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    • Well barristers would say that in the hope that motorists would go to them for advice -obviously paid advice.  The problem with appealing is at least twofold. 1] there is a real danger that some part of the appeal will point out that the person appealing [the keeper ] is also the driver.  And in a lot of cases the last thing the keeper wants when they are also the driver is that the parking company knows that. It makes it so much easier for them as the majority  of Judges do not accept that the keeper and the driver are the same person for obvious reasons. Often they are not the same person especially when it is a family car where the husband, wife and children are all insured to drive the same car. On top of that  just about every person who has a valid insurance policy is able to drive another person's vehicle. So there are many possibilities and it should be up to the parking company to prove it to some extent.  Most parking company's do not accept appeals under virtually any circumstances. But insist that you carry on and appeal to their so called impartial jury who are often anything but impartial. By turning down that second appeal, many motorists pay up because they don't know enough about PoFA to argue with those decisions which brings us to the second problem. 2] the major parking companies are mostly unscrupulous, lying cheating scrotes. So when you appeal and your reasons look as if they would have merit in Court, they then go about  concocting a Witness Statement to debunk that challenge. We feel that by leaving what we think are the strongest arguments to our Member's Witness Statements, it leaves insufficient time to be thwarted with their lies etc. And when the motorists defence is good enough to win, it should win regardless of when it is first produced.   
    • S13 (2)The creditor may not exercise the right under paragraph 4 to recover from the keeper any unpaid parking charges specified in the notice to keeper if, within the period of 28 days beginning with the day after that on which that notice was given, the creditor is given— (a)a statement signed by or on behalf of the vehicle-hire firm to the effect that at the material time the vehicle was hired to a named person under a hire agreement; (b)a copy of the hire agreement; and (c)a copy of a statement of liability signed by the hirer under that hire agreement. As  Arval has complied with the above they cannot be pursued by EC----- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- S14 [1]   the creditor may recover those charges (so far as they remain unpaid) from the hirer. (2)The conditions are that— (a)the creditor has within the relevant period given the hirer a notice in accordance with sub-paragraph (5) (a “notice to hirer”), together with a copy of the documents mentioned in paragraph 13(2) and the notice to keeper; (b)a period of 21 days beginning with the day on which the notice to hirer was given has elapsed;  As ECP did not send copies of the documents to your company and they have given 28 days instead of 21 days they have failed to comply with  the Act so you and your Company are absolved from paying. That is not to say that they won't continue asking to be paid as they do not have the faintest idea how PoFA works. 
    • Euro have got a lot wrong and have failed to comply with the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Schedule 4.  According to Section 13 after ECP have written to Arval they should then send a NTH to the Hirer  which they have done.This eliminates Arval from any further pursuit by ECP. When they wrote to your company they should have sent copies of everything that they asked Arval for. This is to prove that your company agree what happened on the day of the breach. If ECP then comply with the Act they are allowed to pursue the hirer. If they fail, to comply they cannot make the hirer pay. They can pursue until they are blue in the face but the Hirer is not lawfully required to pay them and if it went to Court ECP would lose. Your company could say who was driving but the only person that can be pursued is the Hirer, there does not appear to be an extension for a driver to be pursued. Even if there was, because ECP have failed miserably to comply with the Act  they still have no chance of winning in Court. Here are the relevant Hire sections from the Act below.
    • Thank-you FTMDave for your feedback. May I take this opportunity to say that after reading numerous threads to which you are a contributor, I have great admiration for you. You really do go above and beyond in your efforts to help other people. The time you put in to help, in particular with witness statements is incredible. I am also impressed by the way in which you will defer to others with more experience should there be a particular point that you are not 100% clear on and return with answers or advice that you have sought. I wish I had the ability to help others as you do. There is another forum expert that I must also thank for his time and patience answering my questions and allowing me to come to a “penny drops” moment on one particular issue. I believe he has helped me immensely to understand and to strengthen my own case. I shall not mention who it is here at the moment just in case he would rather I didn't but I greatly appreciate the time he took working through that issue with me. I spent 20+ years of working in an industry that rules and regulations had to be strictly adhered to, indeed, exams had to be taken in order that one had to become qualified in those rules and regulations in order to carry out the duties of the post. In a way, such things as PoFA 2012 are rules and regulations that are not completely alien to me. It has been very enjoyable for me to learn these regulations and the law surrounding them. I wish I had found this forum years ago. I admit that perhaps I had been too keen to express my opinions given that I am still in the learning process. After a suitable period in this industry I became Qualified to teach the rules and regulations and I always said to those I taught that there is no such thing as a stupid question. If opinions, theories and observations are put forward, discussion can take place and as long as the result is that the student is able to clearly see where they went wrong and got to that moment where the penny drops then that is a valuable learning experience. No matter how experienced one is, there is always something to learn and if I did not know the answer to a question, I would say, I don't know the answer to that question but I will go and find out what the answer is. In any posts I have made, I have stated, “unless I am wrong” or “as far as I can see” awaiting a response telling me what I got wrong, if it was wrong. If I am wrong I am only too happy to admit it and take it as a valuable learning experience. I take the point that perhaps I should not post on other peoples threads and I shall refrain from doing so going forward. 🤐 As alluded to, circumstances can change, FTMDave made the following point that it had been boasted that no Caggers, over two years, who had sent a PPC the wrong registration snotty letter, had even been taken to court, let alone lost a court hearing .... but now they have. I too used the word "seemed" because it is true, we haven't had all the details. After perusing this forum I believe certain advice changed here after the Beavis case, I could be wrong but that is what I seem to remember reading. Could it be that after winning the above case in question, a claimant could refer back to this case and claim that a defendant had not made use of the appeal process, therefore allowing the claimant to win? Again, in this instance only, I do not know what is to be gained by not making an appeal or concealing the identity of the driver, especially if it is later admitted that the defendant was the driver and was the one to input the incorrect VRN in error. So far no one has educated me as to the reason why. But, of course, when making an appeal, it should be worded carefully so that an error in the appeal process cannot be referred back to. I thought long and hard about whether or not to post here but I wanted to bring up this point for discussion. Yes, I admit I have limited knowledge, but does that mean I should have kept silent? After I posted that I moved away from this forum slightly to find other avenues to increase my knowledge. I bought a law book and am now following certain lawyers on Youtube in the hope of arming myself with enough ammunition to use in my own case. In one video titled “7 Reasons You Will LOSE Your Court Case (and how to avoid them)” by Black Belt Barrister I believe he makes my point by saying the following, and I quote: “If you ignore the complaint in the first instance and it does eventually end up in court then it's going to look bad that you didn't co-operate in the first place. The court is not going to look kindly on you simply ignoring the company and not, let's say, availing yourself of any kind of appeal opportunities, particularly if we are talking about parking charge notices and things like that.” This point makes me think that, it is not such a bizarre judgement in the end. Only in the case of having proof of payment and inputting an incorrect VRN .... could it be worthwhile making a carefully worded appeal in the first instance? .... If the appeal fails, depending on the reason, surely this could only help if it went to court? As always, any feedback gratefully received.
    • To which official body does one make a formal complaint about a LPA fixed charge receiver? Does one make a complaint first to the company employing the appointed individuals?    Or can one complain immediately to an official body, such as nara?    I've tried researching but there doesn't seem a very clear route on how to legally hold them to account for wrongful behaviour.  It seems frustratingly complicated because they are considered to be officers of the court and held in high esteem - and the borrower is deemed liable for their actions.  Yet what does the borrower do when disclosure shows clear evidence of wrong-doing? Does anyone have any pointers please?
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non-payment of a Magistrates' Fine - Philips Bailiffs - Notice of Distress Warrant - Please Help


