HELP... bailifs letter !!!
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Discussion

crackthatoff

Original Poster:

3,314 posts

244 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Just recieved a letter from a debt recovery service to tell me If iI don't pay then expect the balifs in the next 7 days ! eek

Apparently I owe money from some sort of parking violation in stratford upon avon in my yellow 02 reg honda 2 dr coupe.

no i have never been anywere down south nor do I own or ever have owned a yellow honda....... WTF ?

so she asked me to send my reg doc for my current car.... why? or why should I, you could be anyone I said !
and also why should i run around spending my time trying to prove I have never had said car, probably just cost me a quid ringing you up now!
she has put a comment on their account and expects me to ring the dvla to get a letter sent to me confirming that i have never owned said car !
then i must write a letter stating this and send that along with the dvla letter, before the balifs arrive (assuming the dvla send said letter in less than 7 days)...... how the hell is this legal?
and also the name of my business is on the letter head not my name indicating that they are just poking around in the dark.

any advice any one ?

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Ignore it.

Without court authority bailiffs have little power.

They wont go to court over this.

Ergo you have nothing to worry about.

lotisi

219 posts

246 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
B@st@rds, I've had something similar, unfortunately I can't offer any useful advice as I haven't managed to sort my own out yet. Good luck

L14MNV

160 posts

230 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Let them carry out the investigation into who ownes the car.

It's not your problem.

Timsta

2,779 posts

277 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Don't phone them! Everything in writing.

Write to them, registered post, telling them you have never owned that car and you'll see them in court.

They can't send bailiffs without a court order.

crackthatoff

Original Poster:

3,314 posts

244 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Ignore it.

Without court authority bailiffs have little power.

They wont go to court over this.

Ergo you have nothing to worry about.
you sure? this kind of thing is really crap, also will the house be blacklisted or anything?

Timsta

2,779 posts

277 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
crackthatoff said:
Plotloss said:
Ignore it.

Without court authority bailiffs have little power.

They wont go to court over this.

Ergo you have nothing to worry about.
you sure? this kind of thing is really crap, also will the house be blacklisted or anything?
Don't worry about blacklisting, you can cross that bridge if you come to it. Basically, they can't blacklist you or the house. It contravenes the Data Protection Act as the data isn't accurate.

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Nah, to affect your credit rating they'd have to get a CCJ which you'd have to ignore, they wont go to court, they wont even go to court when they know who owns the car. Parking enforcement is a scam that operates on peoples lack of understanding of the law.

Richard C

1,685 posts

288 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Crackthatoff - I'd suggest you write a single letter setting out the facts, suggesting they check them themselves as it is not your obligation to prove otherwise and that you are not a creditor.

Warn them that if they fail to do this and call you again, there in any case a number of laws that protect people who actually are in debt from unreasonable behaviour from creditors or their agents, namely, Section 40 of The Administration of Justice Act 1970 and specifically, The Protection from Harassment Act 1997. It is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE if a creditor or their agent makes demands for money in such a manner that it causes the debtor or his/her family, alarm, distress or humiliation. Specifically, harassment is a criminal offence under Section 2 of The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and punishment on conviction, is six months' imprisonment and/or a level 5 fine (up to £5,000).

This link.... is useful

Trax

1,601 posts

263 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Some good advice above.

On another note, are they pursuing as a result of a council issued parking ticket, or a private one?

If a private one then you have nothing to worry, just send them a letter with a brief outline re never been, never owned car, good bye.

If its council, then, well, really the same to be honest, its just that the council pursuid ones are real, and tend to go to court if they have a case, whereas the private ones dont, as it is contract law etc, so they are not really puruable even if you did own the car and could have done the offence.

crackthatoff

Original Poster:

3,314 posts

244 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Trax said:
Some good advice above.

On another note, are they pursuing as a result of a council issued parking ticket, or a private one?

If a private one then you have nothing to worry, just send them a letter with a brief outline re never been, never owned car, good bye.

