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    • The outlet is in Camden Town and was set up in 2006, a year after my husband established the business, in addition to selling at exhibitions, online, shows, events, and having licensing agreements in some places overseas.  The only thing I have stopped doing since I got ill is the physical stuff, which I’m working on. The business has not changed name or anything like that either. I’m not sure where the original contract with Camden is but the management must still have it. My husband died in Jan 2017, and until Sept 2018, I would take the stock in every week; after that I was sending it in by post. I went in now and then when possible to re-do the display but that was about it. No one had access to any files until 2020. Moved house in 2020 thought would have to pull it all, Covid had just hit as well. The person in question said he would be interested in taking over and paying the rent etc. so I said I would let him sell the pictures for nothing as long as he would ‘keep it warm’ for me.  Obviously, everywhere was closed for lockdown. During this time I was working out how to go forward.  In May 2022 I told him I couldn’t  give anything away for free anymore, and put in place the wholesale agreement.  I’ve disregarded any discrepancies from before this date. I sent over the jpgs electronically, so I’ve still got them too. He hasn’t got any original files like .psds negatives or memory cards etc, I’ve got proof of all ownership/copyright. A co-op is whereby a small number of neighbours work on a rotational basis so they each of them can have time off, that way everyone doesn’t need to be there at the same time, he had never been an employee of mine.  The only reason I allowed him to have the files in the first place as I didn’t want to lose that side of the business.  It’s a good, constant source of income. However, the rent was becoming crippling as I believed there was something fishy going on well before this as there’s so much cash dealt with there, and I couldn’t go in regularly in person, and I’m sure sales weren’t being recorded properly and cash was being pocketed. My husband was too busy to be doing any stock control properly, he wasn't really into paperwork, and the guy who was ‘helping’ me after my husband's death, was making things very difficult for me to implement a solid stock control system by refusing to co-operate on simple things like using email etc. which I thought was a smokescreen, so I severed ties with him just before I made the agreement in question. I sent about 100 images, jpg files, sent via We Transfer. I’ve got the confirmation of which files were sent with dates. I will have to go through closed bank accounts and previous tax returns to get a proper estimate.   Before I made this agreement, I was selling retail there, this is a wholesale agreement so I’ll have to do some calculations but it is definitely in the thousands.  I haven’t got his his home address, and I don't think he's got any sizeable assets. I’m also worried that he might send the files overseas and start selling them there. I know he’s not stupid enough to sell them online. He knows for sure how serious this is, but he’s been chancing it and thinks I’m stupid, if not soft and stupid. I don’t know if this would work but I am thinking that when he does contact me, I tell him we need to talk, tell him I know what he’s been up to, and strongly urge him not to order any more prints from wherever he is having them printed because it will make things much worse for him if he does. Then when I do tell him about the gravity of the situation, maybe a few days later, I think it will scare him into complying because the consequences definitely trump the few quid he thinks he is saving by getting his own printing done. Tell him an amount that I want back for lost revenue, and make it clear that if he doesn’t destroy the files and if I find out he is still doing it at any point down the line, I will seek prosecution for copyright infringement and fraud, which I will. I don’t know how I can enforce any of this without involving the courts though. I will be able to tell, though, and he will know this. And the only reason I am doing this now rather than before, is that I couldn’t prove anything until now.  It was screamingly obvious from the beginning though, as he wasn’t ordering enough from me to pay the rent, let alone make a profit. If I decided to come down like him lie a ton of bricks straight away, how would I go about a cease and desist, would I have to get one from the court? And what do I do about the stock he currently holds? It has also occurred to me that he might file for bankruptcy or similar if things get heavy, where would that leave me? I could put the feelers out for a brand-new person to take it on, obviously without giving them access to files, that is an option. But that comes with its own set of issues. Also, would there be any implications for me, if I kept quiet for now? Let him order again from me as if nothing has happened, as it will be any day and I want to get all my ducks in a row first ideally….   Thanks again
    • I’ve also just realised their online website they’ve got 12 photographs of my vehicle, including close ups of the inside?? Not sure why that’s relevant.  The time stamp on the first photo is 13:57, the PCN incident time is 14:12. 
    • I’m tempted to send a letter to the company outlining the reasons why I think their PCN is illegitimate. I guess will technically be an appeal.  Their documentation states they won’t discuss over phone, I also don’t want them to have my email address.    re signage on entrance, having looked at land registry, the whole road is private, and when you turn into the road off the highway, there is a sign on the lamppost about 20m in, again not noticeable and on the other side of the road.  I feel like I am in a difficult position with this, I understand that I may have a good chance of not having to pay, but at the same token the stress this is already causing me makes me feel like it’s not worth the £60!
    • Well done with the photo. Of course the signage is insufficient.  PPM are not interested in competent management of a car park, they are interested in catching drivers out so they can issue their PCNs. For a start, according to their trade associations' Codes of Practice, they are supposed to have signage at the entrance. Any e-mail reply from the company and whether they will/won't/can/can't get the invoice cancelled?    
    • I will annotate the message I sent for the forum.  Sorry, didn't see this straight away...
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I just went to make an online payment using my old card reference number and its showing a balance including this years council tax, so I typed in this years reference number and the balance is still the same.