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Hi all,

I have just received two letters from Philips stating Notice of Distress Warrant too.

 

They allege that they are in receipt of a Distress warrant for non-payment of a Magistrates' Fine and they have been instructed by South East London.

Both letters have the same Philips Reference Number, but both are for different amounts (£370.00 and £445.00).

Neither letter has any date on it.

 

As far as I am aware I have no Magistrates' fines.

I have only ever once had a fine and that was back in about 2000 and was paid off in full.

It was so long ago that I really doubt that I have any evidence that it was paid in full.

I have had absolutely no correspondance before recieving these letters about any fines or Distress Warrent.

What do I do next?

 

Should I contact Philips?

I'm wary of doing this as I really don't want them to have my telephone number and the calls cost 5 pence per minute!

How do I get the details of any Distress Warrant?

Can I then make a Statutory Declaration at any court?

 

How long have I got before a bailiff will break into my property?

Can I prevent them from doing this?

 

 

Please help.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Ps. Having just checked Her Majesty's Courts Services Website there doesn't even seem to be a court called South East London! How do I know where this warrant was issued from?

Nurselayer v Natwest - Settled in Full :D

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"How long have I got before a bailiff will break into my property?"

 

Somewhere between a long way off and never. No need to worry if you are in communication with the court / bailiff. Ignore his threats to the contrary. I believe the lattest figures were approx 30 forced entries per year for £1.5 Billion in outstanding fines.

 

Do not waste your time talking to them on the phone. They will subsequently deny anything that is said in your favor, and make things up like you offered an amount by a certain date etc...

