Zenith Collections Letter

TeeniM

Hi, I received a letter for exceeding 2 hours from a private car parking company (Care Parking part of the Anchor group) I exceeded by 24 mins. It was a car park outside my local range Store and I went in with my daughter husband and grandson, my daughter bought some items and we the got in the car and drove off this car park on to the McDonald’s car park adjacent to the range car park. We went in changed and fed my grandson, had a drink then came out and left. I appealed and it was rejected. My daughter paid cash in the range and we paid cash in McDonald’s and don’t have any receipts?(this is almost a year ago)  I then started receiving letters from a debt collector who bought the debt, I rang them, offered to pay it off over 3 payments but because they wanted the first instalment then and there on the phone and I didn’t have it I explained I would be able to give them the first instalment once I was paid  they said they couldn’t go ahead with the payment plan. I hung up. I’ve now received a Zenith Collections letter stating they now own the debt and I have until 2/9/20 to pay it or they will start court proceedings. Can they do that?? I’ve read loads of other posts but not everything makes sense to me??? The debt is now £136!!!!
thanks x

Umkomaas

Neither Zenith nor Debt Recovery Plus own the debt. Did you know that Zenith and DRP are the same outfit?

How to deal with debt collectors is shown in the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, fourth post. 

beamerguy

I’ve now received a Zenith Collections letter stating they now own the debt and I have until 2/9/20 to pay it or they will start court proceedings. Can they do that??

ZENITH are well know for their rubbish. Of course they don't own the debt and you should ignore their garbage and never contact them again.   As the debt does not belong to them, they cannot issue court proceedings

This is covid desperation and even money scammers are struggling

Snakes_Belly

I have received this type of letter from Zenith in the past. They are made to appear as if the debt has been sold by using the term "assigned". They cannot sell this type of claim. This is sharp, underhanded practice

I would keep a copy of this letter and complain to your MP.  
 

Snakes_Belly

Were the first letters from DRP?

nosferatu1001

Zenith IS DRP, at it tells you.

Snakes_Belly

nosferatu1001 said:

Zenith IS DRP, at it tells you.

Yes, and their usual MO is to start with letters from DRP and then transferred to Zenith and described as "debt recovery assignment" Why do this as they are the same set up? I think that it is to intimidate especially when they infer that the debt has been assigned. 

nosferatu1001

People panic when they see a change of name. 
It is insidious. 

Snakes_Belly

My next letter from Zenith was titled "Notice of Intention to Commence Legal Proceedings" . This was filed with the others. 

Coupon-mad

TeeniM said:

I rang them, offered to pay it off over 3 payments but because they wanted the first instalment then and there on the phone and I didn’t have it I explained I would be able to give them the first instalment once I was paid  they said they couldn’t go ahead with the payment plan. I hung up.

That was silly.  Ringing a pointless debt collector is silly enough but offering money to pay a scam is a complete no-no.  STOP.

Did you miss post #4 of the NEWBIES thread, all about 'ignore the debt collector' stage?

Care Parking are not known for litigation.  Ignore them unless you get a court claim and READ THE NEWBIES THREAD to learn what you should have done to easily kill this off at appeal stage. 

You do know a landowner can cancel any PCN at any time if you complain?  The NEWBIES thread tells everyone this is 'PLAN A' .

Here are the court hearing stats for the 11,026 hearings the BMPA collated in 2019 from Courtserve. 
This PPC didn't sue anyone:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/rwo8ayb8jdbfzknpfdihg/Total-PPC-Court-Hearings-2019.xlsx?dl=0&rlkey=r06ik64dd7h0ohidhwy5lseeh

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 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, an independent appeals service will be set up later this year,

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these companies, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

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.