UKPC Parking Charge - Debt Recovery Stage

[nefarious]

Yeah, sorry... I should have said 'fine'

[Nessienoo1]

Hi there,

 

I overstayed my 'welcome' at a supermarket carpark. I received through the post a 'fine'. I ignored. Another 'demand' arrived. I ignored (as was advised). I have now had two letters from DEBT RECOVERY PLUS ltd saying they have been instructed by their client (the supermarket I would presume) to recover the above monies (currently £148.99) due to an unpaid parking charge.

 

They have invited me to declare if I was the driver (i was). The letter goes on to say that if I choose not to contact them they will continue to purse the vehicle keeper (me).

 

They make the usual threats for a CCJ, items being sold at a public auction; bailiffs being instructed etc.

 

The letter finishes with an ominous: "You can view a slection of CCJs we have successfully obtained against people who have ignored our correspondence on our website..."

 

I'd be very grateful for any advice about this; it seems a blatant case of a very shady area of the law. Either these folks have a legal leg to stand on, or they don't.

 

Any suggestions appreciated! Thanks.

[kiptower]

total cods wallop from them

 

IGNORE, then read the many posts of how the [problem] works

 

then ignore some more

 

they cannot legally chase the owner, more waffle from them , their case fall's flat, because they would have to prove the DRIVER entered into a binding contract with them

 

you need to understand it is NOT A FINE nor a PARKING TICKET all it is an un-enforcible "INVOICE"

[Michael Browne]

 

The letter finishes with an ominous: "You can view a slection of CCJs we have successfully obtained against people who have ignored our correspondence on our website..."

 

What they don't tell you is they don't just deal with PPC's, but also collect other debts. The list, of only a dozen or so, on their website gives no details as to what the alleged CCJ's were in relation to, but I very much doubt that a single one was for a PPC invoice

[Surfer01]

You can't get a CCJ for a parking fine anyway.

[Nessienoo1]

Thank you to all who posted so quickly!

 

I am buoyed by this and shall stick to the tactics advised.

 

Much appreciated.

[Nessienoo1]

Just in case (as I've not come across this name on previous threads) the 'PCN' was issued by a company called TOTAL PARKING SOLUTIONS (funny how inserting the word 'solution' makes it sound so, oh, neat and tidy and above-board...)

 

After I ignored their correspondence they passed it on to a company called DEBT RECOVERY PLUS LTD.

 

Their client is not the supermarket (as I'd presumed) where I overstayed my welcome in their lovely carpark (JEMPSOMS btw), but TPS.

 

Oh and this is what Debt Recovery says on its website about collecting unpaid parking tickets (my bold).

 

We collect on behalf of many of the UK's leading Parking Management Companies and are responsible for thousands of payments per week. We have a tailored process which has evolved over the past 6 years, to become an efficient and highly effective collection procedure, which produces industry leading results and brings every case to a conclusion.

[kiptower]

just a pity they dont collect once a person has been on CAG where we expose the [problem]

[Mymate]

Hi

 

New to the forum. My wife parked our car at the local supermarket about a foot outside the line on the bay and received a ticket from UKPC which I ignored after following advice from this site. I then received a letter stating that the bill was now £100. This I acknowledged and informed them that I was the registered keeper but not the driver of the car and that, therefore, I denied the claim. I also requested photographic proof of the offence and proof that it was our car as the image that they provided showed neither of these things. I offered to pay them the original fine, i.e. £50, if this proof was forthcoming. They stated that they would not accept less than £100 however. I asked them again to submit the proof and still they have not. I received two letters from Debt Recovery Plus, the first with a wrong name warning me that the bill had now risen to £158.00 and that they would start legal proceedings. I telephoned them, really stroppy woman named Tina, to tell them this was in dispute as I had requested photographic evidence and it had not been produced. "Oh" she said, I will get that to you by email. "by post" I said and duly this arrived this morning showing that the car is about a foot outside of the bay in a very empty car park. The parking attendant must have been lurking in a car waiting for my wife to get out before putting the ticket on as she was only gone for five minutes. This new letter says that the bill will rise to approx. £275.00 if it goes to court and that they will accept £129.00 if I settle in 7 days. Do I ignore and hope that they don't take it to court or do I have to pay up. Any advice gratefully received.

 

Thanks

[kiptower]

once again they use the words "IF IT GOES TO COURT"

 

UKPC like the many PPC's are [problematic], and rely on the fact people do not know their legal rights

 

just read the many post on CAG how the [problem] works, their bluster is full of IF's and MAYS's

 

dont contact them

 

then IGNORE

[Surfer01]

Not sure why people bother contacting these cretins after as "Mymate" states having read advice on this forum. Still not sure why Mymate wants to give money to these [problem] artists.

Just ignore and ignore some more and they will go away!

[Mymate]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for all of that. I know and although I would prefer not to have contacted them I was asked to by our solicitor who asked us to acquire the photographs or a statement from an independent witness to substantiate their claims. However, they are now on the official ignore list. Does any one on here know of any one that has ever been successfully prosecuted for this "claimed" offence. I might say that my wife parked over the line to avoid a rather large van in the bay next to her and though nothing of it as the car park was, essentially, empty.

