A.s. Securi-t

[Mike W68]

Someone (not me) received one of their tickets for parking in a poorly marked disabled bay of a car park, which has always been free until recently. I looked in on this site and decided to ignore the ticket. I didn't get any further correspondence from the ticket company, but I have just had a letter from 'Roxburghe' debt collectors demanding an expanded fee.

What do I do? I am not technically in dispute with the ticket company yet because I have ignored the ticket. What can the debt collectors do?

[DBC]

Roxburghe are well known on here, and can be ignored.

[Old Snowy]

A debt collector is a self-appointed person with no more authority than you or me to collect debts. All that they can do - ultimately - is to ask. They would dearly love you to believe that they can do all manner of damage to you and are effectively bailiffs who can take you goods when they please. This is WRONG. The very worst they could do is to scream at the top of their voices or, perhaps, beg you, "pretty please" to pay them.

 

Roxburghe's will send you several variations on the begging theme although they won't use the word "please". The crucial word to look for in their letters is: "may". They "may" tell their client...; They "may" advise their client to consider court action...; This "may" lead to court action etc etc etc. At the end of the day all these phrases are designed to frighten you into paying them - because that is the only way they can make any money.

 

Roxburghe's are currently under investigation by the Office of Fair Trading and have been told that the OFT is "minded to revoke" their Consumer Credit Act debt-collection licence.

 

The next branch of the Roxburghe hydra you may encounter is Graham White solicitors. Rest assured that GW's is simply the next desk in Roxburghe's office at West Byfleet. You can safely ignore these letters which are simply designed to ratchet up the tension. Once you've got your head around the fact that debt-collectors (allegedly) bleed and breathe like the rest of us and really have no legal powers whatsoever you understand what their written guff is all about.

 

I understand that the shredded letters make good hamster bedding.