Letter Before Claim from Car Park Services NI

Mspx

Hi all,

I have read through the newbie thread and I’m feeling completely overwhelmed at the moment as I know the rules in Northern Ireland are different. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated. 

I’ve received a letter before claim for Car Park Service Ltd based in NI for 9 Parking Charge notices totalling £900 from 2018 and 2019 for a car park I used to park in almost daily for work. At the time my ex partner and his mother also drove my car. 

I unfortunately and incorrectly just ignored the letters at the time. I think the charges are a mixture of not parking in a bay, not paying on time (when machines were broken) or not displaying a ticket. I mainly used either cash or the parking by phone to pay. 

I’ve now received this letter and I’m absolutely freaking out, nauseous and have zero clue how to deal with this. I don’t want to ignore it again incase they take me to small claims court. 

I think I firstly need to send a SAR but any direction on what to do will be most appreciated! I really don’t want to pay these scammers £900 which I don’t have anyway and to end up with a CCJ for 6 years when I’m trying to get a mortgage 😭😭

B789

The most important thing is not to disclose who was the driver. Luckily for you, there is no Keeper liability (for now) and if they don't know the identity of the driver, there is nothing they can do.

Which PPC and solicitor (if any)? You will be able to respond to the LoC in a very robust manner but basically telling them to go sot on a sharp stick and rotate. They have no jurisdiction in NI anyway.

If you think you need more time to get this advice computed in your head, you can just send them a simple email telling them that you need 30 days to seek debt advice although no debt is admitted. You do this as close as possible to the end of the 30 days they have given you in their LoC.

As long as the drivers identity is not and has not been disclosed, you won't be paying them a penny.

Coupon-mad

NI = ignore.

Get your Consumer Council to help you if you can't ignore debt letters but that's all.

patient_dream

YES, your consumer council to get rid of this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CiL0u4CYg0&t=76s

Mspx

So since ignoring the original letters where they kept increasing the “fines” back on 2019, I have heard nothing. There hasn’t been any letters form debt collecting agencies or anything else. 

The letter is a letter before action, it’s not official it’s just on their headed paper from them and states I must pay prior to 19th September (not even 30 days so assuming this isn’t legal anyway) no solicitor or PPC just on company paper. 

If I can ignore it and no further action will be taken then I’ll do just that. Do you think it’s just scare tactics to try and get me to pay? 

It was either me or my ex partner driving possibly his mother but these have been accidental never in attempt not to pay as I would’ve had receipts or whatever at the time just ignored rather than appeal. I’ll look into consumer council also I’m just wary as I have no evidence because it’s been that long ago!! 

Umkomaas

All PPC letters are 'scare tactics'. Get in touch with the Consumer Council for specific advice for NI, but I don't think this is going anywhere.  Sleep easy. 

Mspx

Folks I’ve just had a letter that is taking me to the small claims court I have to fill in a defence or dispute 

Coupon-mad

Thread about it here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6475057/car-park-services-letter-from-small-claims-court-northern-ireland#latest

Ask the Consumer Council for urgent advice.

Choose one thread or the other please.  Or get them merged by the Forum Team do we don't have 2 threads.