Experience of Vehicle Control Services?

minion101

Hi All,

Recently received my first letter from these clowns, I mean legitimate parking enforcement company, and I wondered if anyone knows what their attitude to litigation is.

Don't worry, I am happily following all the good advice I have read here, but am curious as they seem to have gone straight to the 'Notice to Owner of intent to issue court proceedings' stage with out even any attempt to woe me with threatening letters before hand.

Seems a little presumptuous, but does it mean they are any more serious in their intentions or are they just toying with my emotions, like all their kind?

Thanks in advance.

peter_the_piper

Cos I'm a good little boy I don't have experience of them but look at their letter chain here. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2214803

Coupon-mad

Well I have read loads of forum threads about them over the years and they don't do Court. I will have a look and try to find some threads showing the letter chain a bit more.

Our letter chains thread is a little lacking re VCS:

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

If you'd like to help other newbies then pleaser keep all your letters and when you feel ready, cover up the ref numbers and your ID/car reg/location/date, and take photos or scans of the letter chain in order.

If you would do this and send it by pm to Crabman who does a sterling job of sorting all the pics on that thread, then it would help others to see what happens when. The preview pictures are really useful for people, we find it gives newbies peace of mind.

minion101

Thanks for the replies, I did look at the letter chain and saw how lacking it was, part of the reason for my question.

It is my intention to upload a copy of the letter at some point, maybe when I have the full set. I had already seen posts about Crabman's services to humanity in this area and it will go to him when I get round to it.

Coupon-mad

Letters from VCS as mentioned on forum threads:

This person mentions 3 letters ending with a 'Final Notice' for £120 (scary? Noooo!!!):

http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/index.php/t68724.html

Another one mentioning 2 letters with the 'charge' being £120 (then nothing):

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?274981-Another-PCN-vehicle-control-services-ltd

And here's a thread from this forum where someone had 6 months of letters and also a phone call or two which are easily snuffed out if you stop taking them seriously and tell them NEVER to contact you again as it's harassment:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3542233

Looks like it's the Roxburghe/Graham White standard letter chain for you, which is shown under lots of other PPCs' preview pics in that link I gave you in my previous post, above. If it does turn out to be Roxburghe/Graham White this is nowt to worry about but would be good if you could find a moment to confirm it to Crabman, even if not able to supply your own pics you could point him to the ones already listed that match yours.

minion101

Thanks Coupon-mad, for the links and the post.

I have to say the letter I have received, seems to be far better quality than some of the ones I have looked at in the list and I will definitely upload it.

This letter is directly from VCS, rather than the debt collectors / Solicitors and I will collect the full trail for Crabman's sticky collection.

give_them_FA

They have probably fallen out with Roxburghe . Or, they may have done a little thinking, and asked themselves what the point is of wasting postage on several letters when it's only the most scary one that they really need?

What, in general terms, was your heinous crime? If it was failure to pay in a charging car park then it might not be a bad idea to offer them what you should have paid; but in every other case, they won't have any claim that they can pursue.

minion101

My crime was not parking in a marked bay. I wasn't causing an obstruction, although I didn't follow their invitation to only park in marked bays and the car park is a free one.

give_them_FA

So the loss they suffered is.... big fat zero. Just ignore. If the notice said "PARK IN MARKED BAYS ONLY" (usually does) you can argue that BAYS being plural you were being TOLD to use two or more of them!!

Coupon-mad

minion101 wrote: »

Thanks Coupon-mad, for the links and the post.

I have to say the letter I have received, seems to be far better quality than some of the ones I have looked at in the list and I will definitely upload it.

This letter is directly from VCS, rather than the debt collectors / Solicitors and I will collect the full trail for Crabman's sticky collection.

Good stuff! :T

esmerobbo

Maybe with the increase in postage costs they are reducing their scammail!