A distressing DVLA (NSL limited) related issue

ADistressedTenant

I recently went through a traumatic experience with DVLA (NSL limited), I am wondering if this forum can help.

Let me explain, DVLA (NSL limited) took my car away, wrongly. ( I was shocked. I felt robed in board day light. I felt unsafe in my own home.) After lots of phone calls and emails ( and mental stress ) they finally admitted their mistake and returned the car. It took about 2 weeks of continuous nervous tension and painful efforts. 

Unfortunately, the car came back damaged and was not even starting. I asked them to pay for damages and also for compensation ( for all the stress and ill repute they caused ). However, they are dragging their feet and mentioned the word 'court' in their emails a few time. 

They refused to admit that this incidence caused stress and also not agreeing to the damages they caused saying it was already there before they took the car away.

I am feeling lost. 

I am wondering if there are other people in the similar situation ? I really need some support. I wish to know what can I do next ? How can I pursue this issue in best possible way ? I wish to know how to make DVLA (NSL limited) listen to me, accept their responsibility and the damages they caused.

I do not wish to stay silent and let them 'boldly' do the same with another person / family.

I can not afford legal fees. I am not even sure if going down the legal route, against DVLA (NSL limited), is a good idea or not.

I am feeling lost.

Emmia

Why did they remove your car? What reason did they give?

swingaloo

I think you need to take the emotion out of this. Robbed in broad daylight, unsafe in my home etc.

Why did they remove your car? Did you get any notification before it happened? Was your car taxed and insured or Sorned? Was it parked legally?

You dont get compensation for stress, only for actual losses. What are your losses? Can you prove they damaged your car?

You say you want to pursue this but cant afford legal fees. What exactly do you think you can pursue here? Nothing you can do will prevent it happening to someone else.

TheSpectator

To be brutal, if you couldn't deal with the stress of your car being taken away then how are you going to deal with the undoubted stress of 'taking them on'.

Mildly_Miffed

Separate DVLA from NSL Limited in your mind. Confusing the two as you seem to be doing will not make ANYTHING any easier.

NSL are not DVLA.
They may or may not be acting on DVLA's behalf.

They are primarily a parking enforcement company.

https://marstonholdings.co.uk/nsl/about-nsl/

If they have removed your vehicle, then the most likely reason is that they would have had good belief that it was either parked illegally on council land (acting for the council) or was untaxed/uninsured (acting for DVLA). Either way, DVLA are massively unlikely to be where your complaint should be aimed.

Let's go back a step.

What grounds were claimed to justify the removal of the car? Why were those grounds incorrect? The car has been returned, though, so that chapter is closed.

You may have direct financial losses arising from that removal, including any damage incurred, which you will need to quantify to claim from NSL. Indirect losses for stress etc? Nope. Not happening.
But if they are denying the damage was incurred in their possession... Can you prove it was not pre-existing? Remember that it is very likely they will have photos taken at the time of removal... What value and type of damage are we talking about?

How much time, effort, blood pressure are you willing to put into this?

ADistressedTenant

Such sad state of affair. NSL limited took the car away, DVLA accepted they were wrong. NSL limited brought the car damaged. Those were hellish 2 weeks for me. I am still suffering. And no recourse ..... 

marcia_

ADistressedTenant said:

Such sad state of affair. NSL limited took the car away, DVLA accepted they were wrong. NSL limited brought the car damaged. Those were hellish 2 weeks for me. I am still suffering. And no recourse ..... 

 You still didn't say why the car was removed? It was wrongly taken but what reason did they give for taking it? 

eskbanker

ADistressedTenant said:

I recently went through a traumatic experience with DVLA (NSL limited), I am wondering if this forum can help.

Let me explain, DVLA (NSL limited) took my car away, wrongly. ( I was shocked. I felt robed in board day light. I felt unsafe in my own home.) After lots of phone calls and emails ( and mental stress ) they finally admitted their mistake and returned the car. It took about 2 weeks of continuous nervous tension and painful efforts. 

Unfortunately, the car came back damaged and was not even starting. I asked them to pay for damages and also for compensation ( for all the stress and ill repute they caused ). However, they are dragging their feet and mentioned the word 'court' in their emails a few time. 

They refused to admit that this incidence caused stress and also not agreeing to the damages they caused saying it was already there before they took the car away.

I am feeling lost. 

I am wondering if there are other people in the similar situation ? I really need some support. I wish to know what can I do next ? How can I pursue this issue in best possible way ? I wish to know how to make DVLA (NSL limited) listen to me, accept their responsibility and the damages they caused.

I do not wish to stay silent and let them 'boldly' do the same with another person / family.

I can not afford legal fees. I am not even sure if going down the legal route, against DVLA (NSL limited), is a good idea or not.

I am feeling lost.

ADistressedTenant said:

Such sad state of affair. NSL limited took the car away, DVLA accepted they were wrong. NSL limited brought the car damaged. Those were hellish 2 weeks for me. I am still suffering. And no recourse ..... 

If you're hoping to get guidance from anonymous strangers on a web forum then it'll be best to take a deep breath and spell out facts in a calm and clear manner in order to determine options, but to be honest it sounds like you need more real-life emotional support, are there any family or friends who can help you with your feelings about this?

Bigphil1474

OP, our legal system doesn't really pay out for pain and suffering or distress, it pays out compensation if you have suffered an appropriate loss. Do you have legal cover on your car insurance, house insurance, or through any trade union? If so, speak to them and see if they cover a personal dispute like this. Some do, some don't. Unless you are going to spell out what happened, can't do more than suggest that course of action. 

Emmia

@ADistressedTenant are you going to return to answer some of the questions in response to your original post?

ADistressedTenant

The reason DVLA/ NSL limited gave me was that they thought the car was parked on a public car park when actually it was parked on the private car park. The car was under SORN. DVLA / NSL limited agreed that they were wrong in assuming that it was a public car park. 
I wrote what I felt. It was a terribly stressful event for me. I felt unsafe in my own home. I felt violated. I felt robbed in broad day light. I felt persecuted when I actually followed all the rules. My reputation among my neighbours was tarnished. I felt helpless and lost. My car came back damaged. And now there is no recourse. I am really feeling like a disempowered victim. 
My basic hope was that via this forum, I would be able to find more people who had been through similar situation. So I can find some support and guidance.