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The Advertising Protection Agency

15791011

Comments

  • kyfra
    kyfra Posts: 4 Newbie
    is it the 'letter before action' or an actual court summons??
  • sweetcher
    sweetcher Posts: 13 Forumite
    kyfra wrote: »
    is it the 'letter before action' or an actual court summons??
    letter before action hun x
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 4,023 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    kyfra wrote: »
    is it the 'letter before action' or an actual court summons??

    One of the contributors on Who called me (Dawn) got this printed letter in March and has just confirmed there that she hasn't heard anymore yet. She did write to them citing the ASA agreement.
  • kyfra
    kyfra Posts: 4 Newbie
    ok so ive had chat with solicitor friend. he says ANYONE can send letter before action and if i wanted to be really cocky i could send them similar letter theyve sent me sighting letter before action stop harassing me or i will take action under Protection from harassment Act blah blah....they send these letters to make you jump into action and pay and when you dont it appears they either continue the harassment and try to grind you down or give up on you and leave you alone!
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 4,023 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    kyfra wrote: »
    ok so ive had chat with solicitor friend. he says ANYONE can send letter before action and if i wanted to be really cocky i could send them similar letter theyve sent me sighting letter before action stop harassing me or i will take action under Protection from harassment Act blah blah....they send these letters to make you jump into action and pay and when you dont it appears they either continue the harassment and try to grind you down or give up on you and leave you alone!

    That's what I thought when they first hassled me last October/November. Then I heard nothing until now so I had thought they had already given up. . The printed letter came yesterday. Very scruffy and unprofessional looking.
  • sweetcher
    sweetcher Posts: 13 Forumite
    Can anyone let me know if you do get anything from these idiots re court after this day?
  • Weiserbud wrote: »
    I just found something interesting on the web re how to check if VAT numbers are correct.....

    Tapa's VAT Reg Number is 108 4413 38 this is how you check that it's genuine.....
    CHECK VAT NUMBER TO MAKE SURE IT'S VALID
    VAT registration is not valid if the VAT number is not correct!

    It is possible to check whether a VAT registration number shown on an invoice is valid. This is important because the purchaser cannot recover VAT incorrectly charged by an unregistered trader unless Customs & Excise allow them to do so by concession. Therefore, registration numbers should be tested as follows:
    1. The first seven digits of the VAT registration number are listed vertically.
    2. Each digit is multiplied by a number, starting with 8 and decreasing to 2.
    3. The sum of the multiplications is calculated.
    4. 97 is subtracted from the sum as many times as is necessary to arrive at a negative number.
    5. The negative number should be the same as the last 2 digits of the VAT registration number if it is valid.

    Example
    VAT registration number 339 0727 47
    3 *8 = 24
    3 *7 = 21
    9 *6 = 54
    0 *5 = 0
    7 *4 = 28
    2 *3 = 6
    7 *2 = 14
    Total = 147
    147 - 97 = 50 - 97 = - 47
    As the negative number(- 47) is the same as the last two digits of the VAT number, the number is valid.


    Why not spend a couple of moments to do the maths the above is an example tapa's Vat reg number appears not to follow this rule maybe they have made a mistake on the website?


    I leave you all to make your own minds up on this one

    The VAT reg number for Tapa is at the bottom of their home page

    I have checked the TAPA VAT number on the European Union online checksite and it is a valid number. It also confirms their London address. Hope this helps.
    Alex
  • my story is the same as that of the other posters to this site.
    In september last year I signed up to what I thought was the TPS site and 8 days later received my first telephone call from someone called Irvine. Didn't respond. Received two more calls at weekly intervals. Again, I did not respond. ( I never received anything in the mail).

    No further contact until yesterday, when I received their "Letter before action" sheet via the post, and by email from M. Wood. The demand is for £39.95, no invoice included. County court claim to be made against me on 2nd May if I don't pay.

    I wont pay of course, but am unsure of what to do next.

    Should I respond in some way, or just leave it?

    Any input would be appreciated.

    Alex
  • katejo
    katejo Posts: 4,023 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    alex_neil wrote: »
    my story is the same as that of the other posters to this site.
    In september last year I signed up to what I thought was the TPS site and 8 days later received my first telephone call from someone called Irvine. Didn't respond. Received two more calls at weekly intervals. Again, I did not respond. ( I never received anything in the mail).

    No further contact until yesterday, when I received their "Letter before action" sheet via the post, and by email from M. Wood. The demand is for £39.95, no invoice included. County court claim to be made against me on 2nd May if I don't pay.

    I wont pay of course, but am unsure of what to do next.

    Should I respond in some way, or just leave it?

    Any input would be appreciated.

    Alex

    Alex

    Send me a private email on MSE (so I know I have the right person) and I will give you a contact name and email for a particular member of staff at Cheshire Trading Standards.
    He has been dealing with TAPA and may be able to assist you as he did me last week.
  • stoatwblr
    stoatwblr Posts: 72 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10 Posts Combo Breaker
    (This is all publically obtained information obtained in about 20 seconds. Republishing it here is not a DPA breach and anyone can use the tools described to confirm the entries)

    Firstly: TAPA's london address: Plugging "27 Old Gloucester Street, London" into Google search brings you to a fowarding service - similar to Mailboxes Etc:

    http://www.prime-secretarial.co.uk/streetaddress.html

    Secondly: TAPA's domain registration. There's a useful tool called "whois" which shows domain registration data. If you don't have this on your computer then there are a number of outfits which operate whois gateways. (I used whoislookup.com at random, others will work just as well)

    Remember: This is public information published in compliance with UK domain registration rules at Nominet (false details, bogus addresses, etc are grounds for cancelling uk domain registration. There is zero anonymnity for traders in the Domain Name system)

    If Mr Marsden has any sense the address given is that of his registered office, not his home address (that's legal, although the address given MUST be able to take legal service for the registrant)
    =====
    Domain name:
    theadvertisingprotectionagency.co.uk

    Registrant:
    Peter Marsden

    Trading as:
    Marsden Gibson & Co Accountants

    Registrant type:
    UK Sole Trader

    Registrant's address:
    102 Stand Lane
    Radcliffe
    Manchester
    M26 1JU
    United Kingdom

    Registrar:
    34SP.com Limited [Tag = 34SP]
    URL: http://www.34sp.com

    Relevant dates:
    Registered on: 15-Jan-2008
    Expiry date: 15-Jan-2014
    Last updated: 05-Mar-2012

    Registration status:
    Registered until expiry date.

    Name servers:
    ns.34sp.com
    ns2.34sp.com

    WHOIS lookup made at 23:45:22 16-May-2012
    =====

    What gets more interesting is looking up the "Trading As" on Thompson Local - which gives 23 Oakleigh Av, Timperley, Altrincham, WA15 6QT

    It is always possible that there is another "Marsden Gibson & Co Accountants" in the greater Manchester area or that the names on the registration are bogus.

    Have false registration details been given? If someone is able to check and confirm, then Nominet will take action to ensure the data is correct - https://www.nominet.org.uk
This discussion has been closed.
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