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    • further polished WS using above suggestions and also included couple of more modifications highlighted in orange are those ok to include?   Background   1.1  The Defendant received the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) on the 06th of January 2020 following the vehicle being parked at Arla Old Dairy, South Ruislip on the 05th of December 2019.   Unfair PCN   2.1  On 19th December 2023 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).  2.2  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).   2.3        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.    2.4        The unlawful £100 charge is also the basis for the Claimant's Particulars of Claim.  No Locus Standi  3.1  I do not believe a contract with the landowner, that is provided following the defendant’s CPR request, 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.   3.2  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   4.1 At the time of writing, the Claimant has failed to provide the following, in response to the CPR request from myself.   4.2        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.   4.3 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.   4.4        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 parking period, times on the photographs are separate from the PCN and in any case are that arrival and departure times not the parking period since their times include driving to and from the parking space as a minimum and can include extra time to allow pedestrians and other vehicles to pass in front.    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 different post code, PCN shows HA4 0EY while contract shows HA4 0FY. According to PCN defendant parked on HA4 0EY which does not appear to be subject to the postcode covered by the contract.  6.2         The entrance sign does not mention anything about there being other terms inside the car park so does not offer a contract which makes it only an offer to treat,  Interest  7.1  It is unreasonable for the Claimant to delay litigation for  Double Recovery   7.2  The claim is littered with made-up charges.  7.3  As noted above, the Claimant's signs state a £60 charge yet their PCN is for £100.  7.4  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.  7.5 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 practice 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.”  7.6 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 recoverabl15e 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...''  7.7 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.  7.8        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.   7.9        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.   
    • Well the difference is that in all our other cases It was Kev who was trying to entrap the motorist so sticking two fingers up to him and daring him to try court was from a position of strength. In your case, sorry, you made a mistake so you're not in the position of strength.  I've looked on Google Maps and the signs are few & far between as per Kev's MO, but there is an entrance sign saying "Pay & Display" (and you've admitted in writing that you knew you had to pay) and the signs by the payment machines do say "Sea View Car Park" (and you've admitted in writing you paid the wrong car park ... and maybe outed yourself as the driver). Something I missed in my previous post is that the LoC is only for one ticket, not two. Sorry, but it's impossible to definitively advise what to so. Personally I'd probably gamble on Kev being a serial bottler of court and reply with a snotty letter ridiculing the signage (given you mentioned the signage in your appeal) - but it is a gamble.  
    • No! What has happened is that your pix were up-to-date: 5 hours' maximum stay and £100 PCN. The lazy solicitors have sent ancient pictures: 4 hours' maximum stay and £60 PCN. Don't let on!  Let them be hoisted by their own lazy petard in the court hearing (if they don't bottle before).
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      The judge's reasoning is very useful and will certainly be helpful in any other cases relating to third-party rights where the customer has contracted with the courier company by using a broker.
      This is generally speaking the problem with using PackLink who are domiciled in Spain and very conveniently out of reach of the British justice system.

      Frankly I don't think that is any accident.

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harassment act 1997


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Hi all

 

Does any one have any idea what the criteria is to start a case under the above act? We were harassed by a loan company and had to leave our home. It is an exceptionally long story! We have evidence that this harassment took place and also have witnesses. Any ideas? Could we have a case?

 

Thanks

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  • 5 months later...

Hiya - had the debt been acknowledged by a court?

 

In any case - if you feel you've been harrassed I would ring your local police force on their non-emergency numer for advice. But I have to say, having worked in a police call centre fpr Tjames Valley Police, they are often reluctant to open up an harassment case.

 

I believe the criteria is something like, 'A person behaves in a way likely to cause alarm or distress, with intent to cause a person harassment, alarm or distress, if he a uses threating abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour or displays in any writting, signs or visual representation anything which is threatening, abusive or insulting - thereby causing that or another person harassment alarm or distress,,, This has to be a 'course of conduct', with at least 2 seperate incidents...

 

By the way - I have often asked police call centres for advice and somrimes Trading Standard depatments - and they often get things wrong - so don't be put off by any one answer - always check things out and get second and thrid opinions!

 

At TVP I know for a fact that the staff that are most likely to answer your questions are the very most recent, and so the most inexperienced mambers of staff - The experienced ones are doing Crime Reports or taking Officer Reported Crimes - and they are by no means infalabe!

 

BTW with reference to the police not investigating - don't be fobbed off by their call takers - most police call takers are not police officers but civillian staff - if you report that you 'believe' a crime has been committed (in this case harassment) the police are duty bound to investigate under Home Office rules... I believe it may have to be on-going though - not *historical - but I'd have to (and will) check that part.

 

Buzby (below) though is right though about getting these things past the CPS - that's where most cases fall...

 

 

Good luck with it!

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This is a criminal (not civil) action, so I'm afraid if the police won't investigate or the CPS recommend a prosecution, you're up the creek without a paddle.

 

AFAIK, the protection from harassment act 1997 Results within legislation - Statute Law Database provides both civil and criminal remedies for harassment, which includes civil restraining orders and damages. see s3 of the act.

 

Basically, I would advise contacting a soliciter before taking such action, however. In essence, however, you start the claim by sending a letter before action as normal, and filing a claim at the county court.

i will be off site for the next month or so. if you have any problems, feel free to report the post so a moderator can help you.

 

I am not a qualified or practicing lawyer.

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Tks for the link - however with no Small Claims track equivalent, the complainer would be looking at starting the ball rolling with a solicitor at £300 plus. Since this is often an issue that the harassment is debt-related, this won't be a viable option - and unless changed recently was excluded from Legal Aid.

