Help with TPS and Debt Recovery Plus Ltd

Ophie

Hi

Earlier this year in March I believe, I received a parking invoicey thing from TPS for parking in a disabled spot without a disabled badge showing. The car park was free it was in Sainsburys, there are no tickets to purchase you park and shop.

Anyway, I have a spinal cord injury and was waiting for my blue badge, which had arrived in the post whilst I was out shopping. But I couldn't park in the spaces further away as I can't walk very far.

I ignored the letters, and have now received a letter from Debt Recovery Plus Ltd demanding payment of £149.00, if I don't pay it they are recommending that court action should take place to recover what I owe. Well... am I wrong in thinking that as it was a free car park I don't owe anything?

I'm now feeling a little panicky about the fact that I've ignored things and potentially am facing court and having to pay.

Any kind words of advice welcome at this stage. Thank you

The_Slithy_Tove

Sit tight. DR+ can't do anything. TPS are not known to progress beyond threatening letters as far as court. You are way to late to appeal now.

Alternatively, you could go to Sainsbury's with the letters and your disabled badge, and instruct them to call off the hounds, else you'll consider action on them and TPS under the Equalities Act, now they are aware of your position.

Ophie

Thanks.

I've been far too caught up in the ongoing problems I have with my back and other things to even properly look at the letters and research what to have done. it came at a very bad time.

I guess that is no excuse, also my badge is back dated.

Coupon-mad

You are not facing court at all, this junk mail is part of the scam!

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=78495

Have a laugh at the letters and see how common they are from all the links on that thread.

If it's only Sainsburys in the car park then send them a strong 'Letter before Claim' (to the CEO of Sainsburys) telling them their agent is harassing a protected disabled person (no Blue Badge needed). Examples here in a thread where a poster actually lost an appeal at POPLA and then still got the landowner to call off the PPC:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=79901&hl

I am SchoolRunMum over on pepipoo, look at my post #15 which explains that you were still a protected disabled person and could park in a disabled bay on private land due to your condition. Then look at post #57 by Stevensan which gave a short Letter before Claim example you can use/adapt. Basically it's telling Sainsburys 'call off your dogs as I am disabled and this is illegal action from your agent for which you are liable too'! Just change the 'gesture of goodwill' final sentence saying 'here's my Blue Badge which is backdated including the date of this incident and in any case a lack of a Blue Badge at the time doesn't take away my disability nor my right to use a disabled bay (TPS signage is unenforceable as they can't restrict the effect of the Act to certain disabled people, it is not the same as on street statutory rules).'

If it's a Retail Park (not just Sainsburys) you'd need to send the LBC to the Managing agent and/or landowner (easily found on Google by looking at any newspaper or retail article results about the Retail Park).

Ophie

just checking this is still part of the junk mail.

Received this letter this morning.


Haven't had time to find out who the land owners are to write to them. Stuff with my back has got worse and this stupid ticket is the least of my worries.

Thanks very much

fisherjim

Ophie wrote: »

just checking this is still part of the junk mail.

Received this letter this morning.



Haven't had time to find out who the land owners are to write to them. Stuff with my back has got worse and this stupid ticket is the least of my worries.

Thanks very much

Yes utter junk, I have a full set of these, you may get follow ups from Zenith after this but are one and the same!

Hovite_2

As already suggested - go to Sainsbury's with the letters and your Blue Badge and DEMAND that the Manager ( not one of his lackies ) cancel the PCN.

Ophie

fab. Thank you

Ophie

It's not just a Sainsbury's, it's a retail park and I can't find out the landowners. I've tried and failed.

But if these letters are still par for the course then I'll just sit tight. I really don't have the energy to fight, I'm spending every day struggling to walk let alone fighting with Sainsbury's. I'm feeling very pathetic at the moment.

Custard_Pie

As has already been said, it's all part of the scam into bullying/duping you into thinking that this is a genuine parking ticket as issued by The Police or council appointed Traffic Wardens. It isn't and no one can do or enforce anything to do with your credit rating. You have missed the window of appeal now, so sit tight and come back if you get a Letter Before Action with a Court rubber stamp on it (you won't).

If it was me then I'd tear the Store Manager (not a Duty Manager or Customer Services Desk rep) off a strip and tell them that they are persecuting a Disabled person for shopping in their store. This will see the charge cancelled and an instant stop to the junk mail. In the unlikely event that the store say they can't cancel it, tell them that you will contact the local paper.

Hovite_2

Ophie wrote: »

It's not just a Sainsbury's, it's a retail park and I can't find out the landowners. I've tried and failed.

But if these letters are still par for the course then I'll just sit tight. I really don't have the energy to fight, I'm spending every day struggling to walk let alone fighting with Sainsbury's. I'm feeling very pathetic at the moment.

Quite understand. Instead then, ignore the PPC and instead fire off an email to your local papers letter column. Don't forget to mention who you shopped with and that their agents ( TPS ) are breaking the Equality Act. See how fast it get's cancelled then