Progression of parking fine letters

Darwic

This is my first post so please bear with me as I have read through the newbies pages and rules and am still not totally sure!

I received a parking ticket for parking in a space next to a fast food place but apparently wasn't allowed to be used for them. As this was received on the same day as I hired a van at the airport I believed it was for where I had been told to leave my car over night so I called them up to find out it wasn't the case.

During this phone call the guy sent me pictures of myself driving in, leaving the car and walking towards the restaurant and proceeded quite aggressively to try and push me into a payment which I refused and said I needed to check my finances.

After reading many forums old and new I have got confused as I originally thought you just ignore them as they have no power and then read you should appeal and then leave it. Now I am a little concerned.

I received a couple of letters from a debt recovery company (don't think I can name them?) which I ignored and then it appears to have been passed over to a collections company, who appear to be using a similar template but as sending strong but still vague wording. The amount has been the same in each one and stating their client 'will consider legal action'.

So due to reading the wrong things and the fact I did make contact (but not an appeal) should I bite the bullet and settle this or wait for more contact maybe a settlement offer or a court summons?

Fruitcake

What is the name of the PPC please?

The advice to ignore parking charge notices has not been given here since the law changed in 2012.

Debt collectors can be ignored. Post 4 of the NEWBIES tells you why it is safe to do so.

Never ever 'phone a PPC.

Darwic

The company is MET Parking Services Ltd.

I fully regret not paying attention to dates or looking here first. I didn't contact them as I didn't receive their initial letters due to this all coming from a moving house weekend, I did contact the debt recovery agency if this makes any difference.

The_Deep

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and another company have already been named and shamed, as has Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each year). They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

Hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned.

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the HofC recently.

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by Christmas.

pogofish

The are not any kind of "fine" letters.

With an error that fundamental, you need to go back to the Newbies Sticky and read it properly.

Darwic

I believe I have seen that post before, I am just concerned I have entered myself into something as I have made contact with the debt recovery company.

KeithP

You now do nothing but wait and see if you ever get a Letter Before Claim or official court papers.
Post on this thread again if you do.

From the NEWBIES FAQ thread - have you googled BMPA MET to find out how likely that might be?

Redx

you can name the debt recovery company, probably DRP/ZENITH or ZZPS ?

you can IGNORE the debt recovery company, they are sc@mmers and powerless

you will NOT receive a court summons, this is a civil matter

the only items you need to deal with are either a formal LBC or an MCOL from Northampton CCBC

these are not "fines" , they are invoices

in future, DO NOT phone these people up, there is nothing to be gained from any phone calls

Darwic

Ok! It was DRP then Zenith

KeithP

DRP and Zenith are exactly the same company:

BMPA - Debt Recovery Plus Ltd

pogofish

Darwic wrote: »

I believe I have seen that post before, I am just concerned I have entered myself into something as I have made contact with the debt recovery company.

Debt collectors are completely covered in the Newbies Sticky, there is nothing else to say about them.