 

Question is... if I make a payment how can I be sure that the council will credit this against the old bill and not the remainder of the current bill? Will this be enough to keep Equita off my back and pass me back to the council?

 

thanks in advance

 

Emma Royd

xx

 

I'd suggest that you phone and make sure of where the payment went - then ask for a receipt and written confirmation.

The Consumer Action Group is a free help site.

Should you be offered help that requires payment please report it to site team.

Advice & opinions given by Caro are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

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i in similair situation....short story is in 2007 i though had benefit which i didnt....got pAYment plan from Equita.....rang to pay yesterday bnut they said paynment was 2 days late so i off the plan..i paid it anyway leaving £364.48.........so i paid another £200 wich i had to borrow as i got commitment to prison letter and removal notce.....this left £164.48 ...got home today to find another letter saying they were coming this weekend to take goods but i still had court if could not pay.....i managed to loan the money but the office closed 1pm and i just missed them...if they do come tom orrow will i be able to pay the money or will i be able to ignore door and pay over phone on mon..i terrifed to go work monday incase they come when i out......worried sick as just me and my 3 yr old girl....and couldnt bare losing her thimgs too....

 

Jen...i neeed help too.........

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Provided they've never had access to your house before, do not let them in under any circumstances - so don't answer the door if they turn up. They cannot break in to your house unless they have had access previously, so just keep all your doors and windows locked and shut.

 

You should be able to pay them over the phone. Give them a call first thing.

 

Don't let them scare you, this is exactly what they are trying to do.

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Ah no,

 

think that where i at fault as they been in once back in september as i managed to pay something.

I got sis to put money in bank fot me in morning so i can [pay them asap tomorrow just worried they might turn up in meantime after i paid or just before....

 

does anyone know if they will be told from Equita that i cleared it tomorrow so they dont come or will they just turn up anyway....

 

i sat awake all last night listening to every noise and today....

 

scared i petrified especially about the prison part of it

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There should be a phone number on the letter you just received for Equita and possibly for the bailiff it has been assigned to. Once you've paid it make sure that Equita know it has been paid (if you're not paying it direct to them), insist that they are informed immediately as you are due a visit.

 

Then confirm with Equita that they know it has been paid. Do the same with the bailiff if you've got their phone number. Keep calling everyone until they all agree it has been paid and that no further action will be taken.

 

Sometimes they don't pass the message on as quickly as you'd like and you need to ensure that if it is with a bailiff and they are scheduled to make a visit that they know it has been called off.

 

So keep calling everyone until you're happy. As long as you've got the money to pay it everything will be fine, as it makes it a lot easier for them all.

