baliff letter for two year old parking ticket

[paullittle]

I just received a baliff letter regarding a parking ticket I got nearly two years ago.

 

Background:

I was visiting a customer and parked in a 1 hour roadside bay (having been told by the customer that it would be fine for longer) and when I returned of course there was a PCN on the windscreen.

 

I tried to pay by phoning the number on the PCN but the automated system did not accept my Electron card. I did not (still dont) have a cheque book so couldn't send a cheque. There was no contact number on the PCN other than the automatic payment number. I tried calling the council but they were a complete waste of time and just kept saying I had to pay by calling the number on the PCN!

 

Of course they eventually stopped writing to me and the matter slipped my mind.

 

My situation currently is that I am unemployed and on jobseekers allowance and have no hope of paying the £93.16 that Jacobs are demanding.

 

The letter (below) says I have seven days to pay or they will send the boys round to take my stuff. Can they do that? I tried calling Jacobs to explain the situation and ask for advice but of course I got put in a queue and cant afford to hold on an 0845 number for ages (my free calls don't include 0845).

 

What should I do now?

 

[paullittle]

Amazing! Just managed to speak to Jacobs. They have offered me 10 weeks to pay saying that was the maximum amount of time the council would allow them to give. That's gong to be the best part of ten quid a week - not a great deal granted but when I am living on £62 a week it's a fair chunk. Question is; is the ten weeks real or can I appeal for longer?

[Bartok]

The council is required send a notice to owner before instructing a bailiff. If they havnt then you dont have to pay anything because the council has failed to comply with the rules.

 

Ask them to roll the case back to the original aprking ticket and appeal it on the grounds no notice to owner was sent within 6 months from the date of the offence.

 

Check the 6 month rule, it might only apply to criminalised offences.

 

The bailiffs fee is 28% of the original amount you are fined. Not sure how the £93.16 has been worked out, something doesnt look right.

[paullittle]

The council did send two or three letters at the time with each one adding extra costs to the charge. I can't recall if they said they would pass the matter to a baliff but if they did it was at least 18 months ago. Given that they have not communicated with me since should there have been a new letter saying pay up in x days or we'll send in the baliff?

[Bartok]

If you havnt got the money to pay and you dont let them in, then there isnt much a bailiff can do about it. They will have to return the case back to the council eventually - I think its 90 days.

 

You may be classed a vulnerable person for the purposes of civil enforcement, so in any event the bailiff may have withdraw from your property in enay event. A vulnerable person means http://www.dca.gov.uk/enforcement/agents02.htm#part10

[ploddertom]

Not sure how the £93.16 has been worked out, something doesnt look right.

 

£80 for the ticket & £13-16 inc VAT for the letter the Bailiffs have written.

 

PT

[tomtubby]

Amazing! Just managed to speak to Jacobs. They have offered me 10 weeks to pay saying that was the maximum amount of time the council would allow them to give. That's gong to be the best part of ten quid a week - not a great deal granted but when I am living on £62 a week it's a fair chunk. Question is; is the ten weeks real or can I appeal for longer?

 

I would strongly suggest that you ask the local authority to confirm the date of the Warrant of Execution. Also, what date was this ticket incurred? Was it before or after March 2008? The Road Traffic Act came to an end in March and was replaced by the Traffic Management Act.