Letter regarding contravention

catkins

OH has received a letter today from Rossendales Collect. It states he owes £95 in respect of a contravention. He knows nothing about this and the date of the contravention is shown as 15/05/2008. He has never received any previous correspondence regarding this and why has it taken so long to receive this one?


The letter states:


We are instructed by the London Borough of Newham in respect of a Warrant of Execution authorized by the Traffic Enforcement Centre at Northampton County Court regarding the above contravention.


As you have failed to respond to repeated requests for payment it is now our intention to instruct an officer to attend your address to discuss this matter with you.


If you wish to avoid the attendance of our office, you must PAY THE FULL AMOUNT WITHIN 7 DAYS from the date of this letter.


It then goes on to threaten an Attachment of Earnings Order, Third Party Debt Order, Statutory Demand in Bankruptcy if payment is not made.


This is definitely the first we have heard of this matter. We are still at the same address so not likely that if there had been correspondence we would not have received any of it.


It mentions a car park so not sure if he is meant to have overstayed his time or what. There is no mention of the vehicle make or registration.


I am unsure now as to what I should do. Do I ignore it, do I write and say we don't have a clue what they are talking about and ask for more details such as car reg etc.


How can it have taken four and half years to suddenly write to OH?

kirkbyinfurnesslad_2

No don't ignore this.
I would suggest this site: http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk or pepipoo council section.
Edit:

I am sure I read somewhere that some ekse had one of these where it was quashed as the council had no record. So something fishy could be going on

Big_Bad_Dad

More like six years since spring is around the corner and this is 2014.

I would certainly write to the address given, but make it a strongly worded letter, "what the hell is this all about?", I mean next thing you'll be getting notices of unpaid monies going back to 1979. I smell a rat with this lot.

Explain also that this is the first you know of the matter. Very strange behaviour for a local authority.

Orford

Warrants of Execution only last for a year. Rossendales are known to try and enforce out of date ones.

You need to phone Traffic Enforcement Centre 08457 045007.

Ask the date it was issued and what date it expired. Was the council notified of the expiry and if so when ?

Redx

kirkbyinfurnesslad wrote: »

No don't ignore this.
I would suggest this site: http://bailiffadviceonline.co.uk or pepipoo council section.
Edit:

I am sure I read somewhere that some ekse had one of these where it was quashed as the council had no record. So something fishy could be going on

its here as I just read it , lol https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4856283

4consumerrights

Catkins is already aware of the other thread having initially posted on it.

Contact the council and the Traffic Enforcement Centre as advised above and on other thread and the bailiff advice given.

Also as stated above a firmly worded letter to Rossendales is required here informing them that a warrant only lasts for one year and this is a debt you know nothing about and is the first letter received.

Inform them also that the matter will be raised to the OFT and the FCA (who will shortly be handling debt collectors licences) and that should then continue to harass you for this unsubstantiated debt, then you will raise a claim for damages against the company for compensation.

I had a run in with Rossendales bailiffs a couple of years ago when they turned up on the doorstep alleging non-paying of council tax for a previous owner of the property concerned. First a letter arrived - I telephoned Rossendales and pointed out their error, then a bailiff arrived on doorstep. A further letter and forceful phone call to Rossendales threatening legal action would be taken against them made them retreat in haste - and they wrote a letter of apology!

catkins

OH tried ringing the London Borough of Newham today and they were unhelpful. They just said they could not give any information.


He tried ringing back to see if another person would be more helpful but got the same response.

Coupon-mad

So contact TEC and BailiffAdviceOnline urgently (the latter costs you a tenner for advice but is superb, the best you will get online from a very knowledgeable person, Sheila). And then early next week write a complaint letter to the top banana at Newham by name.

If Rossendales door-knock or try to clamp the car call the Police and tell them the bailiff appears to have no warrant. DO NOT PAY THE BAILIFFS EVEN IF UNDER THREAT.

catkins

OH phoned TEC yesterday and they said this has run out. I think they said in 2010 (OH isn't here and I can't remember exactly). No idea why we never received any correspondence about it.


Anyway they said not to bother contacting Rossendales and doubted if we would hear any more. They said if Rossendales send someone out (which they doubt) just to say it is no longer enforceable. That way they said it would be Rossendales who wasted time and money. Seems like they are not too impressed with Rossendales either!

Hot_Bring

Surely attempting to collect under an expired warrant is attempting to get money by deception ? I know most people in this situation are just happy to have got rid of the problem but if it were me I'd be complaining like hell.

spacey2012

Dear Scammers, it appears the "warrant" you are attempting to collect has expired.
Any futher action shall be deemed as harassment and any persons attending claiming to be bailiffs shall be placed under citizens arrest for impersonation of a court official as I am sure you are aware a warrant is document that empowers a citizen with court powers, with no live warrant that person defaults to a normal citizen .
Thank you.