Excel parking

Juloup

i received a letter from Debt Collection Direct, two days ago which said I had an outstanding parking charge of £160 from 2013 for not displaying my disabled badge correctly in a Sainsburys car park. I remember the incident very clearly as it was the day I had travelled 70 miles to sort out my deceased parents home having just lost them both within 6 months of each other. On receiving the penalty notice I immediately put in an appeal to excel who rejected it and said if I wanted to appeal further I should write to POPLA. This I did and because I never received a reply I presumed it had been written off. On receiving this letter on Thursday I rang Debt Collectors Direct explained the situation but they said they couldn't become involved with appeals and that to avoid court I needed to pay £160 immediately. I then rang POPLA and explained the circumstances but was told by them that because it was 2years ago they had no records of my appeal and that they only keep them on file fo 6 months but they presumed it had been rejected. Excel have said if I pay £100 by Monday they will accept a reduced payment. My fear is that the conversations I have had on the telephone have been recorded and they may use them to prosecute. any advice greatly received please

The_Deep

I think that you can safely ignore both the PPC and the DCA unless or until such time as you are sent genuine court papers..

Write to Sainsburys and ask them to get it cancelled, it is most unlikely that they would welcome the publicity should The Daily Mail get to hear of it.

For future reference, do not use the telephone to conduct a complaint, always write to them, Judges love paper-trails.