Issued with parking fine because resident permit had fallen into footwell

Car1980

If you want to play the incognito game at least give them AN address.

And think carefully when I say AN (wink).

You must instruct them to ERASE your current address from their systems.

Copy in their Data Protection Officer (there should be a separate DPO email on their website somewhere).

It is entirely possible for a CCJ to avoid going on a person's credit file if the address is one that appears nowhere on their report. Yes, it will be matched up if the creditor goes about paying for tracing, but often they don't bother.

ChirpyChicken

Love it when people come here thinking they know better.
Fines from train companies are not the same.

Joedavis

Noted. I’ll let PCM know of my address change and will await the letters from a debt recovery company. I’ll then decide what action to take. Thanks for the advice. 

Coupon-mad

Joedavis said:

Noted. I’ll let PCM know of my address change and will await the letters from a debt recovery company. I’ll then decide what action to take. Thanks for the advice. 

Good. Correct decision.

Joedavis

I think I made a huge mistake by not just paying the £20 settlement. I'll now have up to 6 years of harassment. I'm not sure that telling people to never pay is the right advice. I do appreciate that these companies are immoral and should be stopped, but I'm not sure that accepting years of harassment and potential CCJs is the right plan of action. 

Coupon-mad

Joedavis said:

I think I made a huge mistake by not just paying the £20 settlement. I'll now have up to 6 years of harassment. I'm not sure that telling people to never pay is the right advice.

But we don't tell people not to pay when they get a £20 settlement offer:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6575632/excel-parking-pcn-how-should-i-appeal/p2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81282787/#Comment_81282787

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81158512/#Comment_81158512

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81118805/#Comment_81118805

You didn't come here to ask at that stage because you'd missed that letter:

They offered a settlement of £20. I actually missed this letter as I was away from the property. They sent one through 2 weeks later saying I have to pay £100 within 14 days. It says if I do nothing, they'll seek to recover the amount via debt collection or a court action. 

Therefore, our clear (100% correct) advice at YOUR STAGE (having missed the £20 offer) was DO NOT PAY. Of course not! 

Joedavis

Coupon-mad said:

Joedavis said:

I think I made a huge mistake by not just paying the £20 settlement. I'll now have up to 6 years of harassment. I'm not sure that telling people to never pay is the right advice.

But we don't tell people not to pay when they get a £20 settlement offer:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6575632/excel-parking-pcn-how-should-i-appeal/p2

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81282787/#Comment_81282787

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81158512/#Comment_81158512

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81118805/#Comment_81118805

You didn't come here to ask at that stage because you'd missed that letter:

They offered a settlement of £20. I actually missed this letter as I was away from the property. They sent one through 2 weeks later saying I have to pay £100 within 14 days. It says if I do nothing, they'll seek to recover the amount via debt collection or a court action. 

Therefore, our clear (100% correct) advice at YOUR STAGE (having missed the £20 offer) was DO NOT PAY. Of course not! 

I'll get in contact with PCM and will explain the letter was missed and will offer to settle. I think going down the route of fighting CCJs etc is a bad idea as the system is clearly designed to benefit them. 

Coupon-mad

They won't settle now and it'll just make you look like a hooked victim who is scared.

If making an offer now was an option we'd have told you. Sit tight.

We don't 'fight CCJs'. There's no CCJ risked.

Joedavis

Thanks. I've now received a letter from a debt collection agency. They are requesting the amount that you predicted they would request. 

I'll let them know via email that my address is changing. I'll also let the parking ticket company know. Hopefully they get the message! 

Thanks for your help and apologies for doubting the advice. It's a slightly stressful process.

Coupon-mad

Good. Just don't take any other action without checking here first. There is no chance to make offers at pre-action stage and it just makes you look weak if you try.

Ignore all £170 threaograms. Come back when you get a LBC from Gladstones.