hi dx nothing cancelled 'officially' as such ... but as they have not attempted a CCJ following their threat to do so in letter of October 2022, and just followed that threat with yet another 'begging letter' last month, then I'm assuming they have realised they have no chance of winning any action ... and with the additional real risk of having some costs made against them if they did. They have consigned this one to the, "ooops, this one can bite back" file ... no further action!

Just to close this one off .... .... and a thank you to Consumer Action Group (CAG). I did receive a ‘Letter before claim’ from Gladstones in October 2022 and responded as advised by CAG. All was silent till January 2023, when I received another threatening letter telling me to pay up ... or else! I suppose you could call that letter, “Letter after” the Letter before Claim letter! I responded to that in a similar manner with the guidance I received from CAG ... letter copied below. Extract of letter to Gladstone Solicitors Dear John & Will Your Refn: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx I am responding to an unsigned letter from Gladstones, with the above reference, dated 10 January 2023, which I received today. Your letter is simply a re-hash of your ‘Letter Before Claim’ that you sent on 5 October 2022. I responded to that on 6 October 2022. My position remains the same. Any attempt by Gladstones to obtain a CCJ will be countered by my witness statement, outlining a number of serious flaws in your case. I clearly stated in my letter of 6 October that should you proceed with legal action, after I have clearly pointed out to you the futility of doing so, I will ask the court for an ‘unreasonable costs order’ under CPR 27.14. This remains my intention. Gladstones method of operation appears to be focussed on harassment and of purposely inflating financial claims. Further harassment from you will leave me with no option but to contact the Solicitors Regulation Authority. I will set out my concerns clearly, identify John Davies and William Hurley as the individuals concerned and as evidence, provide a copy of your 5 October 2022 letter, where you have intentionally claimed higher Claim Form fees than allowed and intentionally inflated your costs ... which you well know are capped at £50. I would class this as dishonest behaviour by Gladstones. Yours sincerely xxxxxxxxxxxxxx I think (& hope) it unlikely I will be hearing from Gladstones again .... unless I get ... wait for it; A letter after, the letter after, the Letter before Claim letter! This was not the first occasion I have been helped by CAG. As a thank you and to ensure this site continues to help us mere mortals who are not up to speed with the legal niceties that are necessary to combat all these ‘rogues’, I have sent a financial contribution. Keep up the good work guys! From a very appreciative ‘mortal’.

Hi Dx100uk What have I not done please, refn. your comment ..... "You still have not done"? My first post #1 had form filled out with all answers in red, if that's what you are referring to?? Hello lookinforinfo .... details you requested as follows:- No photos provided (or taken as far as I'm aware) of me leaving or entering the car park. I didn't see any ANPR cameras in this car park. There was no ticket left on my windscreen .... just a letter sent to my home address, dated 10th December. Date / time stamp on the photo on their claim letter shows 8th December date (correct) and time of (i) 15:18.29 car photo and (ii) 15:18:43 the ticket through windscreen photo. On their original PCN letter they sent to me on 10th December it reads ... "We have issued a Parking Charge Notice xxxxxxx to your vehicle because it was parked in a manner whereby the driver became liable for a parking charge at Charlestown Pay and Display PL25 3NJ that we are authorised to manage on the 8th December 2021 at 15:26. So, they have added on 8 minutes for some reason. What is a further cheat ... but I can't prove it .... when I purchased the ticket it was 2.12pm, according to my phone, but ticket prints out showing the parking time as up till as 3.07, so five minutes less than an hour! Didn't really concern me, as I was expecting to be parked for way less than one hour ... Aaaagh! The injustice!!

Many thanks brassnecked and FTMDave for your helpful comments. Further to FTM's comments about the time stamps, (well spotted!) I have had a good look at the photo on the original claim letter they sent me, and the time stamp is indeed showing the time to be some 6 mins earlier than the time they claim I overstayed till. Yet another discrepancy in their case!

Hello My 'snotty' letter. Do I need to add more (or take anything out)? Comments welcomed. Will send off today if all o.k. (I've obviously deleted my personal details just for this posting) Regards James Gladstones response pdf letter PDF.pdf

Hello brassnecked Thank you very much for your advice ... will follow it. You suggested copying the response I'm going to make to Gladstones ... to 'Highview'. Who / what is Highview please? Regards James

Hello After a long silence, I have received today (6 October 2022) a Letter before Action from Gladstones Solicitors on behalf of Premier Park. Took 8 days to get to me!! Letter is redacted and posted below. Their last threatening letter to 'Pay up or else' was received way back on 9th May 2022! I have read other posts on similar topics, so I am wondering, is it recommended to send a 'Snotty Letter'. They mention 'Pre-Action Protocol' ... do I have to follow this? Regards James 2022-09-28 Gladstones LOC.pdf

