CST Law case - Judgement made

lurpdog101

Been delay in replying as I have literally just had a response today from CST Law to my letter which I sent in:

Please note, this is relating only to a balance of £800, so therefore I am thinking I will receive another. 

“Please be advised that our client has considered your comment and would maintain that liability should be payable in full as all blue badge holder still need to adhere to parking rules. Our client therefore requests full payment to the value of the outstanding sum within the next 14 days or that a suitable arrangement be agreed for the purposes thereof. Please be advised that failure to do so may result in legal action being taken against you”

We have returned to the car park and seen still no disabled spaces, as dictated by law. The signs cannot be read unless you are stood in front of them and majority are hidden by trees. 

I will not be paying them. As if they take this to court, I will push back on disability discrimination still, which was cited in the letter and blatantly ignored. Any advice on where to go now? As said I am expecting a 2nd letter for the other amount they claim I owe, as the total was £1350ish

Coupon-mad

Just ignore them now. Await a claim.

Read claim threads here every day (we read and respond to every one).  New posters do best when they read other threads and are well prepared.

The NEWBIEs thread also has a section under a red capitals heading, called IMPORTANT: KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN so read that and the links there.

lurpdog101

Yeah thanks. Appreciated. It’s through your help and the newbie’s thread that I have got this far pushing back. This is another one from their “solicitor” CST Law

lurpdog101

Hi all,

Well, been a year since I last asked. I have not heard a single thing from any of these companies since January, but now just had 8 letters through on one day, all from a new DCA, demanding payment. This is after they sent me ones in Jan saying they were pre-court ones etc.....these are ones now with a "pay now" stamp on. From Debt Recovery Plus. 

"Let us help you clear you debt. You may not have responded to previous letters due to an oversight. Now, if you don't create. payment plan, you are making an active choice" - harsh words considering first time in 9 months heard from them. Says I have missed 5 payment deadlines already.

They then go on to show the 2 ways on a Visio - with a "Your Choice" splitting out 2 boxes, one says create payment plan, the other face potential court action, £75 extra charges etc etc.

"If you do not pay your charge or make contact within 7 days we will assume you have chosen to ignore this letter and legal recovery actions will begin"

Any advice? Do I keep on ignoring them? I did try to appeal and they denied it. I went there last week, dropping my son to work, and took video, showing there are signs around the car park, but writing is so small I had to be 30cm in front of it to read (and I have good eyesight). Still no disabled spaces nor provision for them.

I could call them and tell them I can pay £1 for each one per month but nothing more. To be honest, that is all I could ever afford anyhow, as mortgage is up £650 a month, as well as everything else. I just don't want a CCJ as would jeopardise my work. However, this has been going on for 2 years now and I am sure they would have taken me to court before now.

Umkomaas

Always ignore a DCA involving themselves in private parking. Never offer them anything, ignore means just that - no contact. 

You do realise that the CST letter originated from DRP?

Fruitcake

lurpdog101 said:

We have returned to the car park and seen still no disabled spaces, as dictated by law. The signs cannot be read unless you are stood in front of them and majority are hidden by trees. 

I believe this is incorrect. There are suggestions and recommendations that 5% of spaces should be accessible bays, but there is no law making it a legal requirement as far as I know.

All your points about the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics, and reasonable adjustments etcetera are however all still valid.

lurpdog101

Umkomaas said:

Always ignore a DCA involving themselves in private parking. Never offer them anything, ignore means just that - no contact. 

You do realise that the CST letter originated from DRP?

did it? So it's the same DCA then? Ah ok. I will continue to ignore

lurpdog101

Fruitcake said:

lurpdog101 said:

We have returned to the car park and seen still no disabled spaces, as dictated by law. The signs cannot be read unless you are stood in front of them and majority are hidden by trees. 

I believe this is incorrect. There are suggestions and recommendations that 5% of spaces should be accessible bays, but there is no law making it a legal requirement as far as I know.

All your points about the Equality Act 2010, protected characteristics, and reasonable adjustments etcetera are however all still valid.

Ah. yes I looked into it after, and it is not law but strongly advised and can be used as an argument against them apparently...but yes, it is incorrect that it is law

Coupon-mad

lurpdog101 said:

Hi all,

Well, been a year since I last asked. I have not heard a single thing from any of these companies since January, but now just had 8 letters through on one day, all from a new DCA, demanding payment. This is after they sent me ones in Jan saying they were pre-court ones etc.....these are ones now with a "pay now" stamp on. From Debt Recovery Plus. 

"Let us help you clear you debt. You may not have responded to previous letters due to an oversight. Now, if you don't create. payment plan, you are making an active choice" - harsh words considering first time in 9 months heard from them. Says I have missed 5 payment deadlines already.

They then go on to show the 2 ways on a Visio - with a "Your Choice" splitting out 2 boxes, one says create payment plan, the other face potential court action, £75 extra charges etc etc.

"If you do not pay your charge or make contact within 7 days we will assume you have chosen to ignore this letter and legal recovery actions will begin"

Any advice? Do I keep on ignoring them? I did try to appeal and they denied it. I went there last week, dropping my son to work, and took video, showing there are signs around the car park, but writing is so small I had to be 30cm in front of it to read (and I have good eyesight). Still no disabled spaces nor provision for them.

I could call them and tell them I can pay £1 for each one per month but nothing more. To be honest, that is all I could ever afford anyhow, as mortgage is up £650 a month, as well as everything else. I just don't want a CCJ as would jeopardise my work. However, this has been going on for 2 years now and I am sure they would have taken me to court before now.

Please phone them up and record the call.

This is why:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6471857/please-reply-to-question-4-of-the-governments-call-for-evidence-re-the-level-of-parking-charges/p1

Please spare half an hour, phone up DRP and put them on speaker, and record them on another phone.

Almost no-one has done this but the evidence would be golden if you gather it and send it by email to the DLUHC, to prove that reasonable people are just being bullied.

DO NOT BE TALKED INTO PAYING - AND DO NOT BE SPOOKED BY THEIR COURT THREATS - BUT DO KEEP TELLING THEM WHAT YOUR DISPUTE IS AND ASK WHY THEY SENT 8 LETTERS.

ASK THEM TO PLEASE HELP RESOLVE YOUR DISPUTE SO YOU CAN APPEAL AND AVOID COURT.

(they will refuse...that's the whole point).

Stay polite and record all of it (you may wish to stop recording for a second, if required to give your phone number and address).

You should definitely respond to question 4 of the Call for Evidence and attach your letters andAND THE RECORDING and tell the DLUHC about what the aggressive debt firm said to you when you called to ask why the heck they think it's OK to send EIGHT LETTERS with EIGHT lots of the false £70 fee that the Government intends to ban?

It is about creating evidence of you being reasonable, and them not.

You could ask why aren't they just sending one letter for one case rather than 8 duplicates, which is clearly harassment, and on what planet is adding £560* FOR THEIR OWN PROFIT justified?

8 x £70 (or is it 8 x £60 added?).
Extortion IMHO.

 

lurpdog101

Hi all

Well, today I received another "Letter before claim". I received one in June 2022 and as per my post above, I heard nothing from them at all until September, as mentioned above, from the DCA arm of the parking company. Today's is again from CST Law, and they have bundled them into one now for £1400. 

As stated, I received a letter before claim last June, which I replied to, and had response from them October 2022....I then pretty much heard nothing at all from them until their threatening letters in September and now this new letter of claim.

To me, if they were going to take me to court, they would have done so by now, seeing as they did a letter of claim over a year ago and now sending another, citing the amount if set up arrangement, or £250 more if went to court? 

They just seem to be sending them round in circles of harrassment