Newlyn - parking, outrageous fees

NeObliviscaris

Hi all,

Found this board helpful when I previously visited (years ago) so thought I would try again...

Last night my girlfriend had a "Notice of Enforcement Agent Visit" note stuffed through her letter box... This states it is related to an unpaid parking ticket, of mine, from Enfield.

There is no fee breakdown, no reference of the original parking ticket - just a fee due amount, which they have conjured out the air as £482.

There are some important points here:

1. I don't live there - it is her and her daughters place, though my car was registered there as I was there at the time, and it had a garage which made insurance cheaper. I am not on the lease and the bulk of my mail doesn't go there.

2. She suffers from some very serious mental health problems having 'escaped' from years of an abusive and violent marriage - she has BPD, dissociative disorder and when stressed or made anxious can drop into psychotic episodes. She does not need these goons harassing her. (In these episodes she is not herself at all and often self-harms).

3. I got the parking ticket due to work - and the client knew I was going to get it and it was included in my invoice to them... I thought I had paid it at the time via postal order as my bank card was in process of being replaced.

I never heard any more about it and I assumed it was a done deal.

Right up until she phoned me last night anxious about this visit and any further visits that may come.....

I am going to contact the original issuing council and see what has happened, I thought this was paid (about 10 months ago).

But mainly I want to stop these knuckledraggers harassing her and possibly setting back all the strides that she has made in managing her mental state....

Not to mention I am interested to know how a parking ticket could morph into £482 in the first place.

:eek:

Umkomaas

As we tend to major on private parking tickets here, PePiPoo will be your best bet for council tickets. Here's your link:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=30

Have a read through some of the other threads there before you post your own to get the hang of what information they need from you in your opening post - but as a minimum you will need photos/scans of all correspondence you've received from the council (both sides, if appropriate).

PePiPoo has an excellent success record in dealing with council tickets.

HTH

NeObliviscaris

cheers, never thought of pepipoo - was over on their site many years ago with speeding disputes.

Coupon-mad

They will definitely help with this issue but may also point you to Sheila on the website BailiffAdviceOnline, who knows all about the new laws about bailiffs fees and is occasionally a poster on both forums too (Herbie).

The_Deep

She does not need these goons harassing her. ... I thought I had paid it ...

The bailiffs are simply trying to effect a court issued warrant, it is your bank/council who you should be concentrating on.

NeObliviscaris

The_Deep wrote: »

She does not need these goons harassing her. ... I thought I had paid it ...

The bailiffs are simply trying to effect a court issued warrant, it is your bank/council who you should be concentrating on.

It is not the fine and bailiff's simply trying to do their job that are the problem - it is the ludicrously inflated fees and the manner in which they do it.. Newlyn are not exactly "above board" and have form for inflating fees and employing methods outside codes of practice. They were subject of an expose by The Times a few years ago because of this...

But yes, I agree first port of call is the council concerned.. as yet I have not got through on their damn phone number.... :mad:

NeObliviscaris

I have spoken to the council....

The woman was very understanding but could only clarify that the ticket had never been paid. (What happened there with that I don't know).

I informed her of the actions of Newlyn, that their form/notice didn't meet any of the guidelines and further mentioned that they have previous form for dubious tactics and additional fees.... As to my main concern, my girlfriends fragile mental health at times being exacerbated by potential shady bailiff activity - she fully understood.

She gave me the number for Northampton County Court and told me I was best to call them, ask for Late Witness Statement forms - complete them when I received them and that they would then be able to halt the Newlyn proceedings.

Coupon-mad

Yep and pepipoo and BAO can help if you still need them. Let us know the outcome.

NeObliviscaris

by way of more info....

The original ticket was around 12th/13th February 2014 - my work often involves having to parking in spots that will acquire tickets, the clients know this and I include any resulting tickets in the invoice. I know from the invoice of the job concerned that it was 12th/13th Feb - I have a note of the PCN number but not any of the original ticket 'paperwork'.

The vehicle was registered there at the time of the parking offence - I was staying there far more frequently back then to help look after her as her episodes were frequent and we often had ambulance crews out. Later in 2014 once she was under medication that was at least partially helping, and she had stabilised a bit more I was staying elsewhere more often... and my work often has me away on the road.

The car concerned is still parked round the back at hers (SORN) awaiting collection from vehicle recycler.

It is the subsequent letters etc where things get complicated - as part of the serious string of mental disorders she suffers from is avoidant disorder... in short, because stress, anxiety etc can set off episodes she avoids any matters that may upset the apple cart - ditching mail that may be bad news.
{This only came to light last year when I received a parking summons from a speeding camera offence i knew nothing about}. I have since set up a mailbox for my mail in her area, and i get some other mail at my other "official" address, my parents.

So they may have sent some earlier letters/notifications, or they may not, all i know is I never got them...

I have no problem paying the fine, and even some/all of the fees if it comes to it - it looks as though the council never got my initial payment... So I accept I may have to pay up (again) plus some extras.. All i want to achieve is the goons stop calling on her (raising her anxiety and adding yet more fees), and getting to pay in instalments rather then those !!!!!! setting their chosen rate and adding on yet more fees. Not to mention the idiots forcing way to value her goods etc for a "sell off" when they are her belongings and sod all to do with me or my ticket!

I have the TE7 and TE9 forms ready to go....
To be perfectly honest given the circs here I am not aiming to point the finger at the council, I am not aiming to wriggle out of things... I am seeking to achieve two things;
1. Stop Bailiff goons harassing someone who is emotionally/mentally vulnerable...
2. Paying ticket/legit fines in a couple of instalments - without arbitrary fees being added on willy nilly.

That's all.