Letter before claim

Coupon-mad

Go through the SRA Code of Conduct and pick out the breaches, like in LoveNorfolk's thread about BW Legal (you can search & find that one). Yours is Gladstones but you can still point out the lack of information and robo-claim nature of these cases, as described by the Parking Prankster today:

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/ace-security-youve-been-gladstoned.html

They ignore the overriding objective in the pre-action protocol and leave people with so little information & evidence that consumers are disadvantaged and ripped off:

https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules

So, it's not a random complaint to the SRA, it's a specific complaint about omissions, refusal to supply evidence and misleading wording.

Kind_Of_Irritated

Thanks Coupon-mad, that's exactly the focus I wanted. Just a general moan about lawyers per se wouldn't cut it, imho.

Go through the SRA Code of Conduct and pick out the breaches, like in LoveNorfolk's thread about BW Legal (you can search & find that one). Yours is Gladstones but you can still point out the lack of information and robo-claim nature of these cases, as described by the Parking Prankster today:

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2016/10/ace-security-youve-been-gladstoned.html

They ignore the overriding objective in the pre-action protocol and leave people with so little information & evidence that consumers are disadvantaged and ripped off:

https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules

So, it's not a random complaint to the SRA, it's a specific complaint about omissions, refusal to supply evidence and misleading wording.

Kind_Of_Irritated

Today I received a "Claim Form" from Gladstones (for Link Parking) - "In the County Court Business Centre". They are asking me to send them a total of over £200, including a "court fee" and their legal representative's costs!

I have 14 days to reply to them - they presumably expect me to actually pay them! There is no date for any hearing but if I don't get back to them ASAP it seems they just win the case automatically and I am awarded a CCJ!

Should I complete any of this form? For instance, the "defence" form (within 14 days) or the "Acknowledgement of Service" part, asking for 28 days to prepare my defence but presumably, although that time element is not clearly stated in their 8-page letter needing to get back to Gladstones within the 14 days... or else CCJ etc?

I have not yet sent off my letter to the SRA complaining about this cowboy outfit and its links to the IPC that Link Parking uses. As we know IPC itself is run as an offshoot of Gladstones Solicitors.

Any suggestions as to how to proceed from here? A draft response which I will adjust accordingly, of course?

Despite having spent many MANY hours chasing around the forums here and elsewhere I have still not mastered the distillation skills required to hone my responses down. I have, however, saved about 40 pages of draft information in a document, much of which might well be useful.

Ralph-y

have a read through

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5546325

Ralph:cool:

Kind_Of_Irritated

Thank you so much for this, Ralph-y. I noticed this in that thread from hoo hoo:

Another option is email:
https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/county-court-business-centre-ccbc

Claim responses & directions: [EMAIL="ccbcaq@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk"]ccbcaq@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

I believe you get an acknowledgement, so you can prove it was received.
Add the claim number to the email subject line, and also the document name.

What do you suggest? Post or email or both?

Kind_Of_Irritated

To Ralph-y

Another option is email:
https://courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk/courts/county-court-business-centre-ccbc

Claim responses & directions: [EMAIL="ccbcaq@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk"]ccbcaq@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

Did you mean email rather than completing the online form? Is it worth doing both?

Kind_Of_Irritated

Update: I have completed the online response to the court's "Claim Form" selecting the "acknowledgement of services" part so giving me 38 days.

One query - on the hearing day does one have to be taking time off actual paid work to claim for a day's expenses? I'd like to be able to claim for the hours/days/weeks of research time I've used to get this far! It would be far, FAR higher than a day's pay anyway.

Fruitcake

Kind_Of_Irritated wrote: »

Update: I have completed the online response to the court's "Claim Form" selecting the "acknowledgement of services" part so giving me 38 days.

One query - on the hearing day does one have to be taking time off actual paid work to claim for a day's expenses? I'd like to be able to claim for the hours/days/weeks of research time I've used to get this far! It would be far, FAR higher than a day's pay anyway.

You can make a claim for all reasonable expenses incurred up to a cap of 95 quid. This can include 'phone calls, stationery, time at court rate of 19 quid per hour, travel costs (train/bus fare, car parking) lunch etcetera. Have an itemised list with you on the day.

The_Deep

Actually, you can claim for more than £95 if you can convince a judge that they have behaved unreasonably. You will need to study CPR 27.14 (2) (g) and make a good case.

Kind_Of_Irritated

Thanks Fruitcake and The Deep. I'll look into this. If it is made clear that people who turn out to be innocent of these "charges" need many hours of work and research to be able to present their winning case, then asking for much higher expenses might stop these cowboys in their tracks.