Discussion
As you can tell by the title I was clamped tonight... 
What happened is that I work at Domino's as a delivery driver for the evenings and weekends while I do my apprenticeship, pulled up tonight after doing a delivery, run in and grab another delivery when I came out the car had a clamp on and had blocked me in and would not let me go and get my things.
So I phoned up straight away my father who is a solicitor who came down to try and smooth things over and get the clamp removed, when he got there they would not listen to him then two more 'guys' got out another van and surrounded him in trying to intimidate him, then pushed him a few times!
So we gave in, said I'll go and get a credit card but had to come home to get it, so told them and they we're like if the truck gets here it's being taken, so while I was away the truck arrived, my father warned them not to touch the car as it's to low to go on the tow truck but totally ignored him, so they proceeded in putting the car on the tow truck and ended up ripping the front bumper clean off the car and has caused some sort of damage to the underside of the car as oil pissed out everywhere FFS!!
Then they just went and took the car, they are asked for.......
Clamp - £125
Truck - £245
Waiting- 160
Abuse - £80
Then to add insult they have added a overnight storage fee of...... £3000
So as you can imagine I am totally f
ked off!!
Oh and this company is not a member of the SIA to they are operating illegally as well.
We also contacted the Police station down the road because of the threatening behaviour and the abuse, as well as what was happening and they said tuff basically
Need help and loads of it!
What happened is that I work at Domino's as a delivery driver for the evenings and weekends while I do my apprenticeship, pulled up tonight after doing a delivery, run in and grab another delivery when I came out the car had a clamp on and had blocked me in and would not let me go and get my things.
So I phoned up straight away my father who is a solicitor who came down to try and smooth things over and get the clamp removed, when he got there they would not listen to him then two more 'guys' got out another van and surrounded him in trying to intimidate him, then pushed him a few times!
So we gave in, said I'll go and get a credit card but had to come home to get it, so told them and they we're like if the truck gets here it's being taken, so while I was away the truck arrived, my father warned them not to touch the car as it's to low to go on the tow truck but totally ignored him, so they proceeded in putting the car on the tow truck and ended up ripping the front bumper clean off the car and has caused some sort of damage to the underside of the car as oil pissed out everywhere FFS!!
Then they just went and took the car, they are asked for.......
Clamp - £125
Truck - £245
Waiting- 160
Abuse - £80
Then to add insult they have added a overnight storage fee of...... £3000
So as you can imagine I am totally f
ked off!!Oh and this company is not a member of the SIA to they are operating illegally as well.
We also contacted the Police station down the road because of the threatening behaviour and the abuse, as well as what was happening and they said tuff basically
Need help and loads of it!
Sounds like you have run into the very people who are responsible for the law being changed. We all certainly need to be extra careful in these last days of the legalised theft on show here.
As for your own situation, all you can do is get in touch with an expert solicitor. I would suspect the clampers are playing games by dreaming up this bill for close to 4,000 pounds, so that you will think paying 500 quid + forgetting the damage to the car is a good deal for you.
If possible, I'd take them for every penny you can. But as wounded animals now, on the way to extinction, I really would not fancy my chances, sadly
As for your own situation, all you can do is get in touch with an expert solicitor. I would suspect the clampers are playing games by dreaming up this bill for close to 4,000 pounds, so that you will think paying 500 quid + forgetting the damage to the car is a good deal for you.
If possible, I'd take them for every penny you can. But as wounded animals now, on the way to extinction, I really would not fancy my chances, sadly
From their web site. http://lbsenforcementltd.com/default.aspx
"Our team are courteous and approachable and carry their SIA license badges at all times."
"Our team are courteous and approachable and carry their SIA license badges at all times."
You and your father must report the assault and criminal damage to the police now.