[kiptower]

only 1 thing to do, follow the 3 rule system below

 

1 IGNORE

 

2 IGNORE SOME MORE

 

3 GOTO 1

[letshelp]

Please post up the name of your solicitor so we know who not to go to in the event of any problems.

regards

[crem]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for all of that. I know and although I would prefer not to have contacted them I was asked to by our solicitor who asked us to acquire the photographs or a statement from an independent witness to substantiate their claims.

 

Hope you didn't pay him for that advise!

[Mymate]

Haha!

 

Thanks for all your feedback. Luckily it was free advice and probably just as well. Having said that he is a business solicitor and probably gets no call whatsoever for contestation of parking tickets....at least I hope so. Don't think he had ever heard of UKPC.

[lamma]

He thinks its a real debt. Educate him.

[fedupwithscammers]

hi all, I've received my first letter from DEBT RECOVERY PLUS after ignoring several letters from MET parking over a MoDonalds Parking Charge. I googled it and the advice has been so far to IGNORE and I've not had any contact whatsoever with them. I do have to admit that I'm getting a little bit worried now as I will be needing to extend my mortgage fairly soon and don't want any CCJ's! I've never owed money in my life but I'm trying to be strong for this one as the initial parking charge is just ridiculous for outstaying my welcome at McDonalds as a paying customer...

Just for reassurance, can anyone tell me if they have successfully ignored all letters and thats the end of it or ever had it taken further to court or something? I think I'd panic if a debt collector turned up at the door or anything as I am on my own with the kids and am struggling to cope with this hassle as it is....

Thanks ever so much

[letshelp]

hi all, I've received my first letter from DEBT RECOVERY PLUS after ignoring several letters from MET parking over a MoDonalds Parking Charge.

 

Well done ignoring those clowns.

 

I googled it and the advice has been so far to IGNORE and I've not had any contact whatsoever with them. I do have to admit that I'm getting a little bit worried now as I will be needing to extend my mortgage fairly soon and don't want any CCJ's!

 

Are you aware of the process for someone to obtain a CCJ? Despite what the PPC may tell you it is not simply 'popping' down to the court and having one issued against you. They have to go to court and win, then you have to refuse to pay the judgement within 28 days, THEN you get a ccj.

 

I've never owed money in my life but I'm trying to be strong for this one as the initial parking charge is just ridiculous for outstaying my welcome at McDonalds as a paying customer...

 

I agree, so why pay it?

 

Just for reassurance, can anyone tell me if they have successfully ignored all letters and thats the end of it or ever had it taken further to court or something?

 

Thousands of posters on this site alone have ignored all the letters without consequence. I have ignored 33 invoices and all the letters that went with them so far, and despite all the threats of court, bailiffs, being credit blacklisted, guess what has happened so far, nothing, zero, zilch.

 

I think I'd panic if a debt collector turned up at the door or anything as I am on my own with the kids and am struggling to cope with this hassle as it is....

 

Dont confuse debt collectors with bailiffs, debt collectors have no more powers that you or I to do anything, just because they call themselves debt collectors does not bestow any special powers on them, they wont be turning up at your door anytime soon so relax on that one. They confine themselves to sending out threatening letters, sometimes in scary red ink.

 

Thanks ever so much

regards

[fedupwithscammers]

thanks for your reassurance, it worried my partner too. My friend that I met at MacDonalds on that occasion has just had a baby and is worrying about it too, so I can pass on the advice. I'm so grateful to have seen this site and glad I took the time to look up the issue online. Keep up the good work and thanks again!

[Mymate]

Update:

 

This morning after having received several threatening letters from Debt Recovery Plus I received a letter from Parking Collection Services Limited headed "Debt Purchased". They tell me that they have purchased the debt and as they did so for a reduced fee they are happy for me to settle in the next ten days from the sum of £89.99 and note the total debt at £158.99. They also note that it is their intention to collect and pursue this debt to a legal conclusion if necessary. Any knowledge of this company guys and should I write back contesting the charge at all?

[fedupwithscammers]

hi there, I would stick to your guns so far and keep ignoring.. DO let us know how you get on, I've had 3 letters from debt recovery plus so far, the last inviting me to pay a reduced sum of £125 or something before further action is taken. I've ignored that one too. COuld do without the hassle but hey ho....

[Mymate]

Hey

 

Thanks for quick reply. I have just done a bit of trawling through the forum and found http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/247906-parking-collection-services-limited.html

 

I think that the comments there sum this all up nicely.

 

Ignore, ignore, ignore........

[Mymate]

I like their wesite that clearly states:

 

"Parking Collection Services Ltd is a trading name of Debt Recovery Plus Ltd. "

 

Same company, same tactics.

[Frustratedwithlife]

Hi all,

 

Just thought I should update you, it'll be a year next month since all this s**t started and they still haven't got a bean out of me! I haven't heard anything for quite some time now, although they may surface in the future, I'll do what I have been doing - IGNORE!