Equita bailiffs parking ticket

[sparky001]

I got back from holiday on 16/07/2007 to find a letter from Equita saying a warrent has been issued and passed to them for £108.16 by return post.
This letter is dated 05/07/2007, i went on holiday on 8/7/2007.

I rang Equita on 17/07/2007 to pay this debt and was told it had already incresed to £143.41, after arguing for 10 mins i decided i would just pay and get rid.
I then proceeded to pay with my visa/electron card, as soon as i gave first four numbers of my card i was told they do not accept cards from co-op bank. So i asked them to send me a bank giro so i could pay that way and was told i might incurr more charges in the meantime.

Is this legal? do they tell everybody this to make more money? is there somewhere i can complain about this bunsh of muggers?
Any help most welcome..

[seanamarts]

Ask them for a breakdown of the charges. Do you know if they have visited you .. they can only charge for two visits first one for 24.00 the second for 18.50. if they havnt visited you then they cannot charge you for the visit.. who issued the parking ticket

[Herbie]

Sorry seamanarts but you werent to know but the fees that you have quoted are the correct first and second visit fees for the collection of council tax. This debt is for an unpaid parking ticket.

The original debt passed to the Traffic Enforcement Centre would have been £90 and the court fees are an additional £5. This would bring the PCN debt to £95.

Once passed to Equita they are entitled by law to charge a letter fee which is £11.20. Vat of £1.96 is added to this which makes the total £108.16. This was the amount requested in their letter.

To bring the debt to the current level means that they have also included a "levy fee" of 28%. This means that they are saying that they have visited you and you were not in. The levy fee with VAT comes to the total that they are now saying is due. ( For a second visit the total will come to £187.82)

I would write an immediate letter to state that you have attempted to pay and that due entirely to their own internal banking arrangements that this payment was refused. I would ask for their bank details and pay over the counter at a bank. Inform them that if they attempt to charge any additional fees for a further visit that you will report them to the local authority.

Ask for PROOF by way of tracker systems when a visit was purportely made.

[seanamarts]

oops my bad.. thanks for clearing that up Herbie

[sparky001]

Thanx guys, as far as i'm aware they have not visited me and did not mention any visit when i spoke to them. I have only just got first letter.

[sparky001]

Hi Herbie have just writen this letter to Equita, what do you think?

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you concerning the above warrant issued to myself on behalf of Leeds City Council. After ringing your company on 17/07/2007 I was told that my payment had already increased from £108.16 to £143.41. As I was on holiday from 08/07/2007 to 16/07/2007 and phoned your company upon reciept of first letter I find it shocking that you have applied more fees before I have had a chance to contact you.
I have also been informed that the extra fee you have applied is a “levy fee” of 28% for visiting me when I was not in. Considering I was on holiday for only one week I’m surprised at your swiftness of adding extra fees or is this how your company makes it’s profits? I

I would also like to point out that I tried to pay you the first time I called and due to your own internal banking arrangements this payment was refused, (apparently you do not accept payment from co-op bank cards). I the light of this I am asking again for your bank details so I can pay over the counter or online transfer as I have not received the bank giro I requested when I first rang you on 17/07/2007, or are you waiting to charge me some more before you send it?

I would also like to inform you that if you attempt to levy more fees on me for further visits I will report you to the local authority concerned as well as Northampton County Court and Trading Standards. Could you also provide me with proof by way of tracker systems when a visit was purportedly made as my house sitter was unaware of any visit>

Your help in this matter is greatly appreciated as I’m sure you are just as happy to resolve this debt quickly as I am.

[Herbie]

I hope that you won't mind but I have suggested some changes.

As bailiff companies are regular viewers to these forums, I did not wish them to see what is being written.

I have pm'd you a copy. Let us know what you think. Do keep us all up to date of any developments.

[PizzaMaker]

Originally Posted by sparky001

I got back from holiday on 16/07/2007 to find a letter from Equita saying a warrent has been issued and passed to them for £108.16 by return post.
This letter is dated 05/07/2007, i went on holiday on 8/7/2007.

I rang Equita on 17/07/2007 to pay this debt and was told it had already incresed to £143.41, after arguing for 10 mins i decided i would just pay and get rid.
I then proceeded to pay with my visa/electron card, as soon as i gave first four numbers of my card i was told they do not accept cards from co-op bank. So i asked them to send me a bank giro so i could pay that way and was told i might incurr more charges in the meantime.

Is this legal? do they tell everybody this to make more money? is there somewhere i can complain about this bunsh of muggers?
Any help most welcome..

Letter dated 5 July 2007, then you are given 7 days to pay this amount. The bailiff must have visited your property between 13 july and 16 july for you to incurr a first visit fee. Regardless of you being on holiday they can charge a 1st visit fee as long as they have visited your property.

Maybe they did not accept your card as it was an electron. If you are willing to make payment then your account should be placed on hold for a least 7 days so your can make alternative payment.