PLEASE HELP! Council Parking Fine - Bailiffs Instructed

PinkPrincess

Hi everyone, 

I hope someone is able to give me advice as my stress and anxiety levels are through the roof!

Back in February this year, I received a parking ticket for being 10 minutes late which was due to my daughter having a panic attack in the shop (she has a high anxiety disorder). I explained this to the council and they said they were happy to dismiss the fine if I could provide evidence that my daughter suffers from anxiety. I emailed them a copy of a CAMHS letter and they replied asking me for proof from Specsavers (where we were at the time) for proof of appointment at the time of the ticket. 
I obtained a headed letter from Specsavers and posted to them. I heard nothing more so assumed the letter had been accepted and the fine was dismissed. 

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, I had bailiffs turn up at my door demanding £383 or they were going to take my car which they had already clamped! 

Of course I panicked and called round the houses until someone eventually said I could file an 'out of time witness statement' to court which I did immediately and was told that the enforcement agency would be put on hold depending the outcome. 

My statement was accepted by the court but I have since received a letter from the council stating that they reject it as they have copies of several reminder letters they send me over the past 6 months. I did not receive any of these letters though during the Covid lockdown? So it's basically my word against theirs but I cannot afford to pay £383! I am a single mother who was made redundant in June and have am already struggling to make ends meet

Is there anything I can do? It seems like they won't accept monthly installments either. I am disabled with a blue badge and I live in a semi-rural area so I cannot cope without a car which I am barely able to afford to keep on the road as it is. 

I am so shocked by how heartless my local council have been all over what was originally the cost of a 50p parking ticket! 

Thank you in advance, I really appreciate any advice anyone can spare the time to give me. 

Umkomaas

As we major on private parking tickets here, PePiPoo will be your best bet for council tickets. Register there but please note that a hotmail address won't work - try using a throwaway gmail account instead if you do have trouble registering and post a new thread; here's your link:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?act=SF&s=&f=30

Have a read through some of the other threads there before you post your own to get the hang of what information they need from you in your opening post - but as a minimum you will need to post redacted photos/scans of all correspondence you've received from the council (both sides, if appropriate) as they need to see all the small print.

PinkPrincess

Thank you so much! I will register with them now. 

Umkomaas

PinkPrincess said:

Thank you so much! I will register with them now. 

Remember, no hotmail, and work out the preceding letters to each of the driving licence issuing authority's initials (DVLA). Good luck.

A_Lert

Bailiffs cannot take a vehicle displaying a valid blue badge. I would be complaining that they even threatened to do so.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/action-your-creditor-can-take/bailiffs/what-bailiffs-can-take/check-what-bailiffs-can-take/

Coupon-mad

I think Councils always reject OOT applications so this is normal, but there is a way to press ahead anyway to ask the TEC to consider it and pepipoo are the absolute experts.

unforeseen

A_Lert said:

Bailiffs cannot take a vehicle displaying a valid blue badge. I would be complaining that they even threatened to do so.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money/action-your-creditor-can-take/bailiffs/what-bailiffs-can-take/check-what-bailiffs-can-take/

But if the bailiffs were at the OP's House then it is doubtful that the blue badge would be on display at the time of the threat so they would not be aware of that fact. 

Uptown_Boy

Unless of course the badge always remains in the vehicle, which I guess some people do this.

D_P_Dance

Does the council have proof that they sent all of those reminders?  

Coupon-mad

Wait a mo, isn't the OP simply saying that it's been reset by the TEC after the OOT application and the Council have rejected the appeal and now it's time to take it to the Adjudicator?

This is normal, if so, and the OP must appeal to the Adjudicator, who is independent and they are very good.

D_P_Dance

Indeed, they have upheld my last too wrongly issued Council PCNs.