UKPC charge in Scotland - what should I do next?

Coupon-mad

chickadee13 wrote: »

Hello, I'm back at I have received a letter from UKCP following the appeal I sent them. Unsurprisingly, they have declined my appeal.

That's misleading because they haven't said what action, if any, is required by an appellant in the imaginary 14 days (except to pay). I suppose that's a cut-down version of the letter they'd normally send in England/Wales which would have mentioned POPLA.

In your case, as this is Scotland, just ignore them and the debt collector letters that follow.

chickadee13

Coupon-mad wrote: »

That's misleading because they haven't said what action, if any, is required by an appellant in the imaginary 14 days (except to pay). I suppose that's a cut-down version of the letter they'd normally send in England/Wales which would have mentioned POPLA.

In your case, as this is Scotland, just ignore them and the debt collector letters that follow.

They addressed it to me with my names the wrong way round, i.e. [surname] [first name]. The letter is dated 4 November and I received it yesterday, which gives me a lot less time than 14 days to pay, anyway.

I want to write a complaint letter to the shop I was in (Marks & Spencer food hall if it makes any difference). We have enough stress at home without this. I really do hope they won't try to take it further.

Additionally on the parking ticket they have given as the reason that I was parked after the expiry time on a ticket, which isn't true as I didn't have the ticket in the first place. Do I have any defence with that?

I basically want to know my argument in case I need to address them in future if they keep sending letters to me. I know you're right in ignoring it, I just feel so anxious about it now they've sent the letter.

pogofish

chickadee13 wrote: »

I basically want to know my argument in case I need to address them in future if they keep sending letters to me. I know you're right in ignoring it, I just feel so anxious about it now they've sent the letter.

You need to stop taking them seriously - This bit of toilet paper is indicative of the kind of bottom feeders they are.

pogofish

rossgardner wrote: »

the incident is in Scotland yes

Then follow the advice already given - IGNORE!

Iceweasel

Chickadee - all I can say is to remind you what i advised earlier - ignore the scammers UKPC - they will be sending you more letters as they suspect that you will give in and pay up.

But all they are doing is trying to scare you.

Standfast and be strong.

I would suggest that you actually go and speak to the manager of M&S and demand that they instruct their agents UKPC to cancel this nonsense of harassing a genuine customer.

Take copies of any receipts, credit card or bank statements with you to show that you are a customer and it is out of order to chase you like this. Blank out any personal details from the statements.

Please don't give in.

chickadee13

pogofish wrote: »

You need to stop taking them seriously - This bit of toilet paper is indicative of the kind of bottom feeders they are.

I know, you're right. I'm such a boring 'do everything right' person that even when I know I haven't done anything wrong, really, I still feel I have! This will be a good test of my mettle.

chickadee13

Iceweasel wrote: »

Chickadee - all I can say is to remind you what i advised earlier - ignore the scammers UKPC - they will be sending you more letters as they suspect that you will give in and pay up.

But all they are doing is trying to scare you.

Standfast and be strong.

I would suggest that you actually go and speak to the manager of M&S and demand that they instruct their agents UKPC to cancel this nonsense of harassing a genuine customer.

Take copies of any receipts, credit card or bank statements with you to show that you are a customer and it is out of order to chase you like this. Blank out any personal details from the statements.

Please don't give in.

Thanks Iceweasel. Needed to hear that. The letter was actually sent to my mum's so I got back today for a few days here and found it waiting, I knew what it was before I even opened it. It's so badly written, apart from anything else! I know that isn't the main thing but it looks so unprofessional.

My mum called the manager on the day after it happened (I was at work so she did this herself!) and she empathised, apparently, and said most people just don't pay, but I think my mum was more just asking about it rather than complaining. As M&S is one shop in the retail park, should I actually complain to the owners of the retail park, if I can find out how? Or would M&S be enough to get them to help? I guess they are not directly deadling with UKPC but they are benefiting from the car park and the custom. I still have the receipt from that time, and my mum probably has loads - I often go on her behalf (mostly, actually) as she can't leave my sister alone in the house unless I am there. So she does give them business.

Iceweasel

M&S is probably the company with the biggest 'clout' in the retail park, so I personally wouldn't contact the park owners - yet.

I would take as many M&S receipts as you can get a hold of and go to see the manager personally. Be polite but firm.

But remember that all of this is almost certainly going to develop into a damp squib as the UKPC parasites are almost certainly going to stop at threats and not go down any real legal channels.

They get enough naive folks who just pay up to not need to bother with the ones who resolutely ignore their threats.

chickadee13

Iceweasel wrote: »

M&S is probably the company with the biggest 'clout' in the retail park, so I personally wouldn't contact the park owners - yet.

I would take as many M&S receipts as you can get a hold of and go to see the manager personally. Be polite but firm.

But remember that all of this is almost certainly going to develop into a damp squib as the UKPC parasites are almost certainly going to stop at threats and not go down any real legal channels.

They get enough naive folks who just pay up to not need to bother with the ones who resolutely ignore their threats.

it's the 'almost' part of 'almost certainly' that worries me. Can you tell I am an anxious personality?!

Going to see the manager is a daunting prospect but I will try to do it next week (the receipt is in my flat and I won't be there till later this week). Maybe I should wait till I receive another letter? I know there are a lot of 'what ifs', I'm just keen to have a plan of action in my mind so I can stick to that and not get worried and tempted to give in. I really don't want to, the whole situation makes me so angry!

Iceweasel

I can understand that you are anxious, but it would be wrong of me to say that they would never try it a stage further.

They haven't done so far and I'm pretty sure they wont - just as I'm pretty sure that the sun will rise tomorrow morning.

You actually have nothing to lose here and everything to gain. If the worst were to come to the worst and they went down the road of a court action you will get plenty help on here to fight it and win.

Winning is pretty much a certainty too - but again it's an almost certainty.

Also I have to say that you could stop it at any point by paying them. There can be no repercussions on credit ratings or anything like that - even if you go to court and lose.

But why pay now - go all the way up to the letter before action stage and even then you can re-consider the situation.

That would be several months away at the earliest, and I really don't think it will ever get to that.

It's your money and your decision as you are the one under pressure and I do understand your fears but I would still advise you to don't pay now - or later.