I have been having a read through the forums and there is a lot of useful advice relating to VCS/BWLegal and their various pressure tactics. I am attempting seek some advice as I am unsure how best to repsond to a final notice letter as I feel that if it goes to court VCS are technically correct in that I was stopped where they claim I was. So far I have appealed to VCS and an IAS, both of which were refused, but I think that in those appeals I am more or less admitting liability. After the IAS appeal I ignored the subsequent VCS letter and then responded to the intials BW Legal letter. I have now (22/8) received a Final Notice which, upon forum searches, I can see is a standard letter, but I don't know where to go from here. I have received some pointers/advice on the pepipoo forum but nothing seems to relate to anything similar to my case. FWIW I have listed the correspondence to date below.
My Initial Response to the PCN
I subsequently appealed online to an IAS and this was also denied. After ignoring a further VCS letter I received this from BW Legal
https://archive.org/download/bwlegal...al_initial.jpg
And my response was
And in response they then sent this which seems to be a standard template letter
https://archive.org/download/bwlegal/bwlegal.jpg
So, where do I go from here?
My Initial Response to the PCN
You issued me with a parking charge notice on 22nd January 2016 but I believe it was unfairly issued. I will not be paying your demand for payment for the following reason:
Mitigating Circumstances
There are mitigating circumstances to explain why I parked where I did and I am requesting that the charge be waived for this reason.
I was due to attend an interview at premises in the concerned business park. I had already driven completely around the park once in an attempt to locate the entrance to the premises. The vehicle was made stationary whilst I used sat nav (as shown in your second image) to ascertain the correct directions for the entrance to the premises as this was the far safer option than continuing to drive whilst using the sat nav. At no point was the engine switched off and as soon as the correct location was ascertained I moved the vehicle away.
If you choose to pursue me please be aware that I will not enter into any correspondence and this will be the only letter you will receive from me until you respond to the points raised.
Mitigating Circumstances
There are mitigating circumstances to explain why I parked where I did and I am requesting that the charge be waived for this reason.
I was due to attend an interview at premises in the concerned business park. I had already driven completely around the park once in an attempt to locate the entrance to the premises. The vehicle was made stationary whilst I used sat nav (as shown in your second image) to ascertain the correct directions for the entrance to the premises as this was the far safer option than continuing to drive whilst using the sat nav. At no point was the engine switched off and as soon as the correct location was ascertained I moved the vehicle away.
If you choose to pursue me please be aware that I will not enter into any correspondence and this will be the only letter you will receive from me until you respond to the points raised.
https://archive.org/download/bwlegal...al_initial.jpg
And my response was
Regarding your intention to claim £54 for legal services, I refer you to Civil Procedure Rules 27.14 and to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 in which it is made clear you are unable to claim £54 for legal services
If your client intends court proceedings, please provide a properly formatted Letter Before Claim that fully complies with the requirements of the Practice Direction on Pre-action conduct and Protocols. I will then be in a position to provide a more detailed response
If you choose to pursue me please be aware that I will not enter into any correspondence and this will be the only letter you will receive from me until you respond to the points raised.
If your client intends court proceedings, please provide a properly formatted Letter Before Claim that fully complies with the requirements of the Practice Direction on Pre-action conduct and Protocols. I will then be in a position to provide a more detailed response
If you choose to pursue me please be aware that I will not enter into any correspondence and this will be the only letter you will receive from me until you respond to the points raised.
https://archive.org/download/bwlegal/bwlegal.jpg
So, where do I go from here?
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