CST law - please help, clueless and confused.

Jelly_bean30

Hi all,

I've recieved the attached letters from cst law with a ton of hospital parking fines on from Euro car parks spanning back to 2017.

During this time I've been a full time nhs worker then a full time student as a student midwife and worked throughout covid.

I've checked and only 2 of the fines I never paid for parking on the day. All the others I paid for parking but late due to how busy the ward was when I started my shifts.

Had tons of letters over the years, ignored them all and now I've got these 2 letters....

Please can someone advise me what I should do. I'm really scared as I'm living off a student loan and the only money I actually make is from doing a covid vaccination shifts when I can fit one in. 

Many thanks,
JB

Coupon-mad

Read the NEWBIES thread about LBC stage first, so you know the basics and send ECP a SAR.

Then respond to CST Law (quoting BOTH refs from BOTH Letters, or attach a copy of them both, for ease of reference) and show evidence that you were a student midwife at this Hospital and show whatever evidence you have that you DID pay for parking.  Do not admit to not paying or 'paying late'...just show the evidence you do have that you were a student midwife and you have evidence of payments made on some/all of the occasions listed, and this is unnecessary intimidation of NHS workers.

Ask them for evidence that their client has expended £70 per PCN for 'debt recovery' and who that was paid to?  Tell CST Law you are well aware that the BPA CoP ostensibly 'allows' up to £70 to be added but that's a self-serving document for the paying AOS members and would not be applicable in a case where no 'recovery' took place and before a Judge had made any decision about costs.

Ask them as well why they have sent two separate LBCs about duplicate planned claims, same facts and details, same parties, yet it appears they are planning to subject you to two claims to hear the same facts twice.  

To find out how to argue that this must be one claim, if ECP really want to pursue a student midwife through the courts (we'll see) search the forum for Henderson defence.

Umkomaas

To whom are you instructed to pay (reverse side of the letter)?

Le_Kirk

Did you complain to the hospital (trust) or did you attempt to get any help from your union or professional body?

Jelly_bean30

Thank you @Coupon-mad. I've read the newbies threads but after a while things really started to confused me. 

@Umkomaas they are wanting me to pay debt recovery plus.

@Le_Kirk I have emailed PALS today complaining about the threatening letters stating I had paid through euro car parks app and have also requested they call me to discuss it.

I've been checking Google Street View with all p&d machines not being lit and being hidden from view from the road by bushes or buses/bus stops and with no dedicated lightning, just street lamps a few metres away from them.

The signs that do have their own lighting are by the road that drives into the hospital which no one can stop at to read their small writing or get to as they're the other side of rose bushes. Are these all things I should state now or just keep as a potential defense if they pursue?

Should I try to find out the landowner and speak to them + speak to my MP?

D_P_Dance

They are not fines.  Have you complained yo your MP?  Have you read this?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Coupon-mad

Thank you @Coupon-mad. I've read the newbies threads but after a while things really started to confused me. 

But the LBC section is about two paragraphs, something and nothing to read?  Anyway do exactly what I suggested above.

beamerguy

.CST Law are asking you to pay DRP ???

DRP has nothing to do with this and THEY vanished from the picture once Euro instructed CST

You ignored all DRP rubbish letters so there were no debt collecor charges to EURO.
DRP offer a "no win no fee service" ?

But the claimant is NOT DRP, it is Euro ?

In the past we have seen the nonsensical CST pretend the claimant is DRP which was a total fabrication as DRP could NEVER own a debt ?

It's no wonder CST .. AKA CREDIT STYLE are being investigated by the SRA

BOTH CST CLAIMS ARE FAKE AS FAKE AMOUNTS HAVE ADDED.

The question is, did EURO actually instruct CSTor was it DRP playing their silly games of musical chairs

Jelly_bean30

beamerguy said:

.CST Law are asking you to pay DRP ???

DRP has nothing to do with this and THEY vanished from the picture once Euro instructed CST

You ignored all DRP rubbish letters so there were no debt collecor charges to EURO.
DRP offer a "no win no fee service" ?

But the claimant is NOT DRP, it is Euro ?

In the past we have seen the nonsensical CST pretend the claimant is DRP which was a total fabrication as DRP could NEVER own a debt ?

It's no wonder CST .. AKA CREDIT STYLE are being investigated by the SRA

BOTH CST CLAIMS ARE FAKE AS FAKE AMOUNTS HAVE ADDED.

Yes, I've ignored every letter for the past few years from zenith, DRP, all of them!

So I move forward with...

SAR to Euro car parks.

Email CST with proof of being an nhs worker and student midwife, and proof I paid for the parking over an app.

Contact, pals, my local mp.

Hope they drop all the 'charges'?

Umkomaas

@Umkomaas they are wanting me to pay debt recovery plus

We are pretty convinced that these CST LBCs are part of a ratcheting up of a debt collection strategy fronted by DRP using CST letterheads. 

The caveat is that as CST are solicitors and the letter is headed Letter Before Claim, it should be dealt with it as genuine and you should follow the advice and guidance given in NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, second post.

A further caveat appropriate to you is that with multiple tickets, the chances of this going to actual court claims is much greater than had it been a single ticket. 

You have to go through all the motions, because the last thing you will want is a CCJ for close on £2k. 

Coupon-mad

If you protest loud and strong and get your MP on board I can see ECP caving, possibly. If not then we'll help you defend.  But I advised you to do more than this:

Email CST with proof of being an nhs worker and student midwife, and proof I paid for the parking over an app