Debt collectors sending letters despite appeal - what to do?

EJ1983

I parked for a couple of hours in the car park of an ice skating rink and paid the £1 parking fee, displaying the ticket clearly on my dash board. Few weeks later I get a letter from Premier Park stating that I did not pay and now owe them £100. I appealed using online appeals process, attaching an photo of the ticket that I had miraculously not thrown away yet and mentioned that I can provide proof via my credit card company that the £1 was taken from my account at that exact date and time. I received an auto response that my appeal had been received but then no other response. The only phone number, email address, web page, anything that the company provide for contact are solely for the purpose of paying via a machine voice. It was now too late to send in another appeal.
A few more weeks later I received my first letter from debt collectors; then another a fortnight later saying pay up (now £266) or we're starting court proceedings. They do actually provide a number to call to discuss payment plans etc but as yet I haven't been able to get through.
Anyone been here? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks 

KeithP

Hello and welcome.

The fourth post of the NEWBIES thread explains exactly how to deal with debt collector's letters, but to summarise that post - ignore them.

Gr1pr

Just disregard and file away any debt collectors letters, debt and are powerless, do not phone them, or contact them, not at all. !

Instead, study the Fourth post in the newbies FAQ sticky thread in announcements, its the 6th thread down from the top of the forum, above your thread, written by coupon mad 

EJ1983

Thank you. I felt that my case was slightly different to the ones on the newbies thread as I had both paid and appealed, but I see now that this makes no difference once it's in debt collectors hands! Thanks again, I will ignore.

fisherjim

This will have been ANPR which you should have inputted your VRN into the pay machine, I suspect you made an error.

But you are dealing with greedy scammers both the parking company and their idiot debt collectors never phone either of them it's futile they aren't interested they just want cash!

Follow the advice above and in the newbies thread, and complain to the BPA that these idiots have failed to comply with their COP and should receive a sanction.

Gr1pr

Before you complain to the BPA AOS compliance team online, first go to the AOS members list, find Premier Park, look to the right and use the complaint link, complaining that an appeal was made, provide the details and date of it, that no response was received, and no rejection or Popla code was issued to you 

Wait for their response 

The reason being that the BPA guidance is to complain to the parking company first, before the AOS team will accept your BPA complaint. Come back to this thread with the results 

Hope that helps 

Coupon-mad

Please tell us you haven't been trying to ring a DRA thug to discuss paying them.  Of course you don't pay and certainly don't ring them.

Please read the NEWBIES thread 4th post.