 

Recorded delivery and e-mail only.

 

 

BTW - They can't call on Sundays so relax.

 

I'm not confident re. fines enforcement, but i believe you are on the right track with the stat. dec. route. Someone who knows better will be along.

Edited by Thegreenpimpernel
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These letters are of serious concern and I am aware that there have recently been complaints made to the Office of Fair Trading.

It cannot be right for a company representing HMCS to be allowed to send UNDATED letters with little of no information to identify the supposed debt.

 

Also, there is NO such court as South East.

 

I do have a contact number for the relevant office and can post if here late tomorrow/Monday morning.

 

Please send me a pm if I forget.

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Hi Tomhubby,

 

just read your reply (above) to a similar post to mine.

 

My undated and uninformative threat letters refer to 'North West London'

 

Would you have any idea who I should be phoning on Monday morning?

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

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Hi all, I have just recieved two letters from Philips stating Notice of Distress Warrant too. They allege that they are in receipt of a Distress warrant for non-payment of a Magistrates' Fine and they have been instructed by South East London. Both letters have the same Philips Reference Number, but both are for different amounts (£370.00 and £445.00). Neither letter has any date on it.

 

That suggests they are not genuine.

 

As far as I am aware I have no Magistrates' fines. I have only ever once had a fine and that was back in about 2000 and was paid off in full. It was so long ago that I really doubt that I have any evidence that it was paid in full. I have had absolutely no correspondance before recieving these letters about any fines or Distress Warrent. What do I do next?

 

Phone the original court from 2000 and ask if they can shed light.

 

Should I contact Philips?

 

In a word - NO, never TELEPHONE A BAILIFF.

 

I'm wary of doing this as I really don't want them to have my telephone number and the calls cost 5 pence per minute! How do I get the details of any Distress Warrant? Can I then make a Statutory Declaration at any court?

 

If you can locate the originating court.

 

How long have I got before a bailiff will break into my property? Can I prevent them from doing this?

 

Wont happen, and magistrates rarely give permission anyway. Khazanchi & Anor v Faircharm Investments Ltd & Ors [1998] EWCA Civ 471 : On 17 March 1998 Lord Justice Morritt in the High Court ruled that bailiffs having a Walking Possessions Agreement cannot remove anything whilst the debtor is absent unless it is pre-arranged by appointment and with an Order signed by a Judge. The Judge also said in his conclusion,

 

 

However it should be noted that in cases such as these there may be a sanction pursuant to Section 1 of the Criminal Damage Act l971. In other cases the provisions of Section 6 of the Criminal Law Act may apply also.

 

Source: http://vlex.co.uk/vid/ur-judge-cox-52584219

 

 

 

 

Please help.

 

Many thanks in advance.

 

Ps. Having just checked Her Majesty's Courts Services Website there doesn't even seem to be a court called South East London! How do I know where this warrant was issued from?

 

No such court. the document might be falsified - see Section 40(1)© of the Administration of Justuce Act 1970.

Professional property investor and conveyancer

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Ok, have tried to get the details of this without contacting the Bailiffs but the courts are saying that they can't help me and that I have to contact the bailiffs to get any information regarding this. All help would be much appreciated as I really don't want to contact the bailiffs by telephone.

 

Thanks

Nurselayer v Natwest - Settled in Full :D

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Hi,

 

I'm in a very similar boat to you. Here's where I'm at:

 

Called Enforcement Office for North West London which is at Uxbridge magistrates court

 

Not sure which area you're under but locating the enforcement office should be easy. They liaise between court and bailiff

 

They have given me a 21 day reprieve from the bailiffs.

 

Now I've got enough time to chase the original court for details - however, I had the phone ringing for 3 hours yesterday and they didn't pick up.

 

I've written my request for info in a letter which will go special delivery tomorrow.

I got a fax number for the court listing office from the enforcement office so I'll also fax it tomorrow.

 

I will ask to make a Stat Dec and go to court to sort it out.

 

Spoken to three solicitors - first one said just pay it and be done with it (obviously £600 is peanuts to him)

Another said you'll probably still be held responsible so don't bother.

The last said get a stat dec and go to court or try negotiating for a reduction with bailiffs on basis that if they don't reduce it you'll get a stat dec.

 

All good fun.....

 

oh forgot to say -

 

sent a prove it letter to bailiffs yesterday

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Others will know more but that may well ensure they revisit and attempt a levy whether they have the right "J Smith" or not imho, so batten down the hatches in case, and do not answer the door to them if they do, and move any car in use away from the property.

We could do with some help from you.

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The bailiff: A 12th Century solution re-branded as Enforcement Agents for the 21st Century to seize and sell debtors goods as before Oh so Dickensian!

