£3000 County Court Claim from Park Direct UK

Coupon-mad

CluelessDefendant said:

Hi Guys, I recently got back from my overseas work to find out that the judge has thrown out my defence because I'm not a tenant at the household (I never claimed to be!!) and because I didn't give evidence of me being out of the country (even though I asked what type of evidence they wanted because I was unsure, and to which they never responded). Unfortunately, the judge also thought that the £170 charge for each ticket was fair. 

I'm sorry but there's no way I'm coughing up £3k for parking outside my own house, somewhere I've lived for over 15 years. 

The solicitor of the parking company is also threatening to get the bailiff involved if I don't contact them within the next few days... 

Any advice? Please I'm really scared, I don't want the bailiff showing up to my parents house. 

This is what happens when you don't attend hearings. People lose and they lose BIG.

I told you that you MUST attend the hearing.

A bailiff will come round.

HCEOs with a writ and the right to clamp cars.  You are going to have to tell your parents.

The only thing you could try this week is to contact Contestor Legal very quickly and see if they can help you with an appeal.

I MEAN TODAY. Now. This takes priority. Obviously Google them and get in touch.

Show them the Court's written decision. Please also show us but we can't help you appeal.

CluelessDefendant

Coupon-mad said:

CluelessDefendant said:

Hi Guys, I recently got back from my overseas work to find out that the judge has thrown out my defence because I'm not a tenant at the household (I never claimed to be!!) and because I didn't give evidence of me being out of the country (even though I asked what type of evidence they wanted because I was unsure, and to which they never responded). Unfortunately, the judge also thought that the £170 charge for each ticket was fair. 

I'm sorry but there's no way I'm coughing up £3k for parking outside my own house, somewhere I've lived for over 15 years. 

The solicitor of the parking company is also threatening to get the bailiff involved if I don't contact them within the next few days... 

Any advice? Please I'm really scared, I don't want the bailiff showing up to my parents house. 

This is what happens when you don't attend hearings. People lose and they lose BIG.

I told you that you MUST attend the hearing.

A bailiff will come round.

HCEOs with a writ and the right to clamp cars.  You are going to have to tell your parents.

The only thing you could try this week is to contact Contestor Legal very quickly and see if they can help you with an appeal.

I MEAN TODAY. Now. This takes priority. Obviously Google them and get in touch.

Show them the Court's written decision. Please also show us but we can't help you appeal.

The thing is they can't clamp anything because my car has already been sold. I'm actually leaving the country very soon. 

Just wondering what would happen if the bailiff do come around? Since I'm not the tenant and none of the things in my house belong to me? 

CluelessDefendant

I'm sorry but I can't help but think that this is so unjust. The county court is obviously a tool used by parking companies to rip people off their hard earnt money. Everyone here saw the defense that I wrote and whilst I did mention the tenancy agreement, I never claimed to be a tenant. Also £170 for each ticket is a complete joke, not to mention i told them well in advance that I wouldn't be able to attend, not once did they offer a remote way to join the hearing or ask for evidence on why I couldn't again. Not so much as a response!!  

At worst, I made a stupid mistake when I was young ignoring these tickets but no way was it a £3000 mistake.. 

Exodi

CluelessDefendant said:

Coupon-mad said:

CluelessDefendant said:

Hi Guys, I recently got back from my overseas work to find out that the judge has thrown out my defence because I'm not a tenant at the household (I never claimed to be!!) and because I didn't give evidence of me being out of the country (even though I asked what type of evidence they wanted because I was unsure, and to which they never responded). Unfortunately, the judge also thought that the £170 charge for each ticket was fair. 

I'm sorry but there's no way I'm coughing up £3k for parking outside my own house, somewhere I've lived for over 15 years. 

The solicitor of the parking company is also threatening to get the bailiff involved if I don't contact them within the next few days... 

Any advice? Please I'm really scared, I don't want the bailiff showing up to my parents house. 

This is what happens when you don't attend hearings. People lose and they lose BIG.

I told you that you MUST attend the hearing.

A bailiff will come round.

HCEOs with a writ and the right to clamp cars.  You are going to have to tell your parents.

The only thing you could try this week is to contact Contestor Legal very quickly and see if they can help you with an appeal.

I MEAN TODAY. Now. This takes priority. Obviously Google them and get in touch.

Show them the Court's written decision. Please also show us but we can't help you appeal.

The thing is they can't clamp anything because my car has already been sold. I'm actually leaving the country very soon. 

Just wondering what would happen if the bailiff do come around? Since I'm not the tenant and none of the things in my house belong to me? 

Unfortunately you must appreciate that HCEO's will be met with the response "none of the things in my house belong to me" at every single site they visit. If saying this was the silver bullet, no debt would ever be collected on and half of this forum wouldn't exist.

If they have reason to believe you live at the property, they may choose to seize anything of value. This could include the living room TV, your Dad's laptop or your Mum's tablet, for example, which you may protest is not yours, but unless your parents provide them with a receipt showing otherwise (which they know is unlikely), they'll tell you they're going to seize it. In reality, they'd prefer not to seize assets, it's always plan B, but they know it's one of the best ways to pressure debtors into paying (e.g. suggesting they'll take the family TV, prompting your parents to get involved in coming to a payment arrangement). This is one reason you have to tell your parents, if you do not plan on coming to a payment arrangement before the HCEO's arrive.