Thank you Dx100uk my latest message was a follow-on from my initial thread, started 17th December last year ... where I completed the 'Have you received a ticket' form. My apologies. I assume from your reply, I just continue to 'sit tight'. I still find it amazing that a 50p 'overstay' (difference in purchasing a 1hr vs 2 hr ticket) can be 'escalated' by them to a charge of £170 .... with the threat of it going to £235!!! If the law allows that, then I'm afraid my confidence in the law is definitely on the downwards track. Regards James

Hello Have received lots of 'Pay Now' letters from Premier parking (I overstayed 30 mins in empty car park) since December last year. I received this last one just a few weeks ago and reading this again, I wonder if the bit that says, "if you do not make contact within 7 days we will assume you have chosen to ignore this letter and legal recovery actions will begin", constitutes a 'Letter before action'. Copy of letter attached. Any advice welcomed. DR+ Letter re unpaid PCN to premeir.pdf

Hello Thank you DX100UK for your prompt response to my initial posting. It was much appreciated. As requested I have attached a pdf of the reverse of the Parking Charge Notice. Having read a number of other posts on similar parking issues, am I correct in assuming the following. 1. I ignore any further threatening letters or letters trying to intimidate me with, ''the costs are increasing". 2. I do nothing unless a letter before action arrives. 3. If a LBA arrives I'll post up here and seek further advice. It really is reassuring that DX and his colleagues are prepared to offer their valued advice. My commitment is that if this Premier Park rip-off fizzles out as hoped ... my Parking Charge will transform in to a contribution to this site. 2021-12-10 Premier PCN.pdf

1 Date of the infringement 8 December 2021 2 Date on the NTK [this must have been received within 14 days from the 'offence' date] 10 December 202 3 Date received 16 December 2021 4 Does the NTK mention schedule 4 of The Protections of Freedoms Act 2012? [Y/N?] Yes 5 Is there any photographic evidence of the event? Yes, photo of parking ticket through windscreen and of the full car in a parking bay 6 Have you appealed? [Y/N?] post up your appeal] No 7.Have you had a response? [Y/N?] post it up Not applicable ... have not appealed 7 Who is the parking company? Premier Parking 8. Where exactly [carpark name and town] Charleston Pay and Display , Charleston, Cornwall. PL25 3NJ For either option, does it say which appeals body they operate under. Appeals to Premier Parking ... then Parking on Private lands Appeal (POPLA) if first appeal unsuccessful There are two official bodies, the BPA and the IAS. If you are unsure, They have BPA membership shown on their letter Hello Received a Parking Charge Notice from Premier Parking in post yesterday (16th December)! Was in a Pay and Display car Park in Charleston, Cornwall ... paid for one hour as only expected to need to park for maximum of 45 mins but ended up getting delayed and returned to my car back 20 mins later than ticket time. No penalty ticket or notification was left on my car at the time. About 10 cars in car park .... with spaces for hundreds! Charge of £100 now being demanded ... but ONLY!!! £60 if paid in 29days. I suppose I'll have to pay up but if anyone can suggest an alternative route to avoid me paying these robbers the absurd charge of £60 for 20mins of excess parking, then I'd love to hear. 2021-12-10 Premier PCN.pdf

Hello Over 6 years ago (before I was aware of this great website) I suffered a CCJ against me by a well known debt collection agency. It was for a 3 yr old credit card debt at the time and due to my ignorance, the CCJ went uncontested and as a result they got a judgement against me. I received plenty of threatening letters (threatening bailiffs, attachment of earnings etc.,) as I never acknowledged or responded to anything they sent me .... oh how I wish I had discovered Consumer Action Group before this! The CCJ has now been removed from my credit file as it is over 6 yrs ago since the judgement. Starting about a year after the date of the CCJ, I received one or two letters each year from them asking me for payment but these became much less threatening and more along the lines of "lets us help you pay this debt off", by offering me a 60% discount. The last letter from them was about 6 months ago. My question; is the CCJ still legally valid even though it has come off my credit file? As they have made no attempt to enforce the judgement in nearly 7 yrs now, could they still legally do this. Would I be able to offer a defence against any enforcement action in the courts?