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Aww thank you...when i rang them they said no bailiff had been assigned to it yet...unless its the same one as before......

 

i will be paying them direct tomorrow as soon as money in bank......

 

I just so much a worrier I been manic with worry....thank you so much for the advise....

 

when i leave for work at 7:40 am i may have to use back door incase they watching......paranoid i know i just hope as i paying them direct it will go through....there is only equita tel number on letter no mobile number as b4

 

thanks so much

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UPDATE

 

apologies for not replying sooner but i've been having a birthday :D

 

 

Thanks to everyone for the replies.

 

I thought this would have been done and dusted Now Emma :grin:
So did I :(

 

Anyway to update...Got 2 letters saturday morning...one from council and a breakdown of costs from Equita. They both state that i'm on hold until 20/02/09. The council have sent me an income and expenditure form to fill in.

 

Now can somebody help me with this bit please.

 

Council letters says ' The amount of £334, which has been passed to Equita is outstanding from the financial year 01/04/2007-31/03/2008. It has been passed to them because a sumons was issued on 31 May 2007 resulting in a Liability Order being obtained from the Court Hearing on 21 June 2007 '.

 

This is the statement I got from Equita

 

STATEMENT

Bailiff Ref: xxxxxx53

Liability Order Date: 21/06/2007

 

Debt £364.00

Bailiff Fee £ 42.50

 

TOTAL £406.50

 

BALANCE £406.50

 

 

Bailiff Ref: xxxxxx57

Liability Order Date: 21/06/2007

 

Debt £334.00

Bailiff Fee £ 24.50

 

TOTAL £358.50

 

BALANCE £358.50

 

 

Sorry for being a thicko...but why have they got 2 different account numbers and 2 different totals when I only owe 1 debt?

 

Emma Royd

xx

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It doesn't look like that other account is yours. You need to ask Equita to check their records?

Putting your account on hold till 20 Feb is at least a step in the right direction though - I hope.

Glad you had a good birthday :D xx

We will not be intimidated.

'The pen is mightier than the sword'.

Petition to Outlaw Debt Sale and Purchase

- can't read/post much as eye strain's v.bad.

VIVA CAG!!! :)

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Morning Chris and Sosumi

 

Had a lovely birthday thanks :D

 

Chris, on the statement they have sent me there is no client ref number at all, just my name. In fact the letter is on totally different Headed paper to the previous threatening ones and the envelope was plain. No indication that it was from a bailiff or DCA.

 

Emma Royd

xx

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  • 2 months later...

Just to update:

 

I'm still having problems with Equita 2 months later. I paid all my council tax off online as advised during February and March.

 

After another couple of letters from Equita, I rang them(yes I know ;) ) and told them that i'd paid. They said they'd not been informed by the council...so I also rang the council asking if they would call the bailiffs off.

 

Well yesterday I got 2 more letters...a reminder notice and a removal notice :eek:

 

And on top of that, had my new council tax bill saying i'm still £34 in arrears even though it's all been paid and I have receipts.

 

How do I get rid of these idiots?....The letters make it so obvious to the postman who they are from :-x

 

thanks

Emma Royd

xx

Edited by Emma Royd
wrong dates :)
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1. Call the council and demand that they call off the bailiffs immediately, lay it on thick about the worry over all the letters and threats of visits. If they won't call them immediately ask to speak to their supervisor. Make a note of the person you speak to.

 

2. Call the bailiffs one hour later to see if the council have called them.

 

3. If not, go back to step 1 and ask to speak to the person you spoke to before. Eventually the council will get sick of you calling them and will sort it out.

 

This final step can be a nightmare, but once its done it will all be over.

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Thanks blueboy

 

I've tried to ring the council tax recovery department twice this morning and they aren't answering their phones. Even the girl on customer services was embarrased because the call kept going back to her...she even tried a different number.

