Car clamped in own space!!

gardner1

in hindsight she should have locked herself in car with blanket and food and seen what clamper would have done next

peter_the_piper

Kite2010 wrote: »

As you paid the cowboys with a credit card, phone your card company up and demand it be refunded as you paid under due distress to release the vehicle, maybe you will get lucky and the credit card provider will do a charge back.

Failing that, write a letter before action to both the clampers & whoever instructed the clampers (if any) saying you would like the money back or else you will take both of them to court, then take both of them to the smalls claims. Roll on the clamping ban.

To lend more weight try to get the BIB to give you a crime number.

angel_islington

gardner1 wrote: »

in hindsight she should have locked herself in car with blanket and food and seen what clamper would have done next

Although this is quite extreme and I'm not sure I would recommend anyone else to do it, I would certainly consider it myself! Would love to see what they would do next!

angel_islington

I'm sure it would also be worthwhile creating a thread on Pepipoo. Those clever chaps will rip that 'receipt' to shreds.

Coupon-mad

GlynD wrote: »

I'd be inclined to speak to the building management company. A genuine error has been made here but the clampers are there to assist the huilding management in keeping spaces clear for tenants/owners. Your daughter parked with a complete right to do so. After he was shown the correct permit that bloke should have removed the clamp in my opinion. He's not there to terrorise genuine space owners.

Surely you don't really believe that will work? I know what you have posted is all very reasonable but there's a slight problem in that private clampers are NEVER reasonable people. Their so-called 'industry' is about to be criminalised, they are NOT going to return the money.

'He's not there to terrorise genuine space owners.' I only wish that were true, but sadly that's EXACTLY why the clamper is there. I suspect the Managing Agent never intended that to be the case, but sadly, private clampers all have their own agenda which is MONEY.

Coupon-mad

angel_islington wrote: »

I'm sure it would also be worthwhile creating a thread on Pepipoo. Those clever chaps will rip that 'receipt' to shreds.

Yep, although the CAB are clueless about private parking issues, help is waiting on pepipoo and some of us also post over on that site too:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=60

Alir, post a new topic on there but do read some clamping cases first, makara's case is a good read as he is in the middle of his Small Claim - and another poster 'Rustledust' got money back from clampers in an out of Court settlement last week. Read their threads, they will be on the first page of threads or three. Do not add to their threads though, start your own topic when you have read up on this scam enough.

First thing alir, stop thinking there's only 7 days to 'appeal' because that's all smoke and mirrors. There is NO appeal, as others have told you because this is a scam. You will either need to sue the clampers and whoever contracted them (Managing Agent?) or get a chargeback from your card issuer.

Try the credit card chargeback first, ring them, speak to managers and use that 'rage' to try to make them charge the amount back on to your credit card. They normally say no in clamping cases but IMHO you have a chance because you are not party to the alleged 'contract' as you were not driving and were not there. Also you were not present when making the payment and did not pay by chip and pin so that may make chargeback possible.

But - did you give the scammers your 3-digit security number on the back of your credit card? I think I would be telling the card company you need a new card as the info is in the hands of known scammers. Ask on pepipoo about the 'company' concerned, they may be able to tell you how many CCJs they have ignored and other stories about that firm. I would not want a clamper to have all the details from my credit card.

If it has to be a case of suing them then make sure you find out who contracted the clampers. A few carefully-worded phone calls (like in makara's thread on pepipoo) should establish if it was the Managing Agent or the Landowner, once you know that then THEY are the ones for you to put pressure on. You must name both parties in your Small Claim, not just the clampers, and be ready for this to take months before you get justice.

In the meantime, as well as getting hold of the flat's lease, can your daughter take pictures of the signage, to show pepipoo posters where the signs are and what they say. Pepipoo will also need to see a pic of the receipt.

alir

Thanks for that re: the credit card company it will be my next action. We have already sent a letter to the clampers : First Step Security Ltd, but reading the other posts, threads etc not holding my breath for a refund from them! Got my daughter on the case for finding management company and landlord.

vax2002

You get fined less for cutting it off.

alir

peter_the_piper wrote: »

To lend more weight try to get the BIB to give you a crime number.

Thanks, sorry to be a bit blonde but what is the BIB?

AlexisV

Boys in Blue :-)