I had a couple of £3000 loans from A&L in 1997 and again in late 1998 and paid PPI on one of the loans. The repayments overlapped for some months towards the end of the first loan. I remember getting the completion certificate when the second loan ended, which clearly showed the PPI amount paid on this loan. I was so pleased to have paid the loan off, so celebrated by tearing up the completion certificate a few months later, thinking 'I'll never need this again' … oh what a numpty I am! Have tried SAR to Santander, giving all details but just got the , 'we have no records of this', response. I still have all my bank accounts showing the monthly payments to Alliance and Leicester … it shows differing monthly payment amounts (i.e. the PPI loan cost me more each month than the non-PPI) but obviously this does not prove PPI was charged, although its pretty obvious it wasn't just due to the interest level being charged, which was the same on both loans as far as I remember. I don't know who the underwriters of the loan or PPI were and Santander say they are unable to assist me in this either … as they have no records. Just before I give up and say … this is 'Game Over' does anyone have any ideas on what else could be done. I did try calling the special helpline on A & L loans ( was given the number 0845 6006014) but the BT message you get, says this has now been disconnected. Oh, why didn't I keep just one flimsy bit of completion certificate paper!!

Hello drew66 I am also trying to chase up paperwork on an Alliance & Leicester loan (that definitely had PPI) from a similar period … early 2000's but no success via Santander. Can I ask if you made any progress with your claim using the info. supplied by Andyorch? Regards James

Is it possible to determine the PPI premium applied to a loan. I had 2 personal loans for £3,000 each from Alliance & Leicester. The first started in mid-1998 and the second taken out in early 1999 which included a PPI element. I paid 24 monthly re-payments of £143 for first loan … and 24 x £159 for the second. The re-payments obviously overlapped. I have no loan documentation … but I do have my bank statements showing all the monthly repayments for both loans. SAR request made … in summary, came back with …. we have no records for you and as you have not supplied any loan reference or documentation … get lost! The second loan definitely included PPI but in trying to pursue a claim I'd like to show that, allowing for any interest rate changes, the higher premium included PPI element. Does anyone know what a typical PPI percentage was …. in 1999!!

Hello I am just about to commence a PPI re-claim on an old Alliance & Leicester personal loan. There appears to be a number of addresses to where the SAR letter should be sent. Can anyone please confirm which is the best (correct) one to use. The options I have are:- Customer Services, Santander Consumer, Santander House, 86 Station Road, Redhill RH1 1SR. Alliance & Leicester Personal Finance Limited Building 3 Floor 2 Carlton Park Narborough Leicester LE19 0AL Santander (Abbey, Alliance & Leicester) Abbey National House 2 Triton Square Regent's Place London NW1 3AN Santander SAR's team P.O. Box 1111 Bradford BD1 9NQ If non of the above are the correct address, I would greatly appreciate info. on where it should be sent. Thanks James

Has anyone heard of Shawbrook Bank. I obtained a recent hard copy of my credit file and they have carried out a number of searches on me over last 18 months .. lots of them. Searches are listed as 'Enquiry' and others as 'Audits'. The searches were at addresses I left 10 years ago ... as well as my current address. I'm not keen on lots of searches showing up on my file I managed to get their address (they are in Brentwood, Essex) and wrote to them asking why they were searching me. Their written response was that I need to send them a full copy of my credit file before they can answer my query .. . what a load of I assume they are acting on behalf of a DCA .. . or indeed they are a collection agency themselves. Anyone else have knowledge of them?

Hello Guys Just a quick update to let you know 'nothing has happened'. The case was stayed mid May after Lowells failed to submit any evidence (I assume Lowells did not have any documets to support their claim). I was expecting a bit of 're-think' from Lowell as to how they could hassle me further . .. but nothing .. . so I'm happy to consider this a 'win' for me. I am a bit peed off that this 'stay' lasts forever . .. can't see any good reason why it shouldn't expire after a set time and case struck out . .. say after 24 months but I'm not a law maker! I wonder if Lowells are hoping for a change in the financial laws that would give them the right to resurrect all these stayed cases years down the line? However without the help and guidance of Andyorch and dx100uk I would have struggled to 'win' so a financial contribution has been made to allow them to continue to help others. Thanks again.

Hello Can I say a big 'Thank you' to andyorch and dx100uk for their help on this one ... . and of course the other members of CAG that gave me their advice. I called Northampton today to say that I've not heard anything since submitting my defence over 6 weeks ago. After a quick check I was told the case was now 'stayed' as they have not had any response from Lowells. Lowells would now have to pay £50 to lift the stay. He did this this was a bit strange as he would have thought Lowells would have progressed to 'Directions' at least and its unlike Lowells not to have responded at all but did go on to say that Lowells are involved in 100's of cases so may be overloaded!!! I know I can't do anything other than sit tight and hope the stay isn't lifted. If they do lift the stay . .. is it up to me to find this out, or for the courts to make sure I'm informed of this. I assume Lowells are not required to inform me if they lift the stay. I'll wait another few weeks just to make sure no devious tactics from Lowells ensues, before showing my appreciation to CAG in a tangible way with a good few £'s donation. Thanks again to all who helped me.