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This is a criminal (not civil) action, so I'm afraid if the police won't investigate or the CPS recommend a prosecution, you're up the creek without a paddle.

 

Eh? Have you got that the right way round?

 

In any case, harrassment is a criminal action and is definitely one for the police if it can be proven.

 

I would also suggest engaging a solicitor.

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Tks for the link - however with no Small Claims track equivalent, the complainer would be looking at starting the ball rolling with a solicitor at £300 plus. Since this is often an issue that the harassment is debt-related, this won't be a viable option - and unless changed recently was excluded from Legal Aid.

 

AFAIK, jurisdiction in England lies with both county and high court, and there is no procedural requirement that the case should be brought in any particular track.

 

i tend to agree with you that cases involving a civil restraining order would be allocated to multi-track.

 

In terms of other cases, I haven't done the research on previous cases (indeed, i think few cases have been brought) to determine what track it would be allocated to. If the damages were relatively small, then the presumption would be it would start in the small claims track. However, it might require rather complicated legal arguments, in which case it would be fast track, and possibly expensive.

 

There are organisations that might provide pro bono work on this field. it would make interesting law, and so might find someone in the citizens advice bureau to fund the case.

i will be off site for the next month or so. if you have any problems, feel free to report the post so a moderator can help you.

 

I am not a qualified or practicing lawyer.

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It would be a comforting thought that actions for harassment could be within the reach of all who seek it, but from a cursory glance at the odd statistics provided (in my case, by the Scottish Courts Service) there were very few actions of this nature reaching the Sheriff Court, and none in the High Court (2006). A shame, when you think of the increase of confrontational approaches to debt now being employed.

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Hi all

 

Does any one have any idea what the criteria is to start a case under the above act? We were harassed by a loan company and had to leave our home. It is an exceptionally long story! We have evidence that this harassment took place and also have witnesses. Any ideas? Could we have a case?

 

Thanks

 

Hello Sonway

 

Whilst Protection from Harassment Act 1997 could be a possibility, I would suggest that Section 40 of The Administration of Justice Act 1970 is the appropriate legislation. The reason I suggest this is because Section 40 is concerned with 'Punishment for unlawful harassment of debtors'.

 

Section 40 (1) states "A person commits an offence if, with the object of coercing another person to pay money claimed from the other as a debt due under a contract, he -

(a) harasses the other with demands for payment which, in respect of their frequency or the manner or occasion of making any such demand, or of any threat or publicity by which any demand is accompanied, are calculated to subject him or members of his family or household to alarm, distress or humiliation;

(b) falsely represents. in relation to the money claimed, that criminal proceedingslie for failure to pay it:

© falsely represents himself to be authorised in some official capacity to claim or enforce payment; or

(d) utters a document falsely represented by him to have some official character or purporting to have some official character which he knows it has not.

(2) A person may be guilty of an offence by virtue of sub-section (1)(a) above if he concerts with others in the taking of such action as is described in that paragraph, not withstanding that his own course of conduct does not by itself amount to harassment.

(3) Sub-section (1)(a) does not apply to anything doen by a person which is reasonable (and otherwise permissible in law) for the purpose -

(a) of securing the discharge of an obligation due, or believed by him to be due, to himself or to other persons for whom he acts or protecting himself or them from future loss; or

(b) of the enforcement of any liability by legal process

 

A complaint to Trading Standards is the starting point but you could consider a private prosecution in the Magistrates Court. YOU MUST SEEK LEGAL ADVICE IF YOU WISH TO CONSIDER AND OR PURSUE THE LATTER.

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Hello Sonway

 

Whilst Protection from Harassment Act 1997 could be a possibility, I would suggest that Section 40 of The Administration of Justice Act 1970 is the appropriate legislation. The reason I suggest this is because Section 40 is concerned with 'Punishment for unlawful harassment of debtors'.

 

Section 40 (1) states "A person commits an offence if, with the object of coercing another person to pay money claimed from the other as a debt due under a contract, he -

(a) harasses the other with demands for payment which, in respect of their frequency or the manner or occasion of making any such demand, or of any threat or publicity by which any demand is accompanied, are calculated to subject him or members of his family or household to alarm, distress or humiliation;

(b) falsely represents. in relation to the money claimed, that criminal proceedingslie for failure to pay it:

© falsely represents himself to be authorised in some official capacity to claim or enforce payment; or

(d) utters a document falsely represented by him to have some official character or purporting to have some official character which he knows it has not.

(2) A person may be guilty of an offence by virtue of sub-section (1)(a) above if he concerts with others in the taking of such action as is described in that paragraph, not withstanding that his own course of conduct does not by itself amount to harassment.

(3) Sub-section (1)(a) does not apply to anything doen by a person which is reasonable (and otherwise permissible in law) for the purpose -

(a) of securing the discharge of an obligation due, or believed by him to be due, to himself or to other persons for whom he acts or protecting himself or them from future loss; or

(b) of the enforcement of any liability by legal process

 

A complaint to Trading Standards is the starting point but you could consider a private prosecution in the Magistrates Court. YOU MUST SEEK LEGAL ADVICE IF YOU WISH TO CONSIDER AND OR PURSUE THE LATTER.

 

In my opinion, it would be very, very daft to start a private prosecution. You should certainly consider complaining to trading standards, of course.

 

the advantage of PFHA is that it is a civil trial, in the county court, which - in the worst case - has limited costs (although on a multi-track trial, these could still run into large amounts of money) . A criminal trial has unlimited cost implications, and could lead to bankruptcy.

i will be off site for the next month or so. if you have any problems, feel free to report the post so a moderator can help you.

 

I am not a qualified or practicing lawyer.

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