How many DCA's are PPC Bottom Feeders?

Umkomaas

I think the Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns must kick in sooner or later with this.

twhitehousescat

he even got a "received by date" stamp for xmas

Snakes_Belly

22.2 of the IPC ATA COP doesn't allow the debt to be "sold" or assigned to debt collectors, which could cause DRP no end of problems.

I have received the assigned letter from Zenith and took it up with Citizens Advice who referred on to Trading Standards. I may have also mentioned this in a letter to my MP.

There does not appear to be any regulator for these debt collection agents. The FSA quidelines with regard to debt collection state that debts that are disputed should not be passed to debt collection agents.

I had a disagreement some years ago about a utility bill. I won't go into detail but basically I had been overcharged. The utility company passed the debt to a collection company. I telephoned the debt collection agency and told them that the debt was disputed, They immediately referred the case back to the utility company. In the meantime I had emailed the CEO and ultimately went to the Ombudsman. It resulted in the bill being cancelled and a compensation payment being made to me.

So when I received the first debt collection letter regarding the parking claim I immediately disputed the debt but they still carried on sending letters. I do think though that we should dispute the debt at the outset.

Snakes_Belly

Further to my post. The Zenith letter that states that the debt has been assigned is just to scare people. The debt collection process has just been passed to part of the same company.

It's all part of the scare tactics to make people pay up. I could not get my head around who actually regulates these debt collectors otherwise I would have gone for the jugular.

Snakes_Belly

What Zenith are doing is making their letters look like the debt has been sold in the same way that some DCA's make their letters look like official court documents. It's just part of the whole scammy process.

beamerguy

Snakes_Belly wrote: »

So when I received the first debt collection letter regarding the parking claim I immediately disputed the debt but they still carried on sending letters. I do think though that we should dispute the debt at the outset.

Whilst the debt collectors involved in the parking scam are total trash and yes ignoring them (as they are brain dead) is a good thing, a lot of things have changed since that advice was given.

I rather think that these low life can now be asked questions that they cannot answer.
This revolves around the Abuse of process which is exploding in the faces of the dodgy legals and the likes of your favourite scammer, being VCS

I have my thoughts on this, what would others think

This thread could have well died as a timewasting thread so let's put it to use

Snakes_Belly

Should our details be passed around like this? Firstly from the DVLA to the PPC and then to debt collection agencies.

In my first letter to DRP I told them, that the debt was disputed, to refer back to Excel Parking Services Limited, to not use my data, to not contact me again as I would not engage with them. It made little difference but at least I had set my stall out.

The whole point of a DCA is debt management. Many people who receive parking claims can afford to pay them. It's not always about affordability but a dispute between the driver/keeper and the PPC. They just don't get this.

For me it was a matter of principle not affordability. I did though wonder how people who cannot afford to pay cope with these letter which make statements like " you may be ordered to court for questioning". I'll never forget that one.

beamerguy

I am thinking much deeper than the DVLA etc.

This will be about authority

waamo

Snakes_Belly wrote: »

Should our details be passed around like this? Firstly from the DVLA to the PPC and then to debt collection agencies.

I sorted a ticket out for someone recently and asked the ICO about this as part of my complaining process. The ICO said it was fine and wouldn't entertain a complaint.

ashley_cohen

twhitehousescat wrote: »

he even got a "received by date" stamp for xmas

No, that's a Notice to Keeper for a hire car my partner had.

Though I have a "received on" stamp on my desk, yes.