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    • Not sure what to make of that or what it means for me, I was just about to head to my kip and it's a bit too late for legalise. When is the "expenditure occured"?  When they start spending money to write to me?  Or is this a bad thing (as "harsh" would imply)? When all is said and done, I do not have two beans to rub together, we rent our home and EVERYTHING of value has been purchased by and is in my wife's name and we are not financially linked in any way.  So at least if I can't escape my fate I can at least know that they will get sweet FA from me anyway   edit:  ah.. Sophia Harrison: Time bar decision tough on claimants WWW.SCOTTISHLEGAL.COM Time bar is a very complex area of law in Scotland relating to the period in which a claim for breach of duty can be pursued. The Scottish government...   This explains it like I am 5.  So, a good thing then because creditors clearly know they have suffered a loss the minute I stop paying them, this is why it is "harsh"?  
    • urm......exactly what you filed .....read it carefully... it puts them to strict proof to prove the debt is enforceable, so thus 'holds' their claim till they coughup or not and discontinue. you need to get readingthose threads i posted so you understand. then you'll know whats maybe next how to react or not and whats after that. 5-10 threads a day INHO. dont ever do anything without checking here 1st.
    • I've done a new version including LFI's suggestions.  I've also change the order to put your strongest arguments first.  Where possible the changes are in red.  The numbering is obviously knackered.  Methinks stuff about the consideration period could be added but I'm too tired now.  See what you think. Background  1.1  The Defendant received the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) on the 06th of November 2020 following the vehicle being parked at Arla Old Dairy, South Ruislip on the 05th of December 2019.  Unfair PCN  4.1  On XXXXX the Defendant sent the Claimant's solicitors a CPR request.  As shown in Exhibit 1 (pages 7-13) sent by the solicitors the signage displayed in their evidence clearly shows a £60.00 parking charge notice (which will  be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of issue). 4.2  Yet the PCN sent by the Claimant is for a £100.00 parking charge notice (reduced to £60 if paid within 30 days of issue).  4.3        The Claimant relies on signage to create a contract.  It is unlawful for the Claimant to write that the charge is £60 on their signs and then send demands for £100.   4.4        The unlawful £100 charge is also the basis for the Claimant's Particulars of Claim. No Locus Standi 2.1  I do not believe a contract exists with the landowner that gives MET Parking Services a right to bring claims in their own name. Definition of “Relevant contract” from the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4,  2 [1] means a contract Including a contract arising only when the vehicle was parked on the relevant land between the driver and a person who is-  (a) the owner or occupier of the land; or  (b) Authorised, under or by virtue of arrangements made by the owner or occupier of the land, to enter into a contract with the driver requiring the payment of parking charges in respect of the parking of the vehicle on the land. According to https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/44  For a contract to be valid, it requires a director from each company to sign and then two independent witnesses must confirm those signatures.  2.2  The Defendant requested to see such a contract in the CPR request.  The fact that no contract has been produced with the witness signatures present means the contract has not been validly executed. Therefore, there can be no contract established between MET Parking Services and the motorist. Even if “Parking in Electric Bay” could form a contract (which it cannot), it is immaterial. There is no valid contract. Illegal Conduct – No Contract Formed  3.1 At the time of writing, the Claimant has failed to provide the following, in response to the CPR request from myself.  3.2        The legal contract between the Claimant and the landowner (which in this case is Standard Life Investments UK) to provide evidence that there is an agreement in place with landowner with the necessary authority to issue parking charge notices and to pursue payment by means of litigation.  3.3 Proof of planning permission granted for signage etc under the Town and country Planning Act 1990. Lack of planning permission is a criminal offence under this Act and no contract can be formed where criminality is involved.  3.4        I also do not believe the claimant possesses these documents.  No Keeper Liability  5.1        The defendant was not the driver at the time and date mentioned in the PCN and the claimant has not established keeper liability under schedule 4 of the PoFA 2012. In this matter, the defendant puts it to the claimant to produce strict proof as to who was driving at the time.  5.2 The claimant in their Notice To Keeper also failed to comply with PoFA 2012 Schedule 4 section 9[2][f] while mentioning “the right to recover from the keeper so much of that parking charge as remains unpaid” where they did not include statement “(if all the applicable conditions under this Schedule are met)”.    