You also mention your car, but like the above, if your parents own a car and it happens to be parked in relation to the property (e.g. in the nominated parking spot), they may clamp that and use it as leverage unless a bill of sale is produced. Commonly the alleged owner might run out with the V5 document, for the HCEO to gleefully point out that the V5 is not proof of ownership, as stated at the top.

Are you planning to return to the UK? Your long term plan shouldn't be to keep ignoring this.

Coupon-mad

That Order says you didn't file or serve any evidence.

Surely you did a WS and evidence bundle the month before the hearing?  Can you prove it?

Tell all this to Contestor Legal NOW.

You can't do this on your own and you can't inflict HCEOs pushing into your parents' house.

CluelessDefendant

Exodi said:

CluelessDefendant said:

Coupon-mad said:

CluelessDefendant said:

Hi Guys, I recently got back from my overseas work to find out that the judge has thrown out my defence because I'm not a tenant at the household (I never claimed to be!!) and because I didn't give evidence of me being out of the country (even though I asked what type of evidence they wanted because I was unsure, and to which they never responded). Unfortunately, the judge also thought that the £170 charge for each ticket was fair. 

I'm sorry but there's no way I'm coughing up £3k for parking outside my own house, somewhere I've lived for over 15 years. 

The solicitor of the parking company is also threatening to get the bailiff involved if I don't contact them within the next few days... 

Any advice? Please I'm really scared, I don't want the bailiff showing up to my parents house. 

This is what happens when you don't attend hearings. People lose and they lose BIG.

I told you that you MUST attend the hearing.

A bailiff will come round.

HCEOs with a writ and the right to clamp cars.  You are going to have to tell your parents.

The only thing you could try this week is to contact Contestor Legal very quickly and see if they can help you with an appeal.

I MEAN TODAY. Now. This takes priority. Obviously Google them and get in touch.

Show them the Court's written decision. Please also show us but we can't help you appeal.

The thing is they can't clamp anything because my car has already been sold. I'm actually leaving the country very soon. 

Just wondering what would happen if the bailiff do come around? Since I'm not the tenant and none of the things in my house belong to me? 

Unfortunately you must appreciate that HCEO's will be met with the response "none of the things in my house belong to me" at every single site they visit. If saying this was the silver bullet, no debt would ever be collected on and half of this forum wouldn't exist.

If they have reason to believe you live at the property, they may choose to seize anything of value. This could include the living room TV and your Mums tablet, for example, which you may protest is not yours, but unless your parents provide them with a receipt showing otherwise (which they know is unlikely), they'll tell you they're going to take it. In reality, they'd prefer not to seize assets, it's always plan B, but they know the best ways to pressure debtors into paying (e.g. suggesting they'll take the family TV, prompting your parents to get involved in coming to a payment arrangement). This is one reason you have to tell your parents, if you do not plan on coming to a payment arrangement before the HCEO's arrive.

You also mention your car, but like the above, if your parents own a car and it happens to be parked in relation to the property (e.g. in the nominated parking spot), they may clamp that and use it as leverage unless a bill of sale is produced. Commonly the alleged owner might run out with the V5 document, for the HCEO to gleefully point out that the V5 is not proof of ownership, as stated at the top.

Are you planning to return to the UK? Your long term plan shouldn't be to keep ignoring this.

My plan is to not ignore this at all. I just don't think it's fair the way the judgement has been made without me being able to defend myself. I'm going to contact the parking company and let them know that I'm reaching out to solicitor and also that I will pay once I have been given advice on what I can do. I don't want the bailiff coming to my parents house. I'll just cough up the money in that case. 

It's obviously an inconvenience to them that I have to go to work to make money, which again unfortunately for them, means that I have to go overseas.. 

CluelessDefendant

Coupon-mad said:

That Order says you didn't file or serve any evidence.

Surely you did a WS and evidence bundle the month before the hearing?  Can you prove it?

Tell all this to Contestor Legal NOW.

You can't do this on your own and you can't inflict HCEOs pushing into your parents' house.

No I didn't, unfortunately because of the nature of my work, I just didn't have the time as well as the internet connection. I was lucky to even get an email out saying I couldn't attend. I know this seems a bit far fetched, but without going into the details, if I said which country I was working in, you'd understand. 

Grizebeck

@Exodi
As you will be aware a HCEO has no right of entry into a domestic premises unless invited in

Coupon-mad

I hear you @CluelessDefendant - 

but without a witness statement and evidence, the Judge had nothing to go on from you. Defence was never your only job.  You could have done a WS at the point when you were posting here. You didn't tell us you'd failed to put in any evidence.

See if Contestor Legal say if you have any hope. Possibly the only chance is the error of the Judge wrongly saying your defence claimed you were the tenant. 

Exodi

Grizebeck said:

@Exodi
As you will be aware a HCEO has no right of entry into a domestic premises unless invited in

I think this is a good thing to add for completeness, and also serves as further justification for telling the parents beforehand, to avoid the dreaded 'foot in door' scenario on an unsuspecting parent.

Fortunately, it sounds like the OP intends to reach a payment arrangement, before it got to that stage.