Defence filed on line Friday 1st April ... very appropriate date to respond to Lowells. Not heard a peep other than letter from court dated 4th April acknowledging receipt of my defence, which says, "claimant must contact court within 28 days after receiving a copy of your defence. After that period has elapsed, the claim will be stayed". Obviously I'm keen for the 28 days to be up as quickly as possible. How do I know when they received a copy . .. or do I just assume it's so many days after I sent my defence in? Also, why is it just 'stayed' and not automatically discontinued? If I didn't respond in a certain period of time ... the claimant wins a judgement by default. If they don't respond in a certain period of time why is case not automatically 'thrown out'. Sounds like one rule for claimant and another for the defendant!

No requests from Lowells but in 2012 and 2013 I got debt collectors letters from Mackenzie Hall then it changed to Wescot . .. then nothing till Lowells claim a couple of weeks ago. I have changed addresses twice since 2012 so this may explain why letters never received ... assuming they were sent! I always had mail forwarding set up for a few months after each move so shouldn't have been a problem.

Hi .... more questions?? If it gets as far as the small claims court, I've noted a few comments on here that CPR31 does not apply. Does that mean it negates part of my defence in that the claimant does not need to comply with this and to provide documentation?

Hi I've been doing lots of reading of the threads on the forum a nd hopefully have pulled together a reasonable defence. I'm concerned it may be a bit too 'wordy' and would appreciate any feedback from andyorch or dx100uk as you have kindly offered comments previously. Particulars of Claim 1. The defendant entered in to a consumer Credit act 1974 regulated agreement with Lloyds Banking Group PLC under account reference xxxxxxxxxx (‘the Agreement’). 2) The defendant failed to maintain the required payments and a default notice was served and not complied with. 3) The agreement was later assigned to the claimant on xx/06/2015 and notice given to the defendant. 4) Despite repeated requests for payment, the sum of £4,000 remains due and outstanding. And the claimant claims: a) The said sum …………. b) Interest ……………… c) Costs …………….. Defence The Defendant contends that the particulars of claim are vague and generic in nature. The Defendant accordingly sets out its case below and relies on CPR r 16.5 (3) in relation to any particular allegation to which a specific response has not been made. 1. Paragraph 1 is noted. I have in the past had an agreement with Lloyds Banking Group but do not recognise this specific account and have requested clarification by way of a CPR 31.14 and section 78 request. 2. Paragraph 2 is denied, I am unaware of any existing outstanding balance or breach nor ever received a default notice from the original creditor 3.Paragraph 3 is denied I am not aware I received any Notice of Assignment from the claimant nor the original creditor On receipt of this claim I requested information pertaining to this alleged debt from the Claimants solicitors by way of a CPR 31.14. on the 9th March 2016 by recorded delivery. Furthermore a CCA section 78 request was sent to the claimant Lowell Portfolio, by recorded delivery on the 9th March 2016, as of now both the Claimant & their Solicitors have failed to provide me with any of the requested documents. 4. It is therefore denied with regards to the Defendant owing any monies to the Claimant, the Claimant has failed to provide any evidence of assignment/balance/breach requested by CPR 31.14 and by a CCA request. Therefore the Claimant is put to strict proof to: (a) show how the Defendant has entered into an agreement; and (b) show how the Defendant has reached the amount claimed for; and © show how the Claimant has the legal right, either under statute or equity to issue a claim; 5.As per Civil Procedure Rule 16.5(4), it is expected that the Claimant prove the allegation that the money is owed. 6. On the alternative, if the Claimant is an assignee of a debt, it is denied that the Claimant has the right to lay a claim due to contraventions of Section 136 of the Law of Property Act and Section 82A of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. 7. By reasons of the facts and matters set out above, it is denied that the Claimant is entitled to the relief claimed or any relief. As I said, I have looked at other threads to help me construct my defence and Para. 6 above mentions contraventions of section 136 of the Law of Property Act . .. however I'm not clear what the contravention is . . any help appreciated.

Many thanks for confirmation .... I wanted to file as late as possible but just a bit of a concern in case I miscalculated and missed the deadline. Thanks again for your help.

Hello Date to submit defence. Can someone just confirm it is 28 days from when the date of service of the claim is 'assumed' to have been delivered ... i.e. 5 days after the actual date on the Claim Form. In my case :- 1. Date on form was:- Friday 4th March 2. Date of service taken as:- Wednesday 9th march (5 days after date on Claim Form) 3. I sent Acknowledgement of Service:- Wednesday 16th March (done on line) 4. Defence must be submitted by:- Question ... is deadline for this 28 days after the 4th March (= Friday 1st April) ... or 28 days after 9th March (= Wed. 6th April). Good Friday and Easter Monday are in this period ... does this increase time allowed by 2 days? Thanks.