5.3        The claimant did not mention the parking period instead only mentioned time 20:25 which is not sufficient to qualify as a parking period.   Protection of Freedoms Act 2012  The notice must -  (a) specify the vehicle, the relevant land on which it was parked and the period of parking to which the notice relates; 22. In the persuasive judgement K4GF167G - Premier Park Ltd v Mr Mathur - Horsham County Court – 5 January 2024 it was on this very point that the judge dismissed this claim. 5.4  A the PCN does not comply with the Act the Defendant as keeper is not liable. No Breach of Contract  6.1      No breach of contract occurred because the PCN and contract provided as part of the defendant’s CPR request shows a different post code, the PCN shows HA4 0EY while the contract shows HA4 0FY.  6.2        The wording “Electric Bay Abuse” is not listed on their signs nor there is any mention on the contract of any electric charging points at all let alone who can park there or use them.  Interest 6.2  It is unreasonable for the Claimant to delay litigation for Double Recovery  7.1  The claim is littered with made-up charges. 7.2  As noted above, the Claimant's signs state a £60 charge yet their PCN is for £100. 7.3  As well as the £100 parking charge, the Claimant seeks recovery of an additional £70.  This is simply a poor attempt to circumvent the legal costs cap at small claims. 29. Since 2019, many County Courts have considered claims in excess of £100 to be an abuse of process leading to them being struck out ab initio. An example, in the Caernarfon Court in VCS v Davies, case No. FTQZ4W28 on 4th September 2019, District Judge Jones-Evans stated “Upon it being recorded that District Judge Jones- Evans has over a very significant period of time warned advocates (...) in many cases of this nature before this court that their claim for £60 is unenforceable in law and is an abuse of process and is nothing more than a poor attempt to go behind the decision of the Supreme Court v Beavis which inter alia decided that a figure of £160 as a global sum claimed in this case would be a penalty and not a genuine pre-estimate of loss and therefore unenforceable in law and if the practise continued, he would treat all cases as a claim for £160 and therefore a penalty and unenforceable in law it is hereby declared (…) the claim is struck out and declared to be wholly without merit and an abuse of process.” 30. In Claim Nos. F0DP806M and F0DP201T, District Judge Taylor echoed earlier General Judgment or Orders of District Judge Grand, stating ''It is ordered that the claim is struck out as an abuse of process. The claim contains a substantial charge additional to the parking charge which it is alleged the Defendant contracted to pay. This additional charge is not recoverable under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 nor with reference to the judgment in Parking Eye v Beavis. It is an abuse of process from the Claimant to issue a knowingly inflated claim for an additional sum which it is not entitled to recover. This order has been made by the court of its own initiative without a hearing pursuant to CPR Rule 3.3(4)) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998...'' 31. In the persuasive case of G4QZ465V - Excel Parking Services Ltd v Wilkinson – Bradford County Court -2 July 2020 (Exhibit 4) the judge had decided that Excel had won. However, due to Excel adding on the £60 the Judge dismissed the case. 7.7        The addition of costs not previously specified on signage are also in breach of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Schedule 2, specifically paras 6, 10 and 14.  7.8        It is the Defendant’s position that the Claimant in this case has knowingly submitted inflated costs and thus the entire claim should be similarly struck out in accordance with Civil Procedure Rule 3.3(4).  In Conclusion  8.1        I invite the court to dismiss the claim. Statement of Truth I believe that the facts stated in this witness statement are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth. 
    • Scottish time bar: Scottish appeal court re-affirms the “harsh” rule (cms-lawnow.com)  
    • I suppose I felt my defence would be that it was an honest mistake and even the initial £60 charges seemed unjust, let alone the now two £170's he is now demanding. There is no Justpark code for 'Sea View' on the signs in the car park and the first/nearest car park that comes up when you're in the Sea View car park is the 'Polzeath beach car park'. If I have to accept that I need to pay £340 to avoid the stress of him maybe taking me to court, then so be it. If people here advise me I don't have a case then I will just have to pay.
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Hastings/Principia/Auxillis - Tricked into a car hire when told it was a courtesy car!


