Getting a bit concerned - MET Parking & GPB Solicitor Letters

teejay1

Hi,

Wonder if anyone out there could shed some advice.

We've been issued a parking notice for parking on a private road.

About 5 years ago, we received one of these tickets and, not knowing it was basically an invoice, we paid it (more fool us).

We also received one about 3 years ago, but after seeing numerous articles and digging on forums we decided to ignore it. Lo and behold nothing came of it.

But that was before the changes to the Protection of Freedom Act in October 2012.

Back in March of this year, whilst moving furniture out of a flat, we received another MET parking notice. We'd normally search out the chap that issues the permits to allow parking for a certain period of time on the private road. However, he was on his rounds and we couldn't get hold of him.

I've received the inevitable second and final reminder from MET parking together with the standard Roxburghe letter and lastly a nice letter from GPB Solictors.

As with the last ticket we were kindly served with, I decided to ignore it.

However, after reading about the changes to PoFA I'm concerned that MET parking / GPB Solictors will pursue me through the courts.

I want to write back and appeal (well not so much appeal, more tell them where to go) but, from the correspondance I have, MET have informed me that a POPLA appeal is no longer an option due to the timeframe.

From doing a bit of digging, I do think that MET have breached the the PoFA (most notibly Sch 4. Para 9 (2)(h) in that they have not "identified the creditor". This is also referred to in the BPA Code of conduct (para 21.5). Would this mean that the presentation of the "invoice" doesn't comply with contract law and is invalid?

I believe that this has something to do with them having an agreement with and acting on behalf of the landowner, but this is just an assumption as I'm not legally trained in anyway.

My question is, should I let this just go on and look forward to the mounting pile of threatening letters (to be filed in the bottom drawer) or should I stick my head above the para-pit and take the fight to them.

If the latter, does anyone have a starting point on what I should be asking for from them?

I've composed a letter, but not sure if it would do the trick (happy to send it via PM for review).

Sorry if the details are a bit vague, but it's been suggested that I keep details to a minimum.

Thanks.

Umkomaas

GPB are fairly new kids on the block. They seem to have replaced Graham White as Roxy's (in house) solicitors. Their pedigree in terms of driver/RK pursuit is unknown.

The previous Rox/G White axis went no further than an elongated paper chase that finally went cold. I think most on here might guess the MO here will follow a similar pattern, but there's no guarantees, especially as most PPCs will be following the ramping up of ParkingEye's litigious behaviour of late with interest. Only after 6 years have elapsed can you legitimately write this off as 'case closed'.

Rox/GPB are just debt collectors, so you can get THEM off your tail by writing back stating 'debt denied, please refer back to you client and don't contact me again. Any further correspondence will be deemed as harassment and will be pursued through legal channels if there is a repeated incidence'.

As you're well down the track of 'ignore' you could stick with this and see what happens. If you get get stamped court papers, DO NOT ignore these - come back.

The other 2 options are:

1. Pay up, and it all goes away (but no one on here would really recommend this as a solution at this relatively early stage).

2. If the PPC hasn't been informed formally who the driver was, you can nominate the driver, which will reset the clock, MET then chase the driver, opening up the possibility of POPLA appeal.

Coupon-mad

Paying a scammer isn't an option, in my book.

Search the forum for one keyword, the acronym 'GPB' using the 'search this forum' heading on the right above the new threads on page one of the parking board. Change the default search to 'show posts' and you will see other people recently talking about GPB letters and laughing at them!

Only read recent threads from 2013. GPB have been sending scary debt collector letters for a long time (leads nowhere) but there's no point you reading old advice prior to the last few months as you'll get confused by wrong, dated advice. They have only recently started to be linked to Roxburghe debt collectors which suggests Roxburghe's minimum-wage call-centre minions are quite possibly sending these letters themselves, like they used to send 'Graham White' letter-headings.

Scouse_Magic

It is my opinion that GPB are lending their name to Roxburghe in the exact same manner as Graham White AKA Sobell due to Roxburghe's meeting with one of their clients who were furious with the performance in court and what was going on !......When I telephoned roxburghe they would not divulge any information on the whereabouts of michael sobell, nor would they comment on when a solicitor from GPB would be there to speak to personally... Both GW & GPB are registered at the same address........( I do not know of any practice like that in the country.)..According to the information on the law society's website, there are no practising solicitors at KT14 KND so who is sending out the letters ???? Roxburghe fight dirty, they lie in court, lie to a judge and send out a load of crap on behalf of other companies so it looks like they have legitimate bona fide solicitors on site.......Complain to the SRA and ask them to take a stroll down to Roxburghe unannounced and ask to see Graham White and GPB's office.......

