Hi Elderly relative slipped on food produce on supermarket floor. Very bad fall. Immediately other customers came to help and they called over a store assistant to assist. This assistant then put up one of the yellow "danger slippery surface" signs. Relative had the presence of mind to use telephone to photograph what slipped on and the injury. After a while relative managed to get up/ drive home and then go to the doctor. Its a rural quite old-fashioned GP and they told relative to come back if injury gets worse (ie they were very busy and kind of couldn't deal with this type of complaint) 1 month later the bruising has subsided but the injury is still bad; causing problems. A possible fracture? Needs an x-ray to verify. In the meantime relative had been expecting a call from the local branch to check injury ok - but never received any call. So relative instead wrote to the head office of supermarket and complained. The head office replied quite swiftly advising relative to return to the local branch for compensation: which turned out to be a bunch of flowers and a cheque for a nominal (tiny) value. Given relative is elderly and vulnerable I am of the opinion that the flowers/tiny cheque value is a 'fob off'. Lots of elderly would be very happy with such "gifts". But relative is still in pain and may even have a fracture (can update on this after hospital) so I am wondering if we should write and thank them for the flowers and the cheque - but we are considering making an injury claim against them. Is this how it works? See how they reply to such a letter from relative? Or just go straight to a lawyer to handle this issue?

I am writing on behalf of an elderly 80-year-old, seen your Forums in the past, and hoping you might be able to give me some advice on his behalf. Mr B was given a PCN by Kingston Council for driving in a bus lane. He has had several periods in hospital, and therefore the matter has now been processed to bailiffs, Collect Services, who have now called twice at his property (despite being advised he is a vulnerable person). A complaint was made to Collect and a copy of their complaints procedure requested. No response has been received from that, and a complaint has been lodged with CIVEA, but he has today received the letter below, which has caused him great distress "Dear XXXX XXXX Due to your failure to settle this unpaid Penalty Charge Notice(s) your vehicle has now been included on our outstanding pcn ANPR database. In the event we LOCATE your vehicle it will be REMOVED and taken to auction without any further warning. Additional costs of £xxx.xx will be incurred plus auctioneers costs." The car is his sole means of getting around (he can barely walk a few yards) and displays a blue badge registered in his name. I had always believed (and indeed have seen on the Citizens Advice Website) that a car displaying a blue badge and for the use of a disabled person cannot be taken by bailiffs. Is this correct. If so what steps should now be taken. The car is in his driveway (he has no garaging facilities or anywhere else he can leave the car) and he is quite upset that these people (who have already been very aggressive with a carer who answered the door for him). Can they take this car with the blue badge? Should we write to them? Is there legislation we need to quote? Any help would be much appreciated. He cannot afford the amount they are requesting (now over or near£600), and these bailiffs seem to think they can just walk roughshod over whatever regulations are in place to help vulnerable people like him.

Hi, my first post, hopefully someone can give me some advice. Sorry it’s a long one... Ok, my father who is now 71 used to be 'acting president' for a Working Mans Club (WMC) for a period of about 12 months, its a voluntary position in an organisation which is run by a committee of trustees and all users of the club are paying 'club members' (sorry if its already confusing, im not completely clear on the structure of the WMC myself). He was just a regular in the club and a long term member, he was voted in to this temp position by the trustees, he accepted. It was agreed throughout the trustees that new equipment was required and therefore they decided to enter into two leasing arrangements for this equipment. The Secretary arranged and signed the leases (which state the hirer as the WMC) and my father countersigned the agreements with his position stated as well. This was back in 2008. The club made regular payments for the next few months, in this time my father stepped down from his position and returned to being just a member of the club, not long after the club secretary also left her post. Between the above and now, the club has new ownership and has been renamed. My father still uses the club. About 3 weeks ago a bailiff knocked on my parents door stating that they had a court order to remove possessions to the sum of 25k... my parents were given paperwork to say the courts had ruled that my father and the ex secretary were liable for the non payment (and interest added) of the above agreements!! The lease payments were being made during the time my father and the secretary were in their positions but it seems that the club discontinued paying anything after that!! But neither my father nor the ex-secretary have had a single letter, call or visit before the visit from the bailiff!! But there has been a court hearing and ruling and we have not heard from anyone at any time until 3 weeks ago!! My parents managed to get a stay of execution while they look into things... they got a copy of the agreements from the courts. Both agreements state that the hirer is 'the WMC' and my father’s signature is on both of them, along with the ex-secretaries. There are no other personal details on there of either my father or the ex-secretary. We are not even sure how they got the personal addresses. We have an account statement for both leases that shows the clubs payments stop suddenly, and then there are letter costs, interest charges, non payment charges etc... My parents do not qualify for legal aid, they can’t afford a solicitor. They have requested all courts notes as we cannot really understand the grounds on what the courts deem my father responsible and not the club itself... the courts have told us that we have to pay £80 just for the notes with a view to getting a new hearing. I was hoping that someone might be able to shed some light on this matter for me? My parents do not need this kind of stress at their age... Do you think the finance company is just trying its luck? shouldnt they be harrassing the new club owners? I just cant imagine signing an agreement on behalf of an organisation then leaving the company but still being personally liable for any eventualities on that agreement!! Sorry this post is long, if you have any questions then please ask. Thanks in advance for any help you can give, apologies if this should have been in a different forum. Glenn