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Hi there, I could really do with some advice. Here are the facts
1. I received a fine for not paying the Congestion charge, I did not recall getting the letters so when I received a hand delivered letter from JBW asking for £268.84 as they had visited but I was out I filled an stat dec which was refused.
2. When I received the notification of the refusal I did nothing until I received another letter (posted) from JBW saying they now wanted paying. This was on the 20th of April. I called them the same day to say I could pay them on the Monday (23rd)as I would have funds available.
3. On the 21st (Sat morning) a baliff turned up saying I now owed £550.84. I explained I had spoken to his office the day before and offered to pay in full on the 23rd. He wasn't bothered but eventually left without doing anything.
4. I then sent in an SAR as I wanted to prove that I had made an offer to pay and they where simply ramping up charges.
5. On the 13th of this month two Bailiffs turned up, climbed over a 6ft gate and clamped the car. They then banged on the door so loudly that my wife and children where terrified. I was not in but spoke to them on the phone and explained I had still not received the SAR and that my wife, a teacher needed to get her and the children to school, they eventually un-clamped it and said nothing would be done for 10 days. Lo and behold when I got home there in the post was the SAR but missing any phone transcripts and including only one screen shot and very little info.
6. The following day they came back and clamped the car without waking us, I immediately called JBW and spoke to someone in their call centre ( you cant speak to customer services or any managers). I asked them to confirm the call was being recorded then asked why they hadn't complied to the SAR as it was incomplete, they agreed to send the additional info including phone transcripts, they would not say how long it would take. I followed this up with a detailed email explaining my grievance and that I would complain to the local ombudsman, TFL and the court that licensed the