Parking charge debt collection, what do I do?

[Anyscrapiron]

Hiya guys.
Apologies for posting here, it was mostly for traffic, and name change so something personal isn't following me around my MN users name.

I've just received this letter, I am clueless to what the actual parking charge is? I can't recall getting one, I've got a car that's not in my name but my insurance is.
My partner got a parking fine for putting the wrong registration into a parking eye meter at a restaurant which he hasn't been able proove since the restaurant has been closed because of covid, but I haven't been had any fines in my name?

I have just been released from bankruptcy and I'm very eager not to get into financial difficulties again, does anyone know what to do with this letter?

Do I respond? Pay it? Ignore it? Challenge it? To be honest money is extremely limited and I'm claiming universal credit due to covid and other factors. £140 is the equivalent to almost two weeks food for me. I really do not need this and its come as a shock.

Any advice from anyone in the know?

@pheebumbalatti

Unless the fine is from a police force or magistrates I'd just ignore it. They can't do anything. Send a "cease and desist" reply if they continue to ask for money.

Dont do this. Companies have the right to charge for using their services (parking). Remember a few years back when a nurse got a load of parking charges, but ignored them then was taken to court (I think).

You can challenge it though. You'd have usually received a few letters before this giving you the time/date/location of the offense. If you've not had those you need to ask for them and take it from there

Thank you all for the replies, I know it might seem minor or easy to deal with by some people, but when you've been through as much as I have, honestly anything like this makes me feel like I'm falling down a very dark hole again.

I honestly cannot even think where this fine is from. I havent owned a car in over a year, likely over 2 and I've only recently been insured on this car. This is the first I'm hearing about a parking fine, unless it's an incredibly old fine!

Everything makes sense re: light on details, now its been pointed out to me.

Usually if there's a fine, you do get details of when/where and now photographic evidence.

I sound so silly, but thank you to all who have pointed out the obvious to me. My mind is so fragile at the moment when I receive something like this I can't see it objectively.

Well done on getting through your bankruptcy and getting out of the bad relationship.

As others have said try posting on the Moneysavingexpert.com parking board.
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

The one other thing I will say and I’m sure that they will tell you on the board is paper trail, paper trail, paper trail. Make sure everything is in writing.

I would write to them saying that this so-called "final notice" is the first you have heard of there being any debt whatsoever, they therefore need to provide evidence that the debt exists before you can do anything at all. It seems likely that they have bought the debt from another organisation, that other organisation will be the keeper of any proof that exists. Don't ignore the letter but as pp say do not admit anything, provide any information that they don't already know, or agree to any payment until they have proved that the debt is indeed due. If they have "bought a debt" from a third party and it turns out the debt isn't valid or provable then that is not your problem.

If it is then yes you will have to pay but can offer a gradual payment plan because paying it all at once would kill you. You can't live without food for 2 weeks.

What I don't know is how this situation will be affected by your bankruptcy. It is possible that the original event in which the debt was incurred pre-dates your bankruptcy. In which case that might void the debt, but you'd need to check with someone familiar with how the law works in that area.

I think you should at least ask them to tell you where the original fine was from (eg: parkingeye etc) then you should be able to contact them with the reference number and hopefully be sent any original letters so you can see where it was from. At least then, you will know if it does all link or whether it is a scam from these people who have sent this letter.

Go to The FB page "Private Parking Tickets-Help and Advice.

Post up the notice with the id details redacted as you have done. They will give you free advice which is brilliant. They have also helped people draft responses. Post the original notice as well. If you don't have it, then submit a subject access request asking for all information

What isn't clear is how you have received the notice if the car isn't in your name as they contact you via the DVLA database?

Whatever you do..don't disclose who the driver was as that will cause issues defending it. What the admins will most likely advice is to do nothing at this stage as DCBL are toothless debt recovery agents that sound out threatening letters but have zero power at all. They can't fine you or come to your house without a court order a d for that amount they can't anyway.

What you MUST take action about is if you receive a "Letter before Claim" which is the ore action protocol for court. However, be aware that a lot of these dodgy bent debt collector outfits send out fake ones as well to try and frighten you into paying.

What you find is that many people just continue getting threatening letters but if they ignore then they go away and you get the odd one periodically when the accounts are looking sparse and they need to fill the coffers. They have 6 years at which point they become time barred.

The government is bringing out a new code of conduct which will be enforced,e to control these sharks next year which will also reduce the maximum penalty etc

Good luck

@sunflowergirl1 thank you so much for your detailed response, very informative and reassuring.

Unfortunately I don't have any kind of SM besides mumsnet. If you do feel like going out of your way and posting on my behalf in the FB forum, I would be appreciative, but I have had plenty of advice here and will also post at money saving expert.

I must say that your post was incredibly helpful and reassuring to hear that they can't do anything to me without a court order - I should realise all this- but like I have mentioned I see that and freeze like a rabbit in headlights.

I'm so pleased i found mumsnet, and so grateful to all who have replied.

I've been up since 4am worrying about things going backwards again. All because of this silly and confusing letter.

@pheebumbalatti

Unless the fine is from a police force or magistrates I'd just ignore it. They can't do anything. Send a "cease and desist" reply if they continue to ask for money.

Do not do this.

You will end up in County court and get another mark on your credit file, and a larger repayment too.

Also, an second thought after looking again this morning.

You say you've been bankrupt. If this is an old parking charge it could well have been a debt that was part of your bankruptcy, in which case you may no longer be liable -- I know that court fines, for example, do survive bankruptcy but while I don't know about private parking charges I don't see why they should.

[quote Anyscrapiron]Just a little link for @MrsFin, incase your curious at almost 5:30am

www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/insure-a-car-you-dont-own/[/quote]

Well, every day is a learning day!

If you have an accident in a car you have insurance for, but don't own, and make a claim, how is it mandated that the money paid out for the claim actually goes towards the repair of the car? And that the owner isn't left high and dry.
How would the owner get a temporary hire car if the accident wasn't dealt with under her/his insurance?
I think allowing someone to take out insurance on your car must be fraught with risks - much simpler and less risky to add them to your own insurance

@TalbotAMan that is a very good point. If this debt stems from before you were made bankrupt then it falls within your bankruptcy and they can’t chase you for it. If this is the case then just send them a letter giving them your bankruptcy details and tell them to swivel.

[quote ElGuardiandenoche]@TalbotAMan that is a very good point. If this debt stems from before you were made bankrupt then it falls within your bankruptcy and they can’t chase you for it. If this is the case then just send them a letter giving them your bankruptcy details and tell them to swivel.[/quote]
Oh wow, so my bankruptcy might actually work in my favour, for the first time ever?
I plan to tackle this first thing Monday, and will keep the thread updated.