Euro Car Parks - Fine

[kevinr99]

Hi,

I received a 'parking ticket' on 21/2/09. I was parked in a what I believed to be a Focus car park. I then attended a local interview and when I returned I had a car parking ticket for £50 going to £70 if I did not pay. I wrote to the company explaining that the car park was not clearly marked, and I di not think I should have to pay, photos were also sent. It states on thier ticket that they have 28 days from receipt of my letter to deal with written claims. I have received a letter today dated 16th April, aknowledging my letter they received on 9th March. I make this a whopping 37 days to deal with a claim. They have also sent me pictures of signs in the car park, which were there but they are obscured by trees and if you do not park directly infront of the store then they cant be seen.

Any advice as I do not want to pay this.

Thanks

[kevinr99]

Hi Everyone again,

After posting my tread I looked at other posts regarding ECP and it appears that after ignoring the initial 2 or 3 letters that they use a debt collecting agency called BRINX which is part of thier company, however there was also a post on 12th April stating that BRINX and ECP were both listed as DORMANT with Companies House. Can this be confirmed as if it is the case I will also complain to Companies House.

If they do intend to take me to court I look forward to it.

[Conniff]

Sorry to disappoint you, but you wont be going to court.

[the_freedom_trail]

Hi Everyone again,

After posting my tread I looked at other posts regarding ECP and it appears that after ignoring the initial 2 or 3 letters that they use a debt collecting agency called BRINX which is part of thier company, however there was also a post on 12th April stating that BRINX and ECP were both listed as DORMANT with Companies House. Can this be confirmed as if it is the case I will also complain to Companies House.

If they do intend to take me to court I look forward to it.

 

Interesting cicrumstances around private parking companies is nothing new. As Conniff says, forget court - there is no chance.

 

As you have read around, I assume that you now know these to be unenforceable invoices for which ECP, their debt collectors and/or solicitors have no legal powers to enforce.

 

Keep their letters safe but ignore them and you will be fine.

 

BTW, make sure you ignore them as you'll will get stuck on the suckers list and get even more crap through your letter box.

 

TFT

[lamma]

read this

Guidance - Dormant Companies (GBA10)

 

report them.

[the_freedom_trail]

read this

Guidance - Dormant Companies (GBA10)

 

report them.

 

Dormant companies can sometimes ring alarm bells when they are very obviously not dormant. I agree with lamma, I think you may need to bring this to the attention of Company's House.

 

TFT

[pin1onu]

If they are dormant and are now trading again then HM Revenue & Customs are going to be interested as well. Might be worth a tip off in that quarter as well.

[lamma]

Agreed.

[kevinr99]

Thanks for your help, I will write to them informing them that I am not paying and if I receive 1 more letter I will inform the above!

[crem]

Thanks for your help, I will write to them informing them that I am not paying and if I receive 1 more letter I will inform the above!

 

No, don't write to them at all. It doesn't matter what you put in a letter to them, they don't read it. By writing to them though they know they are getting through to someone and will only write to you (and threaten) even more.

 

If you must write to someone, make it one of the organisations as advised above.

[the_freedom_trail]

Thanks for your help, I will write to them informing them that I am not paying and if I receive 1 more letter I will inform the above!

 

As already said, whatever you don't write to them telling them you are going to tip off Companies House and HM Revenue and Customs - it will just give them more time to wriggle out of it and may provoke them to take you to court as revenge. Just write to Companies House and HM Revenue and Customs and that will keep Euro Car Parks busy enough. Writing to any ppc is fatal - make no mistake about that. If HM Revenue and Customs smell a rat they will be all over ECP with an investigation.

 

TFT

[tree_bug]

hi guys i got excatly the same thing happend to me same companys. my letter from brinx is dated 14-4-09 so do we no if the company is dormant or not? people i know are sayin i should just pay the fine but i dnt want to! i take it i will probaly get the same advice as above.

[pin1onu]

The only way to find out for sure if a company is dormant is to check with Companies House. The website allows you to run an online check. (www.companieshouse.gov.uk).

 

For a definition of what a dormant company is and further information have a look here.

 

If a business is listed as dormant and you have evidence they are trading i.e. invoices and/or communications then you can report them to the compliance section at companies house.

[DDWales]

hi guys i got excatly the same thing happend to me same companys. my letter from brinx is dated 14-4-09 so do we no if the company is dormant or not? people i know are sayin i should just pay the fine but i dnt want to! i take it i will probaly get the same advice as above.

