lend it to you on an informal agreement? Otherwise, you're only course of action is to either argue with the call centre staff, or wait for bailiffs, neither option is a good one unfortunately.

crawfy

Thank FireWyrm - gonna try calling them again, see if i get someone nicer on the end of the phone x

hallowitch

you may be classed as vulnerable

you must write/e-mail the head of revenues at your council and ask them to return the debt into local authority care or ask for a payment plan that will fit your circumstances
ask them if they have a code of practise for vulnerable debtors and if so do you fall under this category

you could also ask your local councillor or MP for help

did you know about the parking tickets before they were passed over to the bailiffs


http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.dca.gov.uk/enforcement/agents02.htm

Vulnerable situations

• Enforcement agents/agencies and creditors must recognise that they each have a role in ensuring that the vulnerable and socially excluded are protected and that the recovery process includes procedures agreed between the agent/agency and creditor about how such situations should be dealt with. The appropriate use of discretion is essential in every case and no amount of guidance could cover every situation, therefore the agent has a duty to contact the creditor and report the circumstances in situations where there is potential cause for concern. If necessary, the enforcement agent will advise the creditor iffurther action is appropriate. The exercise of appropriate discretion is needed, not only to protect the debtor, but also the enforcement agent who should avoid taking action which could lead to accusations of inappropriate behaviour.
• Enforcement agents must withdraw from domestic premises if the only person present is, or appears to be, under the age of 18; they can ask when the debtor will be home - if appropriate.
• Enforcement agents must withdraw without making enquiries if the only persons present are children who appear to be under the age of 12.
• Wherever possible, enforcement agents should have arrangements in place for rapidly accessing translation services when these are needed, and provide on request information in large print or in Braille for debtors with impaired sight.
• Those who might be potentially vulnerable include:
  • the elderly;
  • people with a disability;
  • the seriously ill;
  • the recently bereaved;
  • single parent families;
  • pregnant women;
  • unemployed people; and,
  • those who have obvious difficulty in understanding, speaking or reading English.

crawfy

wow thanks Hallowitch - going to look into that.
Although i just rang them back, spoke to a different advisor and somehow she managed to only increase payments to £18 per week!! So much better and i'm able to relax now, knowing the balliffs aren't about to knock any second!!