In the case as described, a charge of blackmail (s21 Theft Act 1968) might also be open, in that they made an unwarranted demand with menaces. To avoid conviction, they would need to show that they believed that (1) they had reasonable grounds for making the demand and (2) that the use of the menaces was a proper means of reinforcing the demand. I would suggest that, whilst the first test might be satisfied in principle (but I also suggest that the amount charged could be factored in), the second test would be hard for a jury to swallow.
Streaky
In the case as described, a charge of blackmail (s21 Theft Act 1968) might also be open, in that they made an unwarranted demand with menaces. To avoid conviction, they would need to show that they believed that (1) they had reasonable grounds for making the demand and (2) that the use of the menaces was a proper means of reinforcing the demand. I would suggest that, whilst the first test might be satisfied in principle (but I also suggest that the amount charged could be factored in), the second test would be hard for a jury to swallow.
Streaky
streaky said:
You and your father must report the assault and criminal damage to the police now.
In the case as described, a charge of blackmail (s21 Theft Act 1968) might also be open, in that they made an unwarranted demand with menaces. To avoid conviction, they would need to show that they believed that (1) they had reasonable grounds for making the demand and (2) that the use of the menaces was a proper means of reinforcing the demand. I would suggest that, whilst the first test might be satisfied in principle (but I also suggest that the amount charged could be factored in), the second test would be hard for a jury to swallow.
Streaky
In theory maybe, but we both know any report of anything stemming from a clampers will not be looked at.In the case as described, a charge of blackmail (s21 Theft Act 1968) might also be open, in that they made an unwarranted demand with menaces. To avoid conviction, they would need to show that they believed that (1) they had reasonable grounds for making the demand and (2) that the use of the menaces was a proper means of reinforcing the demand. I would suggest that, whilst the first test might be satisfied in principle (but I also suggest that the amount charged could be factored in), the second test would be hard for a jury to swallow.
Streaky
Dizeee said:
Is this outrage still going on?
Before anyone starts, the police will not get involved.
I repeat - THE POLICE WILL NOT GET INVOLVED - IT IS A CIVIL DISPUTE.
You have to go through the small claims court or high court, or sort it with the clampers.
Shocking story though.
What about if the OP makes an assault allegation?Before anyone starts, the police will not get involved.
I repeat - THE POLICE WILL NOT GET INVOLVED - IT IS A CIVIL DISPUTE.
You have to go through the small claims court or high court, or sort it with the clampers.
Shocking story though.
Dizeee said:
Is this outrage still going on?
Before anyone starts, the police will not get involved.
I repeat - THE POLICE WILL NOT GET INVOLVED - IT IS A CIVIL DISPUTE.
You have to go through the small claims court or high court, or sort it with the clampers. Shocking story though.
Why not, they have clearly stolen the car?Before anyone starts, the police will not get involved.
I repeat - THE POLICE WILL NOT GET INVOLVED - IT IS A CIVIL DISPUTE.
You have to go through the small claims court or high court, or sort it with the clampers. Shocking story though.
Go to town mate - Assault, Criminal Damage, intimidation, and Blackmail. If there are no obvious signs up, or you didn't see them, you can also go for trespass on the car and get the initial clamping overturned. AIUI there's case law precedent that something around £140 would be a reasonable release fee if and only if you can be assumed to have read and understood any warning notices and that the organisation is licenced. In the case of LBS you say they aren't - not sure how that would be enforceable.
However after all that, LBS won't refund you anyway, they owe thousands to others in this situation, so if you do pay, do it by CC, get your car back immediately then claim the money back from the CC company as mentioned above.
ETA - you can also take action against the landlord employing them, because the landlord can be done for 6 months (if memory serves) for employing unlicensed operators ... or maybe I'm mis-remembering.
However after all that, LBS won't refund you anyway, they owe thousands to others in this situation, so if you do pay, do it by CC, get your car back immediately then claim the money back from the CC company as mentioned above.
ETA - you can also take action against the landlord employing them, because the landlord can be done for 6 months (if memory serves) for employing unlicensed operators ... or maybe I'm mis-remembering.
Edited by masermartin on Thursday 9th September 07:38
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