Debt collector - help please

kit001

Evening everyone!

After reading a few posts on parking issue that were helpful, I need a bit more helpful feedback from this great community.

To give you a bit of context: 

I have initially received a letter from a debt collector requesting the payment of a total of £1280 (8 letters).

After trying to sort this out, another debt collector (CST Law) has send a letter asking nearly £1500 as they are adding some fees.

These fines were apparently issued 5 years ago. I never received any communication prior these debts collectors letters from the parking company (ocean parking) and never received PCN's. 

At that time (5 years ago) I was working for a retailer that used the parking that I got fined from.

After contacting the parking company explaining that I never received any PCN and also that I was actually working for a company that used that car park, they are refusing to do anything despite that my previous employer of that time stepped in to confirm that I was working at that time and therefore using the parking and that PCN needs to be cancelled. The response from the parking company was that I am too late to appeal (28 days) despite me telling them that I never received the original PCN.

The debt collector  initially said that I needed to contact the parking firm to cancel PCN and debt collector procedure as it is that parking firm that has instructed the debt collector. The parking firm just doesn't want to do anything and is putting everything on the debt collector. They're only want to take payment!

The debt collector is willing to challenge the parking firm as long as I can prove that I was working for that employer and that there are some parking clause in my contract. I mentioned to the debt collector that no such clause are in my contract (I've never seen these clause in any of my previous contract from different employers).

I just don't really know what to do as the debt collector is putting everything on the parking company and the parking company is putting everything on the debt collector.

I formally put a complaint in at the car park firm explaining the above.

I would really appreciate some feedback on this matter as this is starting to make me mad 😅

Thank you in advance.

Coupon-mad

The debt collector is willing to challenge the parking firm 

No they aren't!  They aren't there to help you. Goodness me - stop contacting the time-wasters.  Promise us NEVER to contact them.

The parking firm just doesn't want to do anything and is putting everything on the debt collector. 

Yes. Normal.

Guess what the DRA's job is?  And it's not to help you.  IGNORE THEM.

Why not just search the forum for the name of the DRA and then do a search for CST Law.  It looks like you've not read anything here yet. You don't seem to know not to contact them.

Please state which dates 5 years ago. Are any PCNs close to the Litigation 6 year deadline?

Umkomaas

Ignore debt collectors, please read the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, fourth post.  Come back if you receive a formal Letter Of/Before Claim or a County Court claim via the Northampton CNBC. 

As CST are getting involved, please read the following CST Group thread and compare their approach to you with the dozens of other cases in the thread that have come to nothing. 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6166004/cst-letters-forum-group-thread/p1

Important - please tell us which parking firm is involved. 

I just don't really know what to do as the debt collector is putting everything on the parking company and the parking company is putting everything on the debt collector.

Just ignore both!  Phoning them is a mistake. Stop doing it. 

my previous employer of that time stepped in to confirm that I was working at that time and therefore using the parking and that PCN needs to be cancelled.

Do you have written confirmation from your employer on these lines?

kit001

Evening guys.

Thank you for your fast response.

Coupon-mad said:

Goodness me - stop contacting the time-wasters.  Promise us NEVER to contact them.

I kinda hate myself for communicating with them ... But I initially followed citizens advice before actually searching on the topic and using some  information I have found on here.

Coupon-mad said:

Please state which dates 5 years ago. Are any PCNs close to the Litigation 6 year deadline?

Dates are late July 2018 and early August 2018.

Umkomaas said:

Important - please tell us which parking firm is involved. 

The car park company used to be 'Care parking' newly named 'Ocean parking' which is part of Anchor service limited.

Umkomaas said:

Do you have written confirmation from your employer on these lines?

 I do yes. I have been cc'ed in the email that was send to the parking company... Weirdly enough they did not clicked 'reply all'!

Email message that was send from my previous employer is below:

'Hi

Can you please cancel the PCN’S for the below vehicle registration and cancel the debt collectors as the vehicle registration ******* should have been added to the car park at that current time'

I will search more on these forums.

Thank you very much for answering so fast.

Coupon-mad

OK.

The CAB are appalling in their terrible advice about private parking charges. They should be ashamed of telling victims of this scam to phone the useless money-grabbing DRA.  Please give the CAB feedback and tell them what they should be doing.

If you get a LBC or LoC, the NEWBIES thread tells you what to respond with at that point.  You can show your email evidence too.

But not now.  Not if you are just getting daft debt crawler letters.

And if you get your LBC / LOC in early Summer please come back here for exactly how to play the perfect timing game of replies, to get the case past the magic 6 years.

Do not respond too soon.  If you don't have a LBC or LoC don't reply. 

kit001

Hello everyone !

I'd thought I'll post you an update.

Today, I received the below letter from the debt collector.

Before posting on here, I had followed the CAB advices... Which consisted of asking these companies to put on hold whilst seeking legal advice. Are they suppose not to contact you ?

Weirdly enough the amount requested is not the same as the first letter and they have send the PCN references.

It also say to speak to the business reaching out to them from the letter they have sent... which I never received !

Any advice ? 

Coupon-mad

Ignore the useless CAB 'advice'.

kit001

Hi Coupon-mad.

Thanks for your prompt response 🙂

Shall I just carry on 'ignoring' or shall I challenge anything at this stage?

Also, I've been through the newbie section: it mentions about acronym but cannot find then in the same thread... Would it be possible for you to guide me to find the meaning of all acronyms (there's quite a lot 😅). It would be much appreciated.

Umkomaas

Would it be possible for you to guide me to find the meaning of all acronyms (there's quite a lot 😅

The acronyms used on the forum can be found in the 5th post of the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement. Just do a Ctrl+F on 'acronym' - there are 4 uses of the word 'acronym' in the thread, the 4th will take you to the list. If there is an acronym not listed there for which you want a 'translation', just ask here on your thread. 

Coupon-mad

The NEWBIES thread makes it clear what to do at LBC stage and NOT to use the reply forms.

kit001

Found it! 


Out of curiosity,from another experience I had with a gas supplier, I remembered sending an email to notify the debt collector to stop to send anything as a complaint was raised with the energy company. I never heard from them after...

Would this stop the debt collector in parking cases? Just being curious...

Thanks all for your input 🙂