Italian Speeding Fine UK debt collection agency

[BlackCup]

Had two small fines for driving in a restricted area of a town 3-4 years ago in a hire car when looking for parking- genuine mistake, went round the same bit twice hence the 2 fines.
Few months later got a charge to my credit card for them, found an email in junk saying as much for £250ish. Thought that was the end of it.
Today received a “Notice of Collection Proceedings” from Waters & Gate for £718.52. Their client is the Province of Pisa, it gives a reg of (I presume) the hire car but nothing else- no dates etc just it’s relating to vehicle infringements.

Says
“ do not ignore this letter
Legal action may be taken against you
Failure to pay could result in further action “

Lots of offers on how to pay etc...

Don’t fancy going back to Pisa to be honest, where do I stand legally? Can I just ignore it and I presume the next half a dozen letters?

Thanks in advance
Matt

[MB140]

Sounds like some UK debt collection agency has bought a load of foreign debt to try and scare people it to paying. I can’t see the Italians still being interested. I’m sure they will have just sold it on.

Sorry I can’t advise but I’m in to see how this goes.

[silverfoxcc]

I can become a debt collection agency

Send letters out to people who other people think that they owe them some money

Knock on door /send letter asking them to pay it I can pad the letter out with the words may/could/might That is all i can do in law....nothing else

You as the opener of the door or letter, just tells me that the debt is denied and to refer back to the person who sent them

HOWEVER if a court bailiff appears on my doorstep just ask him how high he wants you to jump and do it. These guys can clear out a house quicker than a caravan owner can. The difrence is they are doing it legally

[A1VDY]

How would a foreign debt stand up in court if the defendant initially refused to pay on the doorstep I wonder..

[Who me ?]

Might be worth a look on here for advice and templates
https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/topic/417580...

[Pericoloso]

Thread title says speeding fine...nope !

You entered a ZTL ,zona traffico limitato ,which sometimes are poorly sign posted and entering them is far too easy

for those unfamiliar with the area.

[Boosted LS1]

Where is the UK contract? Let them take you to the small claims Ct.

[BlackCup]

Apologies yes it wasn’t a speeding fine, just passing through the restricted area bit- apparently Florence issue around a thousand a day so I’m sure they know what they’re doing.
I appreciate I should have paid the fine directly but it’s hardly murdering kittens! Just hoping it goes away in time...

Thanks for the help everyone, I’ll check out the template.

Cheers, Matt

[george123]

BlackCup said:

Had two small fines for driving in a restricted area of a town 3-4 years ago in a hire car when looking for parking- genuine mistake, went round the same bit twice hence the 2 fines.
Few months later got a charge to my credit card for them, found an email in junk saying as much for £250ish. Thought that was the end of it.
Today received a “Notice of Collection Proceedings” from Waters & Gate for £718.52. Their client is the Province of Pisa, it gives a reg of (I presume) the hire car but nothing else- no dates etc just it’s relating to vehicle infringements.

Says
“ do not ignore this letter
Legal action may be taken against you
Failure to pay could result in further action “

Lots of offers on how to pay etc...

Don’t fancy going back to Pisa to be honest, where do I stand legally? Can I just ignore it and I presume the next half a dozen letters?

Thanks in advance
Matt

I recently had exactly the same letter from W&G for entering the centre of Turin around 4 years ago, similar to your mistake. As said above, they just buy the debt and try and scare you into paying.

Google 3 letter process and download the letters and follow the process. They'll then bugger off. I received a reply to my 2nd letter stating the debt had been passed back to the original debtor and nothing to do with W&G anymore, never heard from them again ...this was last year. Don't think about calling them or engaging with them in other way.

Here's the process I followed:

https://www.clearyourdebts.co.uk/debt-collectors/3...

[blueg33]

george123 said:

BlackCup said:

Had two small fines for driving in a restricted area of a town 3-4 years ago in a hire car when looking for parking- genuine mistake, went round the same bit twice hence the 2 fines.
Few months later got a charge to my credit card for them, found an email in junk saying as much for £250ish. Thought that was the end of it.
Today received a “Notice of Collection Proceedings” from Waters & Gate for £718.52. Their client is the Province of Pisa, it gives a reg of (I presume) the hire car but nothing else- no dates etc just it’s relating to vehicle infringements.

Says
“ do not ignore this letter
Legal action may be taken against you
Failure to pay could result in further action “

Lots of offers on how to pay etc...

Don’t fancy going back to Pisa to be honest, where do I stand legally? Can I just ignore it and I presume the next half a dozen letters?