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Thought it was best to offer this advice to everyone concerned as my husband has also been through exactly the same thing:

 

1. Contact your local magistrate office, and go and make a statutory declaration (it's free!!!). Be very nice to whoever you speak to. They are usually sympathetic and can give you a little more information about what the fine is for. In our case, it wasn't right at all.

 

2. Send a letter of complaint to the named person below:

 

Vicky Savage Philips Collection Services (Bailiffs)

Faverdale industrial estate

Darlington Co Durham

DL3 0PH

3. Make copies of documents the statutory declaration & complaint letter in 2 above, as well as the letter s received from the bailiffs and send it to the Central Accounting Office of the court in question, along with a letter explaining the situation.

4. You can search on google for the name of the court by typing in south west london magistrate court, or north east london magistrate court etc.

Hope this helps?

PS: I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS COMPANY ARE STILL IN OPERATION, GIVEN THAT THEIR PROCESSES ARE 'DODGY'

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  • 3 months later...

Hi,

 

I also have two distress warrants from Phillips regards non-payment of a fine from North West Courts (Uxbridge), both for the same matter, both of them not dated..!!

 

The mad thing here is that I was paying this fine at £5 per week with one of those 'allpay' payment cards, I admit my payments were a little erratic, though I was £5 in advance where I contacted the Central Accounting Office. What a joke that is nearly one and a half days of trying to contact them, in the end I phoned around to different departments and got another number.!

 

I got though to someone and informed the person that the fine was being paid and that it was currently in advance, though they informed me that there was this 24 hour default payment system in force and that a distress warrant had been issued due to my arrange payments being in default..!

 

This was the first time I had heard of this new rule, as I had recently finished paying another fine exactly the same way using the 'allpay' card and my payments were erratic, though the whole fine was paid off on time without any distress warrant issued. So I feel annoyed that this has happened as it seams like another little deceptive trick to catch you out in getting you to paying more money..!!

 

I have unfortunately contacted the Bailiff's as the person at the Central Accounting Office told me to do so and have begrudgingly agreed to pay a stated amount (non-negotiable) in monthly instalments..!

 

I saw else where that these distress warrants run out in 180 day and get returned to the courts, which goes back to the original fine amount without the Bailiff's charges on top, is that true..? If it is, could I go back on my word as I never excepted there terms and refuse to pay them and wait for it to go back to the courts..!!

 

I live in a flat with a security door down stairs and my car is parked on private land, which as I understand they can't touch, the worst that they can do is a clamping order so if they do clamp it I can go out and cut it off..!!

 

Any advise on this would be grateful..

 

Thanks..

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  • 1 year later...

Here where I am at.

 

I recently received a letter from Phillips Bailiffs and it is clear that they deliberately send 'Distress Warrants' with scant information so that you cannot make statutory declarations.

 

I received a distress warrant from Phillips saying that owed £418 from an initial fine of £118. the only other information was that their client was HMRC. After contacting them by letter several times asking for clarification they send the bailiffs around and posted a letter through my door.

 

I didn't call them. YOU MUST NEVER CALL THEM! I emailed them with a complaint - This is the email.

 

Dear Sirs,

 

I have previously written to you to request details of a debt that you are enforcing. Your letter merely states HMCS. This is wholly insufficient and does not provide me with any means in which to make enquiries concerning this alledged debt.

 

I wish to once again make the point very clear that to you that to the best of my knowledge I do not have an unpaid court fine.

 

This afternoon I have contacted a Bailiff on-line site and they have advised me that if your company refuse to provide the required details that they will provide the contact details for the relevant HMCS Contract Manager with responsibility to dealing with complaint within the London Area.

 

Given the seriousness of this matter unless I have a suitable response from your company within 2 days of this email I will be making a formal complaint to the Contracts Manager without any further reference to you. I hope that this will not be necessary.

 

Yours sincerely

 

As they don't want to receive a complaint against them it took them ten days to respond with more information. The original fine was in 2004, but the first I knew of it was in 2012. The only other information they gave though was that their client was NW Magistrates. I knew I had to make a stat dec, but when I looked on line there was no NW Magistrates. This thread led me to Uxbridge Magistrates and I arrived bright and early one Monday morning and the kind officials let me make a stat dec that morning. With Phillips off my back I can now buy some time to get to the bottom of the original fine.

 

Phillips deliberately don't want you to go to court that's why they provide scant information on their letters/warrants. They want to scare you into paying up (mostly their inflated bailiff fees) and it must work with enough to keep them still in business. DON'T FALL FOR THEIR BULLY BOY TACTICS.

 

I hope this helps someone.

Edited by Andyorch
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