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This is the full agreement they are expecting me to sign (less the page with my details stating I have agreed to all the conditions)

 

Priciple Law full agreement.pdf

 

So my first question, what happens if I simply decline their "offer" to represent "my case"?

I dont believe there is anything in the Auxillis T&C's that states that co-operation extends to and includes to having to hire a solicitor myself? 

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I'm sorry but I'm losing the plot on this thread – partly because you are posting up so much detailed information and I really don't have the time to deal with it all.

This really is a DIY forum – in other words we try to empower you and point the way that it isn't helpful that you post entire contracts rather than discover the part that you think is relevant and simply post that so we can have a look.

In principle, you have a fully comprehensive insurance policy.
This means that your insurer is responsible for everything and I find it amazing that they try to pass it off to someone else and get you to sign a contract with that person. That seems to me to be unacceptable. When you get a fully comprehensive insurance with a company then as far as I'm concerned you pay them to do it all for you and you may have to pay an excess or you may have to pay increased premiums the next year – but they are meant to be a one-stop shop. So the fact that they are involving Auxillis and attempting to put them into a direct contractual relationship with you seems to be unacceptable and unfair – not what you paid for.

Secondly, it seems to me to be entirely reasonable that they should require that you cooperate with a solicitor. You pay an insurance to protect yourself from losses – not to protect and at-fault third-party from losses and so if the insurance company reckons that it is economically worthwhile going to the expense of pursuing the third party in order to recover their losses then I don't see why they shouldn't. Also, if they get their money back from the third party then it should mean that their insurance premiums for their own clients should be cheaper in the future because they are able to recover the money that they pay out. (Of course this is a load of rubbish – they will always try to get the money from both ends) – but the principal is sound.

I'm still struggling to see why you should object to the fact that you have to cooperate with their solicitor. However I don't see why there should be anything to sign about this. It should be in the initial contract of insurance that they will pay you out without quibble, that you will not have to engage with any other party such as Auxilis to make it happen – and that you will assist them in any reasonable way to recover their losses.

That's how I see the picture. I would be amazed if you can show me anything in any of the insurers terms and conditions which contradict this

I'd be interested to see what site team member @unclebulgaria67 has to say about this

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Thanks for the reply and I am also loosing the plot with the whole situation.

 

So I will try and consolidate:

I took out a fully comp insurance policy with Hastings 

 

Someone drove into the side of me and they accepted liability at the scene 

 

I put in my claim with Hastings and they told me that in their opinion it was a not a fault claim 

 

They told me I should contact a company called Auxillis to handle my claim on their behalf and that this would be best for me as I would not have to pay an excess or loose my no claims, in fact they told me it would be no different than them handling the case except I would be better off. 

 

I received an email from Hastings telling me to contact Auxillis to arrange a courtesy car and repairs to my vehicle

 

This I did and received an email from Auxillis advising that I needed to log into their portal to arrange my replacement vehicle and accept their T&C's for doing so

 

This I did believing I was arranging for the courtesy car

 

My car was deemed a total write off some weeks later and the car collected and I was paid out by Hastings

 

All was quiet until a week ago I received an email from Auxillis telling me that:

1) What I believed to be a courtesy car was in fact a hired car which was chargeable

2) Part of their T&C's was a credit agreement which made me liable for all the costs of the vehicle and there was a clause stated I must assist in recovery in the event of a 3rd party not paying up

3) The 3rd party was not paying

4) I was told that part of the "assist in recovery" meant I had to sign another contract with a law firm of their (Auxillis) choosing agreeing that I was hiring said solicitors and again would be liable for all fees and charges 

 

So Auxillis are trying to make me sign a contract with their solicitors to be fully liable for all legal costs while THEY peruse THEIR costs unless they can recover them - Hence my reluctance at an average charge of £150 per hour and they tell me it will take a min of 8 months!!

Edited by symbiosis
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Okay, this is quite a nice summary.

In that case I suggest that you write to Auxillis – copy to Hastings

Tell them that although you are happy to cooperate with any attempt to recover Hastings losses, you will not be held liable for any costs should they not recover all of their outgoings and that you consider that your entire legal relationship is between yourself and Hastings and that your insurance agreement with Hastings covers all eventualities.

You refuse to sign anything else.

Furthermore if they persist in hassling you about this, you will begin a complaint to the financial ombudsman service.

