Debt Collection Baliffs - To ignore or to pay

[bluesmith]

Just be careful what you are stating as a fact.
If the parking company goes to Court and wins, the bailiffs can enforce the debt plus costs if it is not paid.

Yes I was talking about the current position the OP was in, rather than a hypothetical one, I think my initial post said it wasnt a debt and to ignore until the letter before claim stage - but worth pointing out again / making clearer.

 

[metalblue]

Nope. The poster has already admitted it was his wife’s mistake putting the wrong reg in to the machine.
The car parking company merely issued a ticket from the information provided.

Going back to basics. These parking “fines” are actually estimates for losses with a punitive damage element where those losses occur to deter non-payers. The parking company has not incurred any losses, this is evidenced by the possession of a parking ticket. They can’t prove losses ergo case dismissed. The fact that the parking company sold him a ticket that didn’t match his car registration is their failures, they have sold his wife something not fit for purpose is another line of defence they have to get though.

If the OP defends this and has followed process he’ll be very very unlikely not to win. Assuming process has been followed otherwise he might piss the judge off.

 

[Two Gun Bob]

The TV bailifs have done a sterling job of advising Jo public on how to respond to enforcement tactics. I remember one particular case were they showed up at an old dears house who had stood guarantor for a family member. The gist of the story was that payments were not kept up on a £3,000 debt, so they visited the guarantor and after gaining peaceful entry threatened her with removal of her goods, unless payment was forthcoming.

As she had no understanding of her legal rights she rang around trying desperatly to raise funds. Without appearing disrespectful, her household contents would not have achieved £250 at auction.

At no point did the enforcement team advise her that they could not remove anything in her home that she needed for her daily living, such as a table and chairs, beds and bedding, a cooker or microwave and a fridge and washing machine and communication items such as a phone. So basically nothing in her home save for a £50 TV.

On the basis of the above the bailifs had no leveridge to enforce the debt save for their initimidation and harrasment. Would they have started to remove her shackles if she did not comply ..why no as they only get paid on results.

 

[Deleted member 77198]

I keep getting letters from some debt company from Leeds saying I owe Bulb money for three months of energy before I moved in to my flat and started paying the mortgage.

I’ve emailed Bulb and they didn’t know anything about it and apologised for it. I sent them a mortgage statement which showed my first payment date and my share certificate and they confirmed in an emails that I don’t owe them any money.

This debt company keep sending letters though and are saying they could take me to court. Funny thing is, they don’t even address it to my name, it’s addressed to ‘The Owner’.

 

[kinkladze10]

Nope. The poster has already admitted it was his wife’s mistake putting the wrong reg in to the machine.
The car parking company merely issued a ticket from the information provided.

A mistake or carelessness will not always mean one has been negligent.

 

[mac]

You're right.

It is an unpopular opinion.

It’s not his or his wife’s mistake but the parking companies. A ticket was issued, their money taken, that the ticket was not fit for purpose - how is that their fault? Don’t forget that the parking company also has their money. The sums are irrelevant, the principle isn’t.

I know someone else who got parking ticket in same place Mrs MB did for same reason, used my defence as above and also won as the parking firm didn’t attend court. They also went for their costs. I think it was £300 odd quid I got out of them for about 20 hours of my time to prepare my case - I didn’t even have to attend court as the firm never paid their fee so the case was thrown out - apparently it is/was a trick they use… if you don’t defend they pay the fee and win by default if you do defend they don’t pay the fee and the case is thrown out. I just filled in a court costs form and that was a formality to be awarded costs. I also got plenty of threat-o-grams before they went for court.

You are Uncle Albert aren't you.

 

[horlock_was_super]

I work in HMCTS.
These car park bastards have found loopholes inside loopholes to get people to pay up.
Even got done myself once.
True story a District Judge picked up a ticket outside the Civil Justice Centre after he’d pulled over to take a call. He spent a good few hours trying to find a way out of paying it - he paid up in the end!
They will take it to court and then the costs will double if not treble.
Ring them up try and negotiate and if they play ball then pay the twats in pound coins.

 

[Blue Maverick]

So - long story short my wife took our kids to a playbarn and entered a digit wrong with reg number.

For the last 18 months we have had DCBL (Direct Collection Baliffs Ltd), sending letters every few weeks on behalf of UK Parking Control Limited. Letters getting more strongly worded and now saying they will be commencing legal action for the 160 quid.

So my advice was to just ignore and they will lose interest as not worth taking us to court, however it is entering squeaky bum time as obviously I don't want baliffs coming round or getting bad credit as we are looking to get a larger mortgage soon.

Basically should I pay or carry on ignoring? Thanks

Does she still have the ticket? I did this once as I put our other cars reg in, I still had the ticket and could prove I’d paid, I appealed it and won.

 

[lazerblue]

Torch every car in the car park. See how they like their new insurance premiums then.

who's back doors does he smash in though

 

[Blue Mist]

Fuck you lot. I am a bailiff and if anyone sez I'm a violent fucker, I'll punch their lights out.
People like the OP are thick fucks, don't pay ? Well take it away..