 

I'll try again after lunch. No point ringing now for 2 hours :rolleyes:

 

Emma Royd

xx

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Make sure you confirm with the bailiffs that the council have called them off, don't just trust the council when they say they've done it as they don't always tell the truth (been there). I hope you get it sorted quickly, it will be a massive weight of your mind when you do.

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Well I managed to get through to the council at ten to 3 and the lady says give me 2 minutes and i'll ring you straight back.

 

She came back to me at 20 past 3. She was right arsey....telling me it's my own fault because I paid the council direct when I should have paid Equita. I told her i'd rang up a couple of weeks ago and said it had all been paid...she again said it was my own fault :-x as i'd been told twice to pay Equita.

 

I told her i'd taken advice and to pay the Council Direct. She then said well the advice i'd been given was wrong. :-x

 

I told her i'm finding all these letters really stressful...and again she tells me it's my own fault :-x

 

Where's the scream smiley aaarrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh !!!!!!!!!!!

 

Anyway she then said she would ring Equita straight away and call them off. I'll ring them at 4pm see if shes rang them.

 

Emma Royd

xx

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Ok i've just rang Equita and asked them to confirm they'd received a call from the council this afternoon.

 

He said ******* ****** had rang up at **** to confirm that £**** had been paid in full.

 

I then asked him if that would be the end of the letters. He said 'hold on let me check with my manager'. He was only a young lad, bless him :rolleyes:

 

Came back and repeated the earlier phone call from the council and I then asked him to put a note on my account that if I receive anymore letters I will report Equita to the relevant body. The line went dead :confused:

 

Hopefully this will be the end of the matter. My first payment of 2009 is due today. Think i'd better show willing :D and get it paid.

 

Thanks again for all your help guys. I really need to pull my head out of the sand and get back to DCA fighting now.

 

Emma Royd

xx

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Glad to hear it's sorted Emma. Keep a note of everything just in case someone messes up, but sounds like you've got a result there. Well done.:D

The Consumer Action Group is a free help site.

Should you be offered help that requires payment please report it to site team.

Advice & opinions given by Caro are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

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Thanks Caro

 

I have paperwork everywhere :D

 

Hopefully thats one less to deal with. They are coming at me from me at all roads at the minute. My crime?...getting made redundant :confused:

 

Emma Royd

xx

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Well at least one of them's off your back.;)

 

I see you've got a few threads going, but if you haven't seen the Getting Out of Debt Forum, you may have missed these excellent threads.

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/getting-out-debt/73030-taking-back-control-your.html#post631564

 

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/getting-out-debt/120603-how-get-out-debt.html#post1236035

Edited by caro
The Consumer Action Group is a free help site.

Should you be offered help that requires payment please report it to site team.

Advice & opinions given by Caro are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

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Looks like we spoke to soon Caro :(

 

Just had a letter from Equita saying:

 

Dear Emma Royd

I write further to your recent communication and can confirm that the current balance on your account number ******** is £42.50.

 

Am I right in thinking I dont owe them any money? I have had no visits from them. Just threatening letters, all delivered by the postman.

 

thanks

 

Emma Royd

xx

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I don't know Emma. What do they say it's for? Have they sent anything showing how they've arrived at that amount?

The Consumer Action Group is a free help site.

Should you be offered help that requires payment please report it to site team.

Advice & opinions given by Caro are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

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Hi caro

 

No the letter is exactly as I typed in the above post.

 

I've paid them no money. Everything was paid online direct to my council. They have never rang me, nor visited me and as I said before all letters have been delivered by my postman.

 

Emma Royd

xx

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Hi caro

 

No the letter is exactly as I typed in the above post.

 

I've paid them no money. Everything was paid online direct to my council. They have never rang me, nor visited me and as I said before all letters have been delivered by my postman.

 

Emma Royd

xx

 

well if this is definately the case then you owe the bailiffs nout sweet nothing as they have performed no visits, take it all the way

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