By the way what was the alleged contravention, who owns the land and what is the signage like.......P.S. breaching the BPA code of practice is neither here or there, If GPB who Act on behalf of their client Roxburghe dont have a contract with the actual land owner not MET then they have no cause to bring action against you which could be contempt of court

The_Generals_Wife

My husband has today received a letter from GPB solicitors. He is the type of person who says we should have just paid the £75 fine that one of us gave him as he is the registered keeper of the car and i say ignore. I noticed that in a previous thread about the postcode but this one is kt14 6nd is this same company. Should we continue to ignore and do we need to say who was driving, it could be one of four.

Coupon-mad

The_Generals_Wife wrote: »

My husband has today received a letter from GPB solicitors. He is the type of person who says we should have just paid the £75 fine that one of us gave him as he is the registered keeper of the car and i say ignore. I noticed that in a previous thread about the postcode but this one is kt14 6nd is this same company. Should we continue to ignore and do we need to say who was driving, it could be one of four.

My husband is that type of person too, far too quick to believe in perceived authority and generally says that 'if it looks like a parking ticket and they've got signs up then surely it must be legit'!

It's people like our credulous menfolk who keep the PPCs in the money! :mad:

And yet he's married to me and I am the complete opposite, a natural-born cynic and someone who HATES a scam like this. I won the discussions over our 'tickets' and we have ignored 3 fake PCNs (and if I got another one I would appeal it and have fun beating them at POPLA of course, can't wait!).

GPB are the new 'Graham White' i.e. just a letter-heading used by Roxburghe who are just another pointless and discredited debt collector. IGNORE THEM.

Only take seriously a real Letter before Action from the company, or real small claim papers (very rare and very defendable of course). RELAX.

Scouse_Magic

Quote "I've received the inevitable second and final reminder from MET parking together with the standard Roxburghe letter and lastly a nice letter from GPB Solictors."

what were the time frames between these letters, not that it matters, and what was the post code stamped on the envelope sent by GPB, I was just curious

Scouse_Magic

The_Generals_Wife wrote: »

My husband has today received a letter from GPB solicitors. He is the type of person who says we should have just paid the £75 fine that one of us gave him as he is the registered keeper of the car and i say ignore. I noticed that in a previous thread about the postcode but this one is kt14 6nd is this same company. Should we continue to ignore and do we need to say who was driving, it could be one of four.

Do not pay anything and if the word "Fine" has been used it is a criminal offence

teejay1

Hi,

Scouse_Magic wrote: »

By the way what was the alleged contravention, who owns the land and what is the signage like.......P.S. breaching the BPA code of practice is neither here or there, If GPB who Act on behalf of their client Roxburghe dont have a contract with the actual land owner not MET then they have no cause to bring action against you which could be contempt of court

The alleged contravention was "not displaying a valid parking ticket / voucher / permit". Having ignored all of the correspondance, I've not entered into any communication with MET or GPB and have not the first clue who the land owner is. What I can say is that this occured on a private road in a gated development and not in place that would be designated as a car park.

I have had a phone call from Roxburghe this morning trying to get me to pay, but I've just told them that I deny any knowledge of entering an implied contract and to defer it back to their client.

Unfortunately, the signage is pretty clear (i.e. no foliage covering it), but also very ambiguous. By ambiguous I mean MET state that parking there contravenes the terms & conditions, but no where does it state where a copy of the terms and conditions can be obtained.

Scouse_Magic wrote: »

Quote "I've received the inevitable second and final reminder from MET parking together with the standard Roxburghe letter and lastly a nice letter from GPB Solictors."

what were the time frames between these letters, not that it matters, and what was the post code stamped on the envelope sent by GPB, I was just curious

The timeframe between these letters was about two weeks. Stupidly, I've kept only the letters and not the envelopes.

As I'm now getting phone calls, my concern is increasing. Should I start building a case as to who owns the land, getting copies of contracts etc?

IF they do undertake court proceedings (as Umkomaas has suggested it could with the ramping up of PEs activities), then I don't want to be unprepaired.

Also, did I do the right thing by referring back to their client, even though I've not entered into any communication with MET?

Thanks in advance

Scouse_Magic

You have a number of options...
1. Pay up and it goes away (not recommended.)

2. Next time Roxburghe phone tell them to stop phoning you as of today and discuss nothing (Like they do when they're on the backfoot and put the phone down.)

3. Next time Roxburghe phone ask to be put through to Graham White Solicitors (Michael Sobell) who are still registered at their address. PMSL

4.You can if you wish, answer the call and dispute the debt, and go on to discuss your all time favourite top 100 country & western tracks listed 1 - 100.

5.Await official court documents

Always remember GPB act on behalf of Roxburghe NOT MET as it was passed to them by Roxburghe in the very same address so its a 3rd party claim

Coupon-mad

Just Google 'Roxburghe phone calls parking debt is denied'. Follow the advice you will read in the forum results. Very, very common and easy to stop the calls.