I called PCM after receiving debt collectors letter in panic. Have I messed up?

Villager1

Parkingfines wrote: »

Ps you can't be a very good doctor if this stresses you and you can't cope with it.

This is harsh. I was recommended this site by many friends, but comments like this are entirely unnecessary.

MistyZ

Please think again about paying up.

One thing you have on your side as a doctor (or so I imagine) is the ability to pay this unfair charge without too much pain if you were to lose in court, which seems unlikely. If it goes to court .... if ...... there will be some work to do, but you'd get support here. If you lost costs would not rocket and your credit rating would not be affected as long as you paid up.

In short, the stress factor need not be high at all, there is no realistic basis for that. Time you can ill afford .... that's a difficult one, but I think there is unlikely to be anything time-consuming to do in the near future.

I'd love to see you getting help with this here. I get loads of help from doctors ... never get the chance to repay the favour!

Parkingfines

Sorry if you don't like the comment but doctors are trained to deal with highly stressful situations. It seems crazy you would cave in because one or two letters from a debt collector have scared you. This is dispite you having received good solid advice.

Villager1

Parkingfines wrote: »

Sorry if you don't like the comment but doctors are trained to deal with highly stressful situations. It seems crazy you would cave in because one or two letters from a debt collector have scared you. This is dispite you having received good solid advice.

I am sorry that I and other doctors are not as robotic as you imagined. Sadly we were given no training in the law on parking fines and court summons which is why i came here. Naturally, anything out of my knowledge adds a different type of stress, nothing linked to my ability and skill as a doctor. I greatly appreciate your advice but please be a little less judgmental, I am only human like you.

beamerguy

Parkingfines wrote: »

Sorry if you don't like the comment but doctors are trained to deal with highly stressful situations. It seems crazy you would cave in because one or two letters from a debt collector have scared you. This is dispite you having received good solid advice.

There are some things you keep to yourself. Of course docs are trained about stress but nobody can train anyone about these crappy DRP letters that turn up out of the blue threatening all sorts of rubbish

Parkingfines

It's better to lay it on the line then dressing it up. Maybe you will reconsider paying it now.

beamerguy

Parkingfines wrote: »

It's better to lay it on the line then dressing it up. Maybe you will reconsider paying it now.

Getting personal on this forum to a new member is not appreciated but .....
THE DOC SAYS ....
I greatly appreciate your advice but please be a little less judgmental, I am only human like you.

100% agree

Coupon-mad

Villager1 wrote: »

Thank you so much for all your time and help reviewing my post and guiding me. Unfortunately I give up and will pay the debt collectors. Being a doctor is stressful and this has been adding a significant amount of stress/anxiety when I want to be able to fully focus on my work, as well as consuming time i don't really have. Doesn't make it fair for everyone else getting caught out and I cannot believe this is continuing despite virtually all cases being a scam and disputes eventually being won.

For the love of God, think again.

You are an intelligent person so use your brain and don't do this.

Do you want to fund and sponsor the scam against the next victims?

Villager1

You’re all right I had a moment of weakness, but am thinking again! £160 could be donated to charity instead of paying so unfairly! I think I just started doubting myself into thinking I’ve actually been in the wrong, Yeaterday i called the PCM again and the man told me to call debt collectors, refused to give his name and hung up(!) Then called debt collectors and was told that PCM have higher court authority to issue fines?! That it has been issued fairly but I’ve yold them I’m seeking legal advice. What I’ve done differently to all is that I have been engaging with the company too much (one way obviously) in sending recorded delivery letters to the company asking for clarification. In my moment of weakness yesterday I also offered to just pay the original sum as this is unnecessarily being dragged on. Obviously I have also given away I was the driver.

So the advice now would be to ignore anything until court claim comes through (which I think will)? I’ve read on another website that they have previously lost a case for not owning the land.

How much do you think the total could ampunt to if I lost?

Thank again all so much, sorry I’m being difficult!

Umkomaas

Please don't call parking companies or debt collectors, you just cannot come out on top against them. Don't forget, they do this stuff everyday for their (despicable) living. All they are concerned about is your money.

Every time you call them, they gain further confidence that this is starting to shake you, and with a bit more pressure from them they are likely to break you, then it's payday for them. That's why they spout such utter lies.

Then called debt collectors and was told that PCM have higher court authority to issue fines?

So stop calling them NOW!

If this went to a court case (you will get help from the forum in producing a defence and subsequent paperwork) and you lost, the cost to you would only be marginally higher than what they are trying to scam out of you now. ~£175-£200.

Are you aware of what Parliament is doing about this 'scam industry' (Hansard 02/02/18)?