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Excel Epic Fail Again In Court - can't use excel spreadsheet!

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bargepole
bargepole Posts: 3,231 Forumite
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in Parking tickets, fines & parking
Back in late August, I reported on an Excel case where Excel didn't show up for the hearing in Sheffield, so the claim (no. 3QT55160) was struck out. (Post #36 in this link: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4755088)

Excel subsequently made an application to have the claim reinstated (costs them £80), and they were allowed to apply even though it was submitted out of time. The reason they gave was 'administration errors' on their part.

I advised the defendant to oppose the application, which Excel wanted to be done without a hearing, so she sent in a letter opposing the application, and the hearing took place yesterday.

This is her report:
defendant wrote:
Just wanted to let you know that the hearing took place yesterday to reinstate the case.

The Judge dismissed my point 2 and 3 regarding dates and rule 3.9, but I pushed point one and also pointed out in their witness statement how they had managed to comply with all other dates, but then forgot the actual court date. Emphasised the personal inconvenience and emotional stress etc.

The Excel paralegal, Joel Douglas, then demonstrated in epic style his incompetence by describing how he didn't correctly sort a column in an excel spreadsheet leading to him missing the court date.

Basically the Judge didn't take too kindly to this, belittled him a bit, told him to keep a diary and then finally rejected their application.

Interestingly Joel Douglas started by saying that he was specifically employed to increase the volume of claims Excel submit through Court. If you are advising anyone else, you can reassure them if his incompetence anyway!

I hope that's the end of it. Thanks again for all your help, if I can help anyone else in a similar situation, even if it's just a chat for support, please get in touch.

So it would appear that a pre-requisite for getting a job in Excel's legal department would be the inability to pour p1ss out of a boot if the instructions are written on the sole ...

I have been providing assistance, including Lay Representation at Court hearings (current score: won 57, lost 14), to defendants in parking cases for over 5 years. I have an LLB (Hons) degree, and have a Graduate Diploma in Civil Litigation from CILEx. However, any advice given on these forums by me is NOT formal legal advice, and I accept no liability for its accuracy.

Comments

  • trisontana
    trisontana Posts: 9,472 Forumite
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    He joins a long line of Excel/VCS legal ineptitude. Remember the guy who tried to go down the NPO route and failed miserably. Or Rachel (toothbrush) Coates and her memorable appearance in Lincolnshire. Followed by the mess she made of the documentation regarding Bawtry Town Council and Doncaster Magistrates Court. Finally you have the VCS employee who thought they were using ANPR Ltd (Trev's company) at Liverpool Airport. It turns out it was another company with a similar name, but owned by Excel.
    What part of "A whop bop-a-lu a whop bam boo" don't you understand?
  • esmerobbo
    esmerobbo Posts: 4,979 Forumite
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    edited 22 January 2014 at 6:53PM
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    Oh dear it seems paying low end money is gaining them low end competence!


    By the way Trisontana I walked my dog past the camera van at JLA the other day ;) No company markings on it at all. On each door it says "Camera enforcement vehicle" it has pictures of a camera on the bonnet two on each side panel, and one on the back. I even looked if it had a small sign anywhere but no.
    Had some strange looks from the operator as he munched a banana!

    The only livered van there is an Excel livered kango/berlingo!
  • Half_way
    Half_way Posts: 7,054 Forumite
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    By the way Trisontana I walked my dog past the camera van at JLA the other day ;) No company markings on it at all. On each door it says "Camera enforcement vehicle" it has pictures of a camera on the bonnet two on each side panel, and one on the back. I even looked if it had a small sign anywhere but no.
    Had some strange looks from the operator as he munched a banana!

    If you walk past the van on a regular basis, maybe you should furnish it with a few pepipoo flyers
    From the Plain Language Commission:

    "The BPA has surely become one of the most socially dangerous organisations in the UK"
  • The_Slithy_Tove
    The_Slithy_Tove Posts: 4,024 Forumite
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    esmerobbo wrote: »
    ... the operator as he munched a banana!
    Says it all, really.
  • Folkiedave
    Folkiedave Posts: 227 Forumite
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    Brilliant!!
  • kirkbyinfurnesslad_2
    kirkbyinfurnesslad_2 Posts: 2,340 Forumite
    edited 23 January 2014 at 4:16PM
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    trisontana wrote: »
    He joins a long line of Excel/VCS legal ineptitude. Remember the guy who tried to go down the NPO route and failed miserably. Or Rachel (toothbrush) Coates and her memorable appearance in Lincolnshire. Followed by the mess she made of the documentation regarding Bawtry Town Council and Doncaster Magistrates Court. Finally you have the VCS employee who thought they were using ANPR Ltd (Trev's company) at Liverpool Airport. It turns out it was another company with a similar name, but owned by Excel.

    Navide akbar , followed by some idiot called parvez
    Proud to be a member of the Anti Enforcement Hobbyist Gang.:D:T
  • 4consumerrights
    4consumerrights Posts: 2,002 Forumite
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    Shows the incompetence of these PPCs in hiring staff without basic skills to do the job.

    Excel-lent result for the defendant though - and it cost Excel another £80 to hear the case again. :rotfl:

    bargepole wrote: »
    So it would appear that a pre-requisite for getting a job in Excel's legal department would be the inability to pour p1ss out of a boot if the instructions are written on the sole ...

    This seems to be your favourite saying this month BP!
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