Parking fine at Vinci parks

Ds2012

Hello all, hope somebody can advise me on this.

I allowed my son to use my car and he had a fine from Vinci parks after parking at a shopping centre, he stupidly forgot to buy the valid ticket.

On the advice of others I ignored the resulting letters (3 of them) from Vinci on the basis that I wasn't the driver but the car is in my name, I have never replied to any of the letters, should I have wrote back explaining I wasn't driving?

This morning though I have received a letter from a debt collection agency requesting £124, the original fine was £70 or £40 if I paid in the 1st 14 days after it was issued.

None of the letters I received have shown photos of the car, should I bite the bullet and pay up? The fact a debt collection agency are now involved worries me

The_Slithy_Tove

Ds2012 wrote: »

should I bite the bullet and pay up? The fact a debt collection agency are now involved worries me

:eek: What, are you kidding? No way!

Do you think a debt collection agency is actually anything important with any kind of authority or power? It is not. I could start a debt collection agency tomorrow, and write to you saying you owe money. They are toothless, and can do nothing.

You have been well advised so far, and ignored Vinci. Just keep on doing the same with the debt collectors. Any threats of CCJs and credit rating are completely hollow, and only there to intimidate you. The same goes if you get a letter from a so-called solicitor; it's just another standard letter.

Check out the sticky threads in this forum. They contain all the usual letters sent out. You can play snap with the ones you've received, and can be prepared for the next one in the sequence.

tospig

Ds2012 wrote: »

should I bite the bullet and pay up? The fact a debt collection agency are now involved worries me

NO!
the 'debt collection agency' can not do anything other than send letters to try and scare you.

we have all had these letters and ignored them.

Ds2012

Thanks for the replys, if it makes any difference the debt collection company involved is called roxburghe, anybody have any experience of these?

Ds2012

Also should I now write to advise I wasn't the driver or continue to ignore?

tospig

Ds2012 wrote: »

Thanks for the replys, if it makes any difference the debt collection company involved is called roxburghe, anybody have any experience of these?

Yes. Lots and lots and lots and lots of posts on this forum about Roxburghe.

The advice of IGNORE still stands. There's no point in contacting them.

The_Slithy_Tove

Ds2012 wrote: »

Thanks for the replys, if it makes any difference the debt collection company involved is called roxburghe, anybody have any experience of these?

See that thing at the top right of the page that says "Search MSE". Had it occurred to actually type "Roxburghe" into it box and see what come out?

Ds2012

Being new here I hadn't noticed the search box, but really any need for the arsy comment?

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

See that thing at the top right of the page that says "Search MSE". Had it occurred to actually type "Roxburghe" into it box and see what come out?

Barneysmom

Don't give them a penny of your money. You might get a couple of letters threatening you with court action, these are empty threats.
I had 2 ' see you in court' letters which I ignored and have heard nothing since.

They send out bullying letters scaring people into paying a made up fee. Ignore them.

Coupon-mad

Ds2012 wrote: »

Thanks for the replys, if it makes any difference the debt collection company involved is called roxburghe, anybody have any experience of these?

You should just be playing snap with these letters by now surely. Third thread down, 'PPC letter chains':

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

None of the regulars here mean to seem 'arsey', honestly! I suppose we are all a bit gobsmacked and sad that a newbie missed all the info we supply here; I know you are new but we put it near the top permanently for newbies to look at pics of the letters. Your letter is there. Start your game of snap!

RENEGADE_2

To Ds12

I haven't read every reply so forgive me if the following information has already been mentioned. To answer your original post directly, debt collectors are merely part of the nexus but apart from that their threats are unsanctioned unless they have successfully proven their case in court. No court case? No mandate for you to pay anything. The contract was between driver and landowner, and you as keeper have no obligation to tell your antagonists even that much - they are harassing you as an individual purely because your name is linked to the vehicle in question. If you did say you weren't the driver, they'd only pressurise you into forwarding the details of their suspect, and they'd resort to obsolete rhetoric such as the BPA's quote that "courts do not look favourably on persons withholding information when asked to provide it". Indeed when the court asks you who drove, tell them who it was, but this when isn't going to come - because so long as they know they are seeking money that does not constitute losses, they won't be filing for any CCJs. Keep your head up and ignore the remaining bits of trash.