Thanks in advance
Matt

I recently had exactly the same letter from W&G for entering the centre of Turin around 4 years ago, similar to your mistake. As said above, they just buy the debt and try and scare you into paying.

Google 3 letter process and download the letters and follow the process. They'll then bugger off. I received a reply to my 2nd letter stating the debt had been passed back to the original debtor and nothing to do with W&G anymore, never heard from them again ...this was last year. Don't think about calling them or engaging with them in other way.

Here's the process I followed:

https://www.clearyourdebts.co.uk/debt-collectors/3...

I'm not convinced by those letters they look a bit like pseudo law to me, although I accept that they may work. In particular you can't make someone liable for fees purely because they did not respond. Otherwise I could write a letter giving someone 10 days to respond or they would then owe me £10m for my hurt feelings. Clearly this wouldn't stand up in court.

[S11Steve]

Bumping this up as it is now featuring high on google searches.

W&G have NOT bought the debt, nor has the debt been assigned to them. They simply have a letter of authority from the Italian agencies to contact registered keepers.
They have no authority to enforce on this, and they word their correspondence quite vague but very similar to more formal notifications. Letter Before Collection is intended to sound like "Letter Before Claim" etc.



(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

[SS2.]

S11Steve said:

I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads..

Fully understandable, but it's a shame - your input into those threads was extremely helpful both to those needing help, and those looking to learn.

[Psycho Warren]

S11Steve said:

(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Have you upset the mods with your advice or something?

Cant see parking companies being able to touch you over internet forum advice - legal or otherwise.

[martinbiz]

BlackCup said:

Had two small fines for driving in a restricted area of a town 3-4 years ago in a hire car when looking for parking- genuine mistake, went round the same bit twice hence the 2 fines.
Few months later got a charge to my credit card for them, found an email in junk saying as much for £250ish. Thought that was the end of it.
Today received a “Notice of Collection Proceedings” from Waters & Gate for £718.52. Their client is the Province of Pisa, it gives a reg of (I presume) the hire car but nothing else- no dates etc just it’s relating to vehicle infringements.

Says
“ do not ignore this letter
Legal action may be taken against you
Failure to pay could result in further action “

Lots of offers on how to pay etc...

Don’t fancy going back to Pisa to be honest, where do I stand legally? Can I just ignore it and I presume the next half a dozen letters?

Thanks in advance
Matt

What was the charge on your credit card for, was it from the hire company?

[S11Steve]

Psycho Warren said:

S11Steve said:

(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Have you upset the mods with your advice or something?

Cant see parking companies being able to touch you over internet forum advice - legal or otherwise.

Nothing to do with PH or their Mod team, but I need to mindful of my workload and how it could dramatically increase if certain people take a disliking to what I post.

[MB140]

S11Steve said:

Bumping this up as it is now featuring high on google searches.

W&G have NOT bought the debt, nor has the debt been assigned to them. They simply have a letter of authority from the Italian agencies to contact registered keepers.
They have no authority to enforce on this, and they word their correspondence quite vague but very similar to more formal notifications. Letter Before Collection is intended to sound like "Letter Before Claim" etc.



(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Cheers S11steve, I was starting to wonder where you were. You always offer good advice on the private parking firms. You should be good at it with the amount you seem to deal with in your working life.

Shame but I understand it could impact your work life. Either way there are enough resources online to help fight these parasites.

Edited by MB140 on Wednesday 29th July 16:18

[Bathroom_Security]

S11Steve said:

(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Have you been bullied by the PPC operators like those on MSE were?

[S11Steve]

Bathroom_Security said:

S11Steve said:

(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Have you been bullied by the PPC operators like those on MSE were?

I'm not really one to succumb to bullying, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valour....!

I'm happy to do what I do on a personal basis, and my employers know that I have have helped many people besides our customers with these but if there is a risk that it could negatively impact my employers, then I do have to be sensible.

[TheOversteerLever]

I had a similar thing a few years ago whilst in Rome. After just picking our hire car up, we drove down a strangely quiet road and only noticed the restriction signs when we stopped at the lights.

The hire car company charged me for having to pass my details on to the authorities (can't remember how much).

About a year later, I received a couple of letters from the exact same company as you and each time their wording and threats were getting more aggressive. They were almost laughable with pretty poor wording.

I ignored them. Not heard anything from them for over a year now.

My advice - ignore them.

[Oilchange]

S11Steve said:

(Also, I know I'm being watched on what I post online in regards to private parking matters, so I'm otherwise keeping out of the parking threads)

Interesting that you suspect being watched. I posted some stuff on Pepipoo regarding what was imho an attempt to extort money from me via a Parking company and one of the respondees, shall we say, asked some VERY leading questions...