If its council, then, well, really the same to be honest, its just that the council pursuid ones are real, and tend to go to court if they have a case, whereas the private ones dont, as it is contract law etc, so they are not really puruable even if you did own the car and could have done the offence.
yes its a council one apparently, its bloody infuriating, i should be billing them for my time !

Plotloss

67,280 posts

301 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Ahh if its council then write a letter stating its not your car, dont do what they ask re DVLA just respond by letter firmly stating that its not your car, you've never owned such a car and have never been to the place where the offence was committed.

Mr2Mike

20,143 posts

286 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Cloned plates perhaps?

whyohwhy

280 posts

243 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
This isn't Newlynn is it. I had a problem with them where they just got the address wrong and sent a balliff round to my house. Mrs Whyohwhy in tears as letter said they would come back and remove goods whether we were there or not.

The fact that they didn't have a court order or a leg to stand on didn't bother their call centre staff.

In the end got so fed up with them I found out who their MD was and called/wrote to him directly until I got a written apology.

Don't take rubbish from these people they are bullies.

fluffnik

20,156 posts

258 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
crackthatoff said:
any advice any one ?
Bill them for your time.

fluffnik

20,156 posts

258 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
whyohwhy said:
This isn't Newlynn is it. I had a problem with them where they just got the address wrong and sent a balliff round to my house. Mrs Whyohwhy in tears as letter said they would come back and remove goods whether we were there or not.

The fact that they didn't have a court order or a leg to stand on didn't bother their call centre staff.

In the end got so fed up with them I found out who their MD was and called/wrote to him directly until I got a written apology.

Don't take rubbish from these people they are bullies.
Sounds like demanding money with menaces to me. A police complaint is in order.

JustinP1

13,363 posts

261 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Plotloss said:
Nah, to affect your credit rating they'd have to get a CCJ which you'd have to ignore, they wont go to court, they wont even go to court when they know who owns the car. Parking enforcement is a scam that operates on peoples lack of understanding of the law.
Also to affect a credit rating the information given must be in relation to a credit account. There is no credit account in place so don't worry about that.

Slaav

4,376 posts

241 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
fluffnik said:
crackthatoff said:
any advice any one ?
Bill them for your time.
I second this. Do all of the above; ie write to them denying everything and mention that as their data is incorrect and they are in effect purusing an unlawful and possibly vexatious claim against you that you will be handing the matter over to a lawyer who will pusue them for full costs in defending their claim. Be firm, polite and succint. Don't rant at them.

Make it very clear that the lawyer is not a threat but you do not wish to get embroiled in an inaccurate and unlawful demand for money and mention the hourly rate of your local lawyer.

I would also mention that in the event that they are 100% convinced of the accuracy of their info and data, then you strongly encourage them to pursue you but you will still be engaging the aforementioned lawyer. Should work a treat! Good Luck.

ps - The lawyer/costs thing even works with Westminster and K&C over parking fines etc. (provided you are not trying to blag it)

Jasandjules

72,680 posts

260 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
fluffnik said:
crackthatoff said:
any advice any one ?
Bill them for your time.
Agreed.

And on the letter you send them, advise that any future communications will be charged at x rate, and your hourly rate is x as well.

GreenV8S

31,027 posts

315 months

Wednesday 31st October 2007
quotequote all
Richard C said:
This link.... is useful
Definitely have a careful read through that article.

The most significant points are:

(1) It is a CRIMINAL OFFENCE if a creditor or their agent makes demands for money in such a manner that it causes the debtor or his/her family, alarm, distress or humiliation. Bailifs routinely try to intimidate people into paying, but this is illegal.

(2) Civilian bailifs have no right to enter your house. However, once you have let them in for any reason they are allowed to force entry to get back in to remove goods. Don't let them in for any reason - use the phone, use your toilet, sit down for a chat, anything. Under no circumstances let them in. Doors and ground floor windows to be kept closed and locked at all times.