Advice on handling debt collection demands from a parking charge in 2013

[lisbapalea]

I am sure there have been plenty of these threads but I am slightly overhwelmed by the multitude of advice available and am hoping someone can help me! I have looked at length on MoneySavingExpert but the tone of the threads on that forum make it very clear that they don't want any new threads to be created - I am hoping mumsnet may be more lenient...

I got a parking charge notice from a private parking company (MET, a member of the British Parking Association), back in April 2013. I appealed almost immediately as I had in fact paid for my parking, but by the time I had managed to contact RINGGO to pay (utterly crap phone signal and no wifi on the train I was on), the session had clicked over from peak into off-peak, so my ticket wasn't as expensive as it was supposed to be.

MET replied and essentially told me to bugger off and pay the charge. I then followed by husband's advice to ignore it all as these people were apparently scammers. I had one or two letters in the aftermath and then they disappeared, so I decided my DH's advice was correct.

But, since September I have received three letters from DRP (a debt recovery agency) asking me to pay before they take me to court! I have now realised that the advice DH gave me was incorrect and some law changed in early 2013 which means appeals are necessary, and ignoring is not recommended.

So I have gone onto the POPLA website to appeal, but that says I should have appealed to them within 28 days! I am clearly 18mths out of date!

Any idea what I should do?

So sorry this is so long - I wanted to get all the facts down....

[paddingtonbear1]

Hi - I've been in a similar position to you. I ignored all the letters (also didn't realise the advice had changed). I had several, then a gap of a few months, then a couple more - had nothing now for a few months again. This may not be the end of it, but I've decided to do nothing unless I get a 'letter before court action' or actual court papers, at which point I'll go onto moneysavingexpert and ask what to do! Fingers crossed!

[paddingtonbear1]

Forgot to mention - as far as I know, debt recovery agencies can't take you to court. They would need to refer your case back to the parking company. Some companies are more likely to go to court than others - hopefully, you'll be OK!