Roxburgh and a Luton airport saga

katpat23

More advice needed please:

Short version -- a PCN was issued to us at Luton airport -- typical story where the passenger jumped into the van while the driver drove slowly looking at all the signs.

Got PCN. When it was received, we didn't know at the time that the notice had to be within a certain time, or we could have responded on that basis right away. Instead, we sent a letter explaining the extenuating circumstances (not realising that the whole thing is a joke with those microscopic signs), but never the less, we never had any response from them and thought they must have dropped it.

A couple months later, Roxburghe got involved, sending me a letter to pay the fine. We ignored it as per instructions here. Then the new lawyers sent a letter.

In the past fortnight, we have re-sent my letter to APCOA and asked for response as per advice from this forum by Coupon-mad.

We also sent copies of Roxburghe's and gpb Solicitor's letters back to them telling them the debt is denied and they should refer matter back to their clients, and that any further contact would be considered harrassment.

Today, another letter from Roxburghe. They acknowledge the note we sent them and are now asking for copies of original correspondence and to provide details as to why APCOA's claim is invalid, and given us 14 days to produce them.

I presume you experts out there wouldn't advise that we play their game, but what shall we do now? My husband really, really doesn't want to have this hassle dropping through our letterbox every fortnight.

Thanks in advance.

Stroma

They don't need to know why the debt is denied, just refer them to the bpa code of practice and say they their clients do not abide by it, and suggest they read it and the matter is closed. Or just ignore them completely, they will go away as they are toothless wonders, the same for the parking company.

Tell them that they have 14 days to confirm that they have referred this matter back to ACPOA if they continue to harass you a complaint to the office of fair trading will be submitted on their breach of the debt collectors code of practice.

I am sure Scouse Magic will be delighted to help you with a complaint with poxburghe and their new letter head gpb solicitors that happen to be in their head office

katpat23

Dear Stroma

Thanks for your assurance. It would be great if Scouse Magic would offer that reply to Roxburghe for me to send.

You guys know all the right terms and expressions, and I just want this closed down as soon as possible.

Wish I'd checked you out when I first got the PCN -- it wasn't within the 14 or 16 days of giving notice (I can't remember which right now), and wish I'd just put the lid on it then.

On the other hand, APCOA has been silent to me the whole time, so perhaps arguing about the time limit would have achieved nothing anyway. I'd probably still be in the same decision tree loop!

Stroma

If you don't contact them it will go away after a couple of letters , they as I said are toothless. If you want something to send to them it can be done , I will come up with something later unless someone does it for you in the meantime

katpat23

Cheers. Much appreciated.

Coupon-mad

Summat like this, suitably amended?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/62859837#Comment_62859837

only change the £105 paragraph (not relevant to you, probably?) to one that points out that the Notice was received far to late to be compliant with the POFA and the BPA CoP and that you are sending an official complaint to the BPA and DVLA about APCOA's non-compliance and for ignoring your initial appeal.

Here's where to also send your complaint to (look how it works!):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/62837083#Comment_62837083

...except that I would change the dvla email to [EMAIL="david.dunford@dvla.gsi.gov.uk"]david.dunford@dvla.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL] instead of Elizabeth.

Scouse_Magic

Hi there...
I wouldn't bother sending any letters to roxburghe as it will fall on deaf ears, they only want your long card number and they dont do popla either...

Come back only if you receive a Northampton County Court Claim form and I will sink em !

You could also tell them that before training their staff to pester people over the phone and by post, Roxburghe should pay their own bills first, as they refused to pay a Court Judgement in March 2013 and their client went mad, which was funnily enough around the time old sobell went missing and GPB turned up...

You may also bring this matter to the urgent attention of the SRA regarding the activity taking place at KT14 6ND all registered to Roxburghe, Pay my PCN, Graham White & GPB.....with a twist of the occasional PO Box and Manor House shenanigans :beer:

katpat23

Thanks C-M and S-M: I have written a letter to APCOA sending a copy of my original rebuttal to their PCN and haven't had any response (again) after nearly a month. Roxburghe, I think, I'll ignore because as S-M says, they won't pay attention anyway, and I don't want to spend another £1.70 on a signed-for letter if it's doing no good.

Would you like to see the text of the latest Roxburghe letter. Remember that I received it after writing to say the debt is denied and needed to be refer the matter back to their client.

I am in receipt of your recent letter, the contents of which have been noted.

Our client has instructed us to collect the outstanding balance as shown above.

We are advised that you did appeal the original PCN with our client but that you did not receive a reply. I have now placed your account on hold for a period of 14 days to allow you time to send full details of your dispute to this office with copies of your original correspondence so that we can investigate this matter accordingly.

I note your comment regarding harassment; however our Client has every right under Contract Law to request payment of the outstanding debt. If you have reason to believe that their claim is invalid, we invite you to provide details as requested above.

For your information, both Roxburghe (UK) Limited and our Clients are members of the British Parking Association and adhere to the Code of Practice of its Approved Operator Scheme.

Signed Steve Dargonne, Parking Services Manager

Guys_Dad

Email or letter to RoxyMusic

"Dear sirs,

I have no proof that you are acting for "PPC concerned".

I would be grateful if you would get them to confirm to me that you are, in fact, acting for them and to get them to advise me if they have not received my appeal dated dd/mm/yy.

I require this to come from them on their headed notepaper as for all I know, you may be simply legal ambulance chasers."

zzzLazyDaisy

Scouse_Magic wrote: »

Come back only if you receive a Northampton County Court Claim form and I will sink em !

I suggest that you come back if you get a Letter Before Action (also known as Letter Before Claim or Letter Before County Court Claim, or something similar). This announces an intention to issue county court proceedings, and importantly states they are acting on behalf of the PPC (rather than Roxburghe). They must comply with the Court Practice Direction at that stage (and the LBA will DEFINITELY be non-compliant). So you get another crack at nailing this and avoiding court action.

In the meantime I second reporting this shower to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This course of action is open to you if you believe the Solicitor's conduct of this issue breaches the Principles in the Solicitors' code of conduct, as set out in version 7 of the SRA handbook - particularly to:

1 uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice;
2 act with integrity;
3 not allow their independence to be compromised;
4 behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in you and in the provision of legal services;

(for example, compromising their legal integrity by sending manipulative, aggressive or misleading letters)

If enough people complain they will be investigated.

The full text of the Principles is here

http://www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/code/

and the instructions on how to complain are here

http://www.sra.org.uk/consumers/prob...how-report-sra

(Ignore the first bit about reporting a solicitor to the legal ombudsman, that's for clients of the firm - scroll halfway down the page to 'how to report a solicitor or firm to the SRA).

Daisy

Scouse_Magic

Its up to you if you choose to correspond with them or not... all appeals (under their ideology ) will fall on deaf ears and they will keep sending stupid letters and up the ante....

I would be very surprised if you get taken to court given Roxburghes recent performances, reputation and behaviour towards the legal system......Ask yourself how come GPB suddenly moved in with them and where has their beloved Graham White Solicitors gone all of a sudden? (Although they are both still registered there)......there you will find your answer, and you will get a GPB letter head called a Letter Before Action but not direct from them if you see what I mean.....

Roxburghe refer all matters to them (well that's how it looks) so they are GPB's client however the wording will be changed to suddenly APCOA being the client........Rubbish..... dont be fooled :T