Bristol Airport - PCN for stopping at a traffic light.

Coupon-mad

Imnotpaying said:

So I've just received this letter from a debt collector. I'm tempted to respond on the basis that (1) there is no debt since the PCN is invalid and will be contested and (2) If the case is not subject to High Court or bailiff action (last para of their letter), why am I being pursued by Direct Collection Bailiffs, Ltd .  I realise that I probably won't get a response, but is it worth a letter to further support my defence when it gets to the next stage. (Image removed by Forum Team)

You won't be responding to that dross.

Imnotpaying

Thanks, @KeithP, @Coupon-mad.  I'll take your advice.

kietest101

Hi guys, looking for some advice, i have seen lots of posts on here so heads a little confused.

We received a PCN from VCS back is 2023 for stopping at Liverpool airport. We obviously appealed it on the basis we had literally just come out of the cark park and was the other side of the barrier, not even at the round about yet and the car displayed a message saying stop vehicle leave engine running. We stopped for a couple of mins then got on our way. The appeal was rejected and now been issued a court letter for claiming the money back? Not sure how to proceed now, any help would be great thanks

KeithP

@kietest101, welcome to the forum.

Tagging your query onto the end of this thread about a totally different airport will lead to confusion when others try to relate your predicament to earlier posts in the thread.

Your best bet is to start a new thread. When you do that, tell us the Issue Date on your Claim Form.

Imnotpaying

Update - Since my last post I received a Notice of Intended Legal Action from DCBL dated 11 September to which I have not replied. I have now received a Letter of Claim from DCB Legal Ltd dated 25 September.  These two companies also have separate company numbers from each other, from Excel Parking Services and from VCS.  So there are now four companies processing my data!!  

I believe from reading the Newbies threads and all the other extremely useful threads and info on this forum (very gratefully acknowledged) that I now have to respond within 30 days, presumably by email rather than through their pro forma.  I have the following questions:

Is it best to wait until the 30 days are almost up before replying at all, or should I respond to acknowledge receipt? I still haven't had replies to my complaints to my MP, the OTPP, and Bristol Airport has now agreed to elevate my complaint to "Official", so their reply is not imminent.  I am going to be out off the country for almost three weeks in October.  My inclination is to prepare my defence in the meantime, but hold off until the last minute before responding, and I see there have been different approaches to this on the forum.

The DCB Legal letter has a banner footer, which I consider to be intimidating in content.  It includes a direct reference to the TV programme, "Can't Pay, We'll Take it Away".  The same banner has the nerve to include reference to their authorisation and regulation by the SRA whose guidance includes:  

• "Legal representation must not become intimidatory through the use of heavy-handed tactics that are oppressive or abusive. Representing clients' interests in this way is likely to breach a solicitor's duties to act with integrity and uphold public trust and confidence and the rule of law. It is also incompatible with their position as an officer of the court".

Is it worth complaining to SRA about DCB Legal's intimidating letter footer?

I wonder why it takes four independent companies to process a simple PCN?

Gr1pr

I agree with your inclination based on the content of your post above, so do what suits your interests and timescales 

For the time being I wouldn't be worrying about the latter parts of your post. Parking companies often employ contracted debt collectors and lawyers, no surprise there, even though VCS/Excel are sister companies with an in house legal team that could raise the claim themselves

The parking company retain ownership of the data, as data controllers, but can farm out collection to third parties 

Reply to the LoC by email, do not fill in the forms, do wait for the DCB legal reply and then report them to the inland revenue for possible Vat fraud on the debt collectors fee, typically set at £70 per pcn, later this year 

Imnotpaying

Thanks, @Gr1pr,  I am intending to reply  by email as per Newbies thread advice.  I assume it's ok to use the email address on their letter head?  I can't find any other address for DCB Legal on the forum.

Gr1pr

I have never dealt with them at all, so yes you would expect firms to put their reply email address on letters 

I am sure that I have seen several email addresses on this forum, perhaps look through the Discontinuations thread by Umkomaas. ?  One being. response@dcblegal.co.uk

As long as they don't "bounce" , notification of non deliverable , then they should work 

Imnotpaying

I have written another (my third) letter of complaint to BAL, but this time pointed out the fact that BAL's Service Agreement with VCS has expired.  I have received a reply stating that my complaint has been "escalated to our Commercial Manager for review"

"Good afternoon, Seana,

I wrote to you by email in pursuance of my complaint referenced above, and I enclose a copy below.

24 working days have now passed since this email was delivered and I have had no response.  According to your documented Complaints Policy and Procedure, I should have received a response within 15 working days.  I am, therefore, unhappy with the way this complaint is being handled and ask that it passes to stage 2 of your procedure - review by a Senior Manager.

With reference to the requirement in your Procedure for a complainant to provide the reasons why a review is requested, and the resolution they are looking for, I am requesting this review because I have not received any response to the 3 specific points of complaint numbered 1 to 3 in my email of 15 August, attached below.  

In addition, since my previous email, I have noticed that the Service Agreement 127/VCS-CCTV/AS between Vehicle Control Systems (VCS) and Bristol Airport Ltd (BAL) for the provision of parking enforcement expired on 6 January 2023, so could you please provide documented evidence that VCS had any agreement from BAL to operate on the airport site on the date in question: 28 June 2024.

For the avoidance of doubt, as I explained earlier, my complaint is about the way BAL allows an unauthorised operator to control parking on its site with no current contract and without permission from the landowner.

I have forwarded a copy of this email to my MP.  I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Coupon-mad

DCB Legal emails are on various threads.

Info@ works