 

Certainly interesting regarding Brinx. Do not pay though. And yes, please take the advice as above. Looks like ECP are using Brinx more than Control Account these days. Maybe CA werent collecting them enough money:wink:

Edited April 20, 2009 by DDWales
spelling

[lamma]

BRINX DEBT COLLECTION SERVICES LIMITED

is dormant. If the letter is from them report them today to Companies House.

 

BRINX LIMITED is not dormant.

 

I suspect it is from BRINX DEBT COLLECTION SERVICES LIMITED.

 

also see http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/164651-problems-ppcs-face.html?highlight=problems+ppc+face

 

and include every transgression that you find in their paperwork as part of the complaint.

e.g. does the paper show their proper address (anywhere) or just a P.O. box number

[the_freedom_trail]

hi guys i got excatly the same thing happend to me same companys. my letter from brinx is dated 14-4-09 so do we no if the company is dormant or not? people i know are sayin i should just pay the fine but i dnt want to! i take it i will probaly get the same advice as above.

 

The reason that people are telling you to pay the fine is because that is the conventional wisdom. Most people get a fine and pay it; however, what you have is not a fine but merely an invoice for unjustifiable damages resulting from an alleged breach of contract. In short, the "fine" is not worth the paper it is written on - it is just a hustle/mail [problem]. This is not legally enforceable whatsoever. Neither the parking company, dca or the parking company's solicitors have any legal power to take action against you so keep their letters safe and disregard their empty threats.

 

TFT

[tree_bug]

BRINX DEBT COLLECTION SERVICES LIMITED

is dormant. If the letter is from them report them today to Companies House.

 

BRINX LIMITED is not dormant.

 

I suspect it is from BRINX DEBT COLLECTION SERVICES LIMITED.

 

also see http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/164651-problems-ppcs-face.html?highlight=problems+ppc+face

 

and include every transgression that you find in their paperwork as part of the complaint.

e.g. does the paper show their proper address (anywhere) or just a P.O. box number

 

it has the proper adress on it 40 warren street wit 6hr. i just looked on companies house site and found that brix debt collection services has nothing against it sayin dormant. the letter is dated 14-4 and i only got it today as it is at a work adress so got lost for a couple of days. do you reckon that is a good thing that my car is registerd at my work adress?

cheers

[lamma]

registered at work doesn't matter as far as bogus PPC invoices are concerned - as long as your work doesn't pay the invoice..

 

they are clearly dormant

WebCHeck - Select and Access Company Information

 

what were you looking at ? ? ? ? ?

 

report them today.

Edited April 20, 2009 by lamma

[the_freedom_trail]

registered at work doesn't matter as far as bogus PPC invoices are concerned - as long as your work doesn't pay the invoice..

 

they are clearly dormant

WebCHeck - Select and Access Company Information

 

what were you looking at ? ? ? ? ?

 

report them today.

 

Agreed, but have you noticed the previous name for Brinx? It is no other than Euro Car Parks - well well, Brinx appear to be just another desk in the same office (metaphorically speaking)

 

TFT

[the_freedom_trail]

Is this Control Account do you think - WebCHeck - Select and Access Company Information

 

Been changing names a lot recently ????????????????

 

TFT

 

TFT

[lamma]

Agreed, but have you noticed the previous name for Brinx? It is no other than Euro Car Parks - well well, Brinx appear to be just another desk in the same office (metaphorically speaking)

 

TFT

 

yes.

 

important thing is to report them NOW.

[tree_bug]

WebCHeck - Select and Access Company Information

 

hopefully this link works. it says on this page that brinx debt collection services are active?! im confused. im not going to pay the fine but i will report them if there not surposed to be trading. but to me it looks like they are active. please fill me in, i think i ight be missing somthing.

[lamma]

Accounting Reference Date: 31/12

Last Accounts Made Up To: 31/12/2007 (DORMANT)

Next Accounts Due: 31/10/2009

Last Return Made Up To: 16/11/2008

Next Return Due: 14/12/2009

[zebedee181]

I've been following this thread with interest. I've just got a letter from ECP myself. On the bottom is their address and company number.

I looked up the company number 1270612 at Companies House on their Webcheck and its coming up ACTIVE.

(Please check yourselves!!)

 

Shame really, I was looking forward to telling them where to go.

 

Zebedee181

[lamma]

wait for the letter from Brinx :)