I received a letter from Civil Enforcemtn Ltd of Liverpool about a long forgotten demand for money from them. They claim to be assigning the debt to a company that has only existed for 2 days at a maildrop address so I had a look at the finances of CEL and other parking companies associated with its sole named director. CEL owes close to a quarter of a million quid and all of the other parking companies and their parent company are also in serious financail do-do. Willem de Beer is the only individually named director of Versatile Parking Ltd, Creative Car Park ltd, Creative Parking Solutions, Park Solve, Star park management (and others) and Creative Technologies and Systems Ltd, the parent of some of these. What they all have in common is a drop in income at oct 2012 of more than 90% and most have current liabilities running into the millions, sometimes on a current turnover of a few hundred quid. their supposed assets are the claimed monies due from the poor sods who fall foul of their self proclaimed rules and consequently several of these companies are now getting adverse credit reports. So, it seems as though there may be a big shake up of the players in the private parking game with a number likely to disappear soon. What gets me is why their banks thought their business model remained sound once clamping and towing were outlawed. They should have seen the signs within a month and pulled the plug then. Ah well, most of these chancers have other companies to keep them busy when these ones give up the ghost. Others have sold on their business interests, I wonder why that was?

Hopefully your stepfather is on the mend - this must have been a very distressing event for all concerned! The company by law do not have to pay anything at all, but from the fourth day must pay SSP at the rate of £86.70 per week - unfortunately it is not a significant amount and will be way below a normal wage. It is payable for up to 28 weeks, after which the qualification for ESA kicks in.

If you read the Penalty Fares Rules you will see that there is written into them the provision that, if you do not successfully appeal, or pay the sum claimed by the notice within 21 days, the TOC may cancel that option and proceed to prosecution of the original offence, which may be: a) Fail to pay the fare and obtain a valid ticket before boarding a train when pre-purchase facilities were available contrary to National Railway Byelaw 18.2 (2005) b) Fail to show a ticket contrary when asked to National Railway Byelaw 18.2 (2005) c) Travel on a railway without having previously paid the fare with intent to avoid payment thereof contrary Section 5.3.s of The Regulation of Railways Act [1889] It is worth remembering that this scenario has been tested by the Magistrates many thousands of times (including several unsuccessful Crown Court Appeals) since Penalty Fares first came into operation in 1989. If you can find a way to land an alternative judgment, I genuinely wish you the best of luck.

Hi again, given that you are such a small organisation can't you all sit down for a 'clear the air' meeting? Is the MD the owner? Surely it would be in his interest, the company's (and yours) to address this issue asap? That might be a persuasive argument to put to the MD? It's not mutiny, you are trying to bring the team together, not fracture it further.

Sorry if this has already been given to you not read the whole thing yet - but this may help you It is a final notice (Fine) from the FSA to D B Mortgages - One of the items was unfair charges - See page 4, paragraph 2.6, Item (3) So it is also against MCOBs rules

If you didn't contact them for the whole period you were out of the country then it's statute barred and you no longer need to pay anything. Once something is statute barred, starting to pay doesn't make any difference, it's still statute barred.

OP, you really must read and understand the requests you make and everything you do in this process. If you don't then you could find yourself in a real pickle if you have to start explaining things you've done or said to a court.