Armtrac and bw legal

Ppc

Hi all.
Apologies for having to write this. I have been ploughing through the masses of info on this site and think I've confused myself no end.
I received a PCN for incorrectly displayed ticket in 2014, after discussing it with colleagues I chose to ignore it.(probably wrong advice)
I had several letters over the course of a year, which I ignored, again probably wrong.
I then heard nothing more until today when I received a letter from armtrac/ bw legal saying I owe £160 and have 28 days to respond.
I think I may still have all the letters, filed away, but my main worry is I got rid of the car 3 years ago (accident) and I moved house about two years ago.
I don't really know how I should proceed now as it's been so long.
I apologize for my niavity and stupidity but would really appreciate any available help

Le_Kirk

Well, the good news is they seem to have a correct address, so can assume correctly that you updated the DVLA (V5C and driving licence) when you moved.

What is the letter giving you 28 days to respond? Is it headed LoC/LBA/LBC/LBCCC? If it is a Letter of Claim, it should give you 30 days to respond, should include their Particulars of Claim (POC) and all the proof they are relying on PLUS financial forms, which they ask you to complete but you DON'T.

Ppc

Thanks for your reply.
I have to apologize, it actually says 14 days to respond from the date of the letter,(that's what I get for reading it at 1am)
I can't see any of the titles you have mentioned.
It says "we have been instructed by kbt in relation to the balance due for the above PCN.
I thought it had gone away as I hadn't heard anything since I moved

Ppc

And it doesn't have any forms to fill in, just a separate Letter from armtrac saying they've handed it over to bw legal

Le_Kirk

Therefore it is not a Letter Before Claim and is probably a debt collector's letter dressed up to look like a LBC and designed to scare you into paying. Might be worth sending a Rectification Notice to the DPO (look for the e-mail address on the PPC's privacy page) of the PPC and informing them of your up-to-date address for service.

Ppc

Would I need to do this as everything has just arrived at my current address, with no mention of my previous one?

Redx

yes, and keep a copy as well, plus proof of you insisting that the new address is the correct address for service or papers

that way, they cannot get a default CCJ on your old address, or its an easy set aside for you if they did

so tell ARMTRAC anyway, so they are fully aware of your current address and insist that any old data (old address ) is destroyed (to prevent errors from occurring and for compliance under the GDPR, because they have no legal right to store your old data)


DRPL may have traced your current address, but it doesnt mean that ARMTRAC know at this moment in time, your rectification notice leaves them in no doubt

Ppc

Thanks for the reply, I'll get on that today, although the letter from armtrac has my current address on it
Excuse the ignorance, DRPL?

Ppc

Sorry, forgot to ask, do I use all their account reference numbers, or do I omitted these. And presumably I highlight my old address.
Really sorry for this.

D_P_Dance

I think that if they did take this to court they might struggle.

Firstly, it is five years old, and secondly. if this was what we call a flipped or fluttering ticket based claim, judges seem to be unsympathetic towards PPCs, Many regard these as at best a trifle, and at worst a scam.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_minimis

Get you MP involved, this is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially Smart}, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week), hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem become so widespread that MPs agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. It has cleared Parliament and hopefully, this will become law shortly.

Umkomaas

Ppc wrote: »

Thanks for the reply, I'll get on that today, although the letter from armtrac has my current address on it
Excuse the ignorance, DRPL?

Debt Recvery Plus Ltd.