G24, DRP, Gladstones Solicitors - PCN

chloelouise97

Hi guys, I am completely new to this so if you could bare with me I'd really appreciate it!

So last year (7th April 2016), I went out for an evening catch up with a friend, long story short because of the extremely limited parking availability where we went (curry house, absolutely no parking anywhere on main road), I decided to park in Staples, where the car park was virtually empty, around 4/5 cars dotted about... It was 7:35pm, shop shuts at 8. I'm not going to lie, it was't dark when I drove in, however I was chatting away with my friend and genuinely did not even know at this point that these private parking companies were a thing! C
Came back to my car at 10:01pm, pitch black at this point, believe there was only 1 or 2 other cars still around, obviously the shop was now shut, got in my car and headed home.

Next thing I know, on the 14th April I received a PCN from G24 telling me I overstayed in the car park by just short of an hour. My mom is the registered keeper of the car and so the PCN came through to her - she was instantly ready to pay the fee of £100, but I decided I'd do my research and check how legit it all was. Low and behold I think I have now read every thread out there on every single site (almost!), and originally decided to ignore this notice. However my mom quickly got quite het up about all this and I found a template on one of these threads, I used it for myself and sent 2 emails to G24 on different email addresses I found, unfortunately no reply, as expected. Then the next one came through again from G24 telling me I now owed £60, I ignored, then another saying I still owed £100.

Next - DRP, telling me it was now £160, and after no response from G24 I got in contact with DRP and told them that I'd had no response from them, to which I was told by a collections manager to forward them the emails I had sent them, and that they would 'contact their client G24 and they anticipated a response by 21st September' and that until then I was to take no further action', I have this in writing. Unsurprisingly, I still received more letters from DRP offering a reduced payment which I ignored after what they had told me, then on 26th October I emailed DRP to tell them I'd still heard no response from them and that I was still being hounded by letters. I was given a pathetic reply saying that as I was not the registered keeper of the vehicle (although I was the driver), that they could not give me any information, this is all despite my mother speaking to them on the phone to give permission to discuss it with me, requesting correspondence to be addressed to myself, they said this would be done and noted on file, and just to confirm this in my email to them which I did.

So I'd gotten nowhere, however everything seemed to quieten down and think I'd gotten lucky! No letters for a few months, up until 3rd April 2017. I've had a letter from Gladstone Solicitors, there's no heading or anything but from what I've read online this sounds like one of the letters before the ball starts rolling for court, and I'm getting very concerned. The letter has told me to pay up within 14 days or I may end up in court.

I emailed DRP twice to different email addresses on 3rd April telling them I refuse to correspond with this letter as they're still failing to address myself rather than my mother, and also because I was told to leave everything until I'd heard off them in September. No reply. I rang up today and have spoken to 4 different people (all clueless), passing me onto the next, advising me that the only thing to do is pay before I'm most likely to be taken to court.

I'm just struggling to know what to do as I can't seem to find many complete threads that have successfully gone through the whole process! I know people say that it's unlikely to go to court but I'm not sure whether I'm willing to risk this. If anybody can offer me some advice it'd be hugely appreciated as I'm clutching at straws now:(

Many thanks in advance!

Umkomaas

Hi guys, I am completely new to this so if you could bare with me I'd really appreciate it!

You shouldn't be asking guys to bare with you in case they start asking you for photos. You don't know who you're dealing with on forums. :rotfl: Better you ask them to bear with you.

Oh dear, you've phoned a debt collector. Absolutely the wrong thing to do. They will have noted you're in a bit of a panic and will now ratchet up the pressure, because they will whiff the scent of pound notes likely to come out of your purse if they keep at you.

Turning to the Gladstones letter. To whom does the letter tell you to make payment?

G24 have never 'done court' - ever. You'd be very unlucky if you were their first victim - from the whole country.

http://www.bmpa.eu/companydata/G24.html

chloelouise97

Tragedy, thought I had the correct spelling there! Do not BARE with me people!

And yes I've not long read on another thread here that it is not good to ring the debt collectors so feeling even worse now.

But the letter states payment needs to be made to DRP. Again, I've read this is a tell-tale sign not to fall for it, but I'm seeing a lot of people saying that they're having court forms for defence coming through - I thought these were empty court threats but now worried at the possibility of actually going to court.

Umkomaas

If this gets to the court stage we will help you. But you are definitely not there now.

You really only have two choices available to you. One is to pay them and be done with it (not something a fightback forum would recommend) or you continue to ignore (NO MORE PHONE CALLS!) and see what they next do.

That's about it, unless you can get a landowner cancellation - but given the passage of time, it won't be easy.

Just rereading your thread, which is a bit confusing, it's your Mom who should be dealing with this as that's who G24 should be chasing, although you getting involved seems to have switched their attention from Mom to you. This could be useful if it ever got to court, but not something to be over analysing right now.

chloelouise97

Yeah I tried contacting Staples when this first arose and they told me there's nothing they can do as the branch itself is rented from a private landlord who has an agreement with G24.

And what do you mean this could be useful? Slightly confused.

But only reason for this is because the car is registered my mom's name although I was the driver. She's worried about herself being taken to court, affecting her ability to obtain credit, etc etc. Hence why I've been trying to do everything to get them to address their junk mail to me, but seems to have been ignored and all letters still addressed to my mom.

Guys_Dad

To ba absolutely clear - ar they writing to your mum or have they accepted that you were the driver.

This is important.

chloelouise97

Still writing to my mom, is this okay?

Guys_Dad

That means that any court action will be against her. If you want to take the blame, or if she won't want to do any court, then she must write - or you in her name - telling the PPC that you were the driver and send it both by email and a letter with a certificate of posting.

Umkomaas

She's worried about herself being taken to court, affecting her ability to obtain credit, etc etc.

Hysteria I'm afraid. It would only affect credit rating if it went to court, you lost the case, the judge awarded costs against you, you failed to pay by the date prescribed by the judge - all within your own control; so, if after all that, your credit rating is affected, then it's your own fault!

And let's not lose sight of the fact that this is G24!

chloelouise97

I did email them twice to tell them this when within the first few weeks of my first letter from G24, but I didn't have a reply. Would you say it's still necessary to do this again?

In this situation do you still believe the best option is to not pay?

chloelouise97

Brilliant, that finally sounds much better!:j

Just want to clarify one thing, I've looked at the link you posted for how G24 have never taken anybody to court - fantastic! However, I have seen with other private parking companies that Gladstones send out one letter, recipient ignores and they then send out more letters and court action starts... is this because the companies 'Gladstones' are working on behalf of do have history taking to court?