I can't really think of any other appropriate response

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On top of this, as I apparently agreed to a "credit agreement" with Auxillis, I can only assume that they are heaping on some ridiculous daily interest rate charge as well.

 

As you asked why I dont want to co-operate with Auxillis solicitors - What bothers me is the other stories I have since discovered whereby a judge has found liability to not be undisputed, Auxillis  then saying that the claimant had broken the terms of their credit agreement and ultimately coming after them for full payment (which by then also includes a hefty legal fee). Quite happy to co-operate in supplying evidence etc etc but I will be dammed if I should agree to take on the legal fees!! That is not co-operation, that is blackmail pure and simple

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I think i understand the situation.

 

You did not take out the optional legal expenses policy when you bought the Hastings policy.  Therefore your Hastings policy has no legal cover to help litigate against the third party and their Insurers to recover your uninsured losses such as excess, car hire etc. 

 

So you have ended up in the situation, where the third party Insurers have decided to dispute liability and you have a choice of taking action yourself or signing up to the Principia contract being offered.

 

So yes if you are unhappy with the Principia arrangement, then reject this and advise Hastings that you will be acting for yourself to recover the uninsured losses from the third party. If Hastings have written off your car and paid you, ask them whether they have attempted recovery of the write off cost from the third parties insurers.

 

Now is time to gather any information you may not have, such as full cost of hire car. 

 

Have you checked whether there is CCTV of the car park available, by submitting a Data Protection SAR to car park operator ?

 

When you don't buy the legal cover, you suddenly realise after a claim, that you will become the expert in trying to  recover the claim values.  Insurers to save costs, no longer employ all of the staff to provide the full service they did decades ago.

 

 

 

 

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Thanks, yes that is mostly correct barb the fact that Auxillis tell me they have not had any communication whatsoever from the 3rd party, I denial of liability, nothing. 

 

Funnily enough I emailed Auxillis last night for a full breakdown of the costs

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Thus far no response from Auxillis, only messages from their law firm telling me to sign their T&Cs - I have emailed them to say I have not given any permission to act on my behalf as yet so am not liable for anything they have done thus far. 

 

I spoke with Hastings, there was a disbute of liability from the 3rd party and they refuted that some time ago. At my request, they contacted the 3rd party insurer's who said they are still investigating. Apparently they have only a few weeks left to settle or Hastings will also be starting proceedings against them, however without my involvement. 

 

I am seeking legal advice on how to proceed now. To my mine, agreeing to fully cooperate with Auxillis in retrieveing their costs does not extend to me having to take on a solicitor myself. I'm more than happy to provide any information ie cooperate 

Edited by symbiosis
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Hi OP. 
 

Just as a bit of background I’ve spent several years working on the Defendant side of the credit hire fence. 


Auxillis and Principia Law have the same company directors. The companies are linked. You’ll almost certainly have to go with them under the terms of the hire agreement. 

 

You’ve signed a credit hire agreement. You believed it was a courtesy car based on the email from Hastings.  Did you read it? I know that Auxillis get you to sign these things electronically. 
 

9 times out of 10 as stated above, you’ll not get as far as trial and the two sides will settle. 
 

In the run up, you’ll have to assist Principia as they go through the stages of litigation.  Nothing to worry about immediately. 
 

The point it will affect you is the disclosure and witness statement phase. They’ll likely want to see your bank statements from the time of the accident and disclose these to the other side.

 

They’ll also need you to sign a witness statement.  They will prepare this so read this statement very (I can’t emphasise that enough), carefully before you sign it.  Make sure it’s true. They’ll use a standard witness statement as a template which will say things like ‘Auxillis contacted you and explained it was a credit hire agreement‘ etc etc.  Don’t sign anything that’s not true.

 

Edit: Apologies, just read that there’s a possible liability dispute. That slightly increases the chance of this ending up at a Court hearing. 
 

Do you know how much the total hire charges are? Are they below £10k?

Edited by SuperVillain
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Very helpful information. Thank you.

If the OP does get one of these witness statements to sign then maybe they would be kind enough to post it up here so everybody can look – and learn.

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Apologies for the lack of replies - I've been busy in talks with Auxillis, Principa and Hastings about all of this.

 

I am currently awaiting the outcomes of my official complaints and will let you know what happens

 

SuperVillian, yes the charges are a fraction of the sum you mentioned

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