Rogue Clampers?
Discussion
Woke up to a claw style wheel clamp attached attached to my wife's car, with the following note:
Car is taxed, insured and MOT'd. I removed the wheel and fitted the space saver and wife is on her way. Got the wheel and clamp at home. The clamp actually came off super easy, so will refit original wheel when she gets home.
Seems super odd - no mention of the nature of the outstanding payment? Is this is a scam? Can I check for outstanding tickets anywhere?
Any advice much appreciated!
Car is taxed, insured and MOT'd. I removed the wheel and fitted the space saver and wife is on her way. Got the wheel and clamp at home. The clamp actually came off super easy, so will refit original wheel when she gets home.
Seems super odd - no mention of the nature of the outstanding payment? Is this is a scam? Can I check for outstanding tickets anywhere?
Any advice much appreciated!
Tommo87 said:
Clamping cars for parking on private land doesn’t happen anymore, so this must be something else.
Has your wife run up some unpaid bills and not told you?
Seems incredibly unlikely, we've not had any letter or anything, and I tend to pick up the mail as I'm an early riser. It was parked on the street (residents permit) so they didn't come on to private land to clamp it.Has your wife run up some unpaid bills and not told you?
They have taken control of 'goods' so in theory they have a court order for a debt to do so.
Council tax, parking fines is common for Marstons, without calling them and finding out you don't know.
I am told they can take action if you remove but I am not sure if that's true if you don't damage the clamp but I have heard they report you to the police for criminal damage if you take the clamp off.
Why would you not want to speak to them and find out the information around why they think you owe monies and why they have taken control of your goods.
Council tax, parking fines is common for Marstons, without calling them and finding out you don't know.
I am told they can take action if you remove but I am not sure if that's true if you don't damage the clamp but I have heard they report you to the police for criminal damage if you take the clamp off.
Why would you not want to speak to them and find out the information around why they think you owe monies and why they have taken control of your goods.
shalmaneser said:
Haven't phoned yet, thought it best to bide my time before getting in contact. It's just some guys mobile number, not an office or anything...
Yeh thats how enforcement agents work, there is an office number to call.Never seen one where the reference is your car reg, should have a debt number.
Any chance you moved or had the car registered at another address? As i think thus going to be a £400 bill for a simple parking fine!
Responder.First said:
I am told they can take action if you remove but I am not sure if that's true if you don't damage the clamp but I have heard they report you to the police for criminal damage if you take the clamp off.
If I removed a clamp and they came to me asking about it I’d just deny all knowledge. “Someone must have stolen it, mate”. Responder.First said:
They have taken control of 'goods' so in theory they have a court order for a debt to do so.
Council tax, parking fines is common for Marstons, without calling them and finding out you don't know.
I am told they can take action if you remove but I am not sure if that's true if you don't damage the clamp but I have heard they report you to the police for criminal damage if you take the clamp off.
Why would you not want to speak to them and find out the information around why they think you owe monies and why they have taken control of your goods.
If they're legit then I'm obviously happy to speak to them. If not then I would much rather they don't have my contact details. Looks like they're legit so will give them a ring.Council tax, parking fines is common for Marstons, without calling them and finding out you don't know.
I am told they can take action if you remove but I am not sure if that's true if you don't damage the clamp but I have heard they report you to the police for criminal damage if you take the clamp off.
Why would you not want to speak to them and find out the information around why they think you owe monies and why they have taken control of your goods.
Seems odd that they've used a 'device' which is easy to remove.
Being a suspicious type, I wonder if the 'notice' has been moved from another car?
It would be very naughty of the OP to put the device on some random car at Council HQ.....
AIUI, there is a whole world of 'process' for clamping cars, I think someone's leg is being pulled if it's not an eleborate identity theft with letters going astray.
Time to check credit scores and everything like that?
Being a suspicious type, I wonder if the 'notice' has been moved from another car?
It would be very naughty of the OP to put the device on some random car at Council HQ.....
AIUI, there is a whole world of 'process' for clamping cars, I think someone's leg is being pulled if it's not an eleborate identity theft with letters going astray.
Time to check credit scores and everything like that?
I moved into a rental house back in 2016 and almost immediately started getting hassle from a Debt recovery company over money due from not the last tenant, who had been there 2 years but the one before him.
Frankly it was horrible. They refused to believe that I wasn't HER (I'm a HE) and there were standoffs on the front door, constant phone calls, which went on even after I got the woman's new address and letters from my landlord to prove I'd just moved in.
She had moved to Europe so couldn't be touched, or they couldn't be arsed.
Continued to harass me for months. Police weren't interested, as usual, but told me that if I left a window open the Debt company had a right to enter my property and take my possessions. Fekin joke.
In the end the debt company reckoned the woman was my partner and kept up the phone calls for a few more weeks. Luckily it then just stopped.
I hope this isn't the same scenario for you OP.
Best of luck.
Frankly it was horrible. They refused to believe that I wasn't HER (I'm a HE) and there were standoffs on the front door, constant phone calls, which went on even after I got the woman's new address and letters from my landlord to prove I'd just moved in.
She had moved to Europe so couldn't be touched, or they couldn't be arsed.
Continued to harass me for months. Police weren't interested, as usual, but told me that if I left a window open the Debt company had a right to enter my property and take my possessions. Fekin joke.
In the end the debt company reckoned the woman was my partner and kept up the phone calls for a few more weeks. Luckily it then just stopped.
I hope this isn't the same scenario for you OP.
Best of luck.
martinbiz said:
Where does it mention that it's anything to do with the council?
It can't due to GDPR but the Marston are a known bailiffs who work primarily for local authorities, this will almost certainly be a parking or other council fine.There are very few instances when a car can be clamped now otherwise.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff