Driven Home from Uni to find a series of threatening letters

Student229

Hi all,

I've read relevant stickies, but am not sure how best to proceed so I would appreciate any advice you can give.

I'm at University in Southampton, and registered with EasyGym in Shirley. Whenever you enter the gym you're supposed to input your registration details.

Due to circumstances, I haven't been home since before christmas. To my surprise, I've found that upon two occasions I had incorrectly put my registration on the screen inside. These occasions were back in November, and hence it would appear I've missed the opportunity to appeal with POPLA. I am now receiving 'Notice of intended action' from Debt Recovery Plus Ltd on behalf of Premier Park Ltd. I don't want to be intimidated by these cretins, but feel I've missed the opportunity to take appropriate action.

Please advise me on how best I should proceed, as a student... I really could do without shelling out £300

Fruitcake

DRP cannot take you to court. They are lying if they tell you that. Debt collectors have no powers whatsoever.

Did you appeal the original PCNs. You mention PoPLA but that is the second stage, and you can't use it without appealing to the PPC in the first place.

Have you read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES that explains the whole sordid scam and how to successfully beat it?

Student229

I've read the sticky, but the time between issuing the notice as past the point I can appeal I believe? (Notices were issued back at the end in November).

I've essentially just driven to my parental house for the first time since before christmas, to discover this paper-trail and I have no idea how to proceed at this stage. Thanks for your reply though.

Redx

complain to the gym and get them cancelled

IGNORE drp, they are all bluster and no powers

Fruitcake

What happened when you complained to the gym?

Student229

To reply to yourself and RedX: I haven't complained to the gym yet as I've only just opened all of the letters.

I will complain when I'm there on Monday, and will also try and get something out of their social media teams.

It's just irritating as I obviously would have grounds for an appeal, but now it appears to be in the lap of the gods as to whether or not Premier Park will start proceedings.

Half_way

In order to get the gym to cancel you must use the right words when dealing with the staff otherwise they will try and pass the buck and say it's nothing to do with us.
I Will post more later if required

Student229

Yeah that would be fantastic. I've already envisioned them saying: "Oh it's not up to us, it's down to Premier Park to manage our car park"

Yes I forgot to input my registration in, but statistically I forgot in about 1/100 occasions to put it in. It's a free car park, for the gym... which I'm a member of. Surely this can't hold-up. At least if it does, I know where I'll be cancelling my membership.

The_Deep

Even if it got to court, it is unlikely that a judge would find against you. Common sense dictates that this was a very minor human error, why should a PPC profit from it?

Coupon-mad

Student229 wrote: »

Yeah that would be fantastic. I've already envisioned them saying: "Oh it's not up to us, it's down to Premier Park to manage our car park"

Yes I forgot to input my registration in, but statistically I forgot in about 1/100 occasions to put it in. It's a free car park, for the gym... which I'm a member of. Surely this can't hold-up. At least if it does, I know where I'll be cancelling my membership.

And that's what you say to the gym!

Student229

Hi all,

I thought I'd avail you of the situation. I spoke to EasyGym management at the Gym, and they advised me because they didn't manage the car park there was nothing they could do to help. I then resorted to emailing customer services, who again said there was nothing they could do because they don't own the car park (yet the signage says the car park belongs to them). They did however provide me with a log that says I was there at the time that I was given the notice.

They advised me to appeal, but obviously because so much time has past since the incident I've surrendered my right to appeal. I'm at a loss as to what to do next