Excel parking , debt collector threatening court action

Xwoman

18mths ago received a parking charge notice , for failure to pay and display . I replied stating must be an error , enclosing copy of ticket.
Received a reply stating the ticket was invalid as it did not have my car registration on , which on checking the ticket was true.
I replied explaining what I believe happened : as my ticket was processed , money was returned , an old lady who was in front of me walked back and asked if the machine had worked , as it didn't for her . I gave her the returned coin and presumed it was hers and showed her how to enter her registration . I believe the ticket I received was hers and I stated this : excel refuted my claims stating I must have picked it off the floor . I appealed to Popla and lost : stating it was my responsibility to have the correct registration ticket.
Excel wrote to me in Oct 2013, with the decision stating I now have to pay full parking charge notice of £100.
Today I received a letter from a debt recovery company ,advising Excel recently wrote to me re the 'unpaid charges, which they didn't and , giving me 11 days to pay £160 or the will advise Excel's solicitor to proceed with court action .
I now realise , having followed threads on this Forum that I should have dealt with the situation quite differently , in terms of how I corresponded , but at the time I thought truth would have prevailed .
I don't know what to do next , I purchased the ticket in good faith , I had no reason to check whether the correct registration was on . I feel I'm left liable for the actions of the woman before me , who didn't know how to operate the machine .
Any advice gratefully accepted . Sorry so lengthy

bod1467

NEWBIES thread, post #4.

Nothing more needs to be said. This is probably the 10th instance of this same question TODAY!

Coupon-mad

I will just add this too (which is NOT the NEWBIES thread so read that as well, top of the forum):

READ THIS BEFORE YOU START A NEW THREAD ABOUT ROSSENDALES or DEBT RECOVERY PLUS!

Let us know if you get small claims papers; we can help you defend it, no probs. We don't need a blow by blow account of the DRP and Zenith letter chain EVER AGAIN!

Xwoman

I'm really sorry, I have only just joined this sight. I took your advice and over the past couple of nights I have tried to follow your advice, however I have found it difficult to follow the threads. Most of what I have read has applied to people who haven't gone through Popla, unfortunately I wrote about my mitigating circumstances , which I realise hasn't got me anywhere and my appeal was rejected.
Where do I go from here in terms of the response letter to Debt Recovery?
I am sorry, as I can appreciate how frustrating it must be , having so many newbies posting similar threads

Coupon-mad

You go nowhere, do nothing unless you get a Letter before Claim from Excel themselves, or court papers. We can help you defend and you would not get a CCJ, it's not terrible if you have to defend it.

Ignore the debt collector letters completely.

Can I ask something - I have been contacted by a journalist who is looking to do a Documentary about disabled or elderly people who have lost at POPLA and are now being threatened with court. If you fit that bill then send me a pm with your email address if you'd like me to pass your email onto the Journalist. When named & shamed on TV, firms often cancel unfair charges, and the Documentary is happy to include cases without naming the person involved. If you fit the bill of the cases they are looking to sort out and show, send me a pm by clicking my username and send me a private message with your email.