Letter Before Claim - Advice please

yelloworange

I have read the newbie info and I am still confused as to what to do :-(  (So sorry about posting on there, genuine mistake and I will delete if possible?
My son has a 'Letter Before Claim' from CST law instructed by Debt Recovery Plus and the claimant is Smart parking Ltd. It's for £185 (1 ticked issued).
He has ignored all previous corresponce and not admitted any liability or told them who the driver was

It states he has 30 days to reply and has reply forms and earning statement forms

I understand he needs to respond within 14 days and that court action is likely if he doesn't?
He has a good credit rating which we don't want him to lose but none of us can afford to pay it.
Are we supposed to follow this advice which I have cut and pasted below, I just want to check we are doing it right -
Pre-action stage:
If you have a 'Letter of claim' or Letter Before Claim (LBC), a claim IS likely. I don't mean a letter asking you to pay a debt collector, I mean a 'real' LBC with a 30 day deadline and reply forms.
DO NOT use the 'reply forms'.
You do not have to declare your finances! This is a chance to see the PPC's hand - so send them (NOT their solicitor!) a Subject Access Request 'SAR' listing what you want to see by way of data the PPC holds about you:
There is a link here I can't post xx
You can find out where to send the SAR by email, by looking on the Parking firm's PRIVACY webpage, telling you where to send a SAR or any 'data concerns' to their Data Protection Officer (DPO). You do NOT have to supply intrusive ID (driving licence or Passport) that's excessive, so refuse.
Thanks in advance x

beamerguy

My son has a 'Letter Before Claim' from CST law instructed by Debt Recovery Plus and the claimant is Smart parking Ltd. It's for £185 (1 ticked issued).

CST are telling you a lie, DRP are simply sewer life with no power to instruct anyone

CST are scamming you by adding fake amounts .... read this
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6165741/cstlaw-scam-alert/p1?new=1

Le_Kirk

Thank you for posting on a new thread.  Two things for you, CST law are trying a lot of these at the moment, there is a thread running: -
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6166004/cst-law-parking-fine-letter/p1
and I suggest you read that to see what other posters are doing.  It has been suggested (as opposed to all the other advice on here), in this case, to add your issue to that thread to keep all the CST cases together.
Second; if it is a proper Letter Before Claim, it should give 30 days and it should mean 30 days, your son does not have to respond in 14 days.  The rest of what you have gleaned from the NEWBIE is correct, so, after reading the linked post, submit the SAR to the PPC -  DPO@SmartParking.com.
It is likely that court claim papers will follow, in which case continue to follow the NEWBIE sticky guidance.  If you/he are worried about CCJ, remember that a CCJ will only be issued IF he goes to court and loses and fails to pay what the judge orders within the deadline set by the judge NOT what any PPC, debt collector or tame solicitor says.

D_P_Dance

Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP., it can cause the scammer extra costs and work, and in some cases, cancellation.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, and an independent appeals service will be set up,

Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/of these Private Parking Companies.

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies.

KeithP

Are we supposed to follow this advice...

The advice in the NEWBIES thread?

Yes, that is exactly what you are supposed to do.

Coupon-mad

And please continue on this new 'CST letters' group thread from now on, unless you get a COURT CLAIM in which case reply again here and we'll help you individually:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6166004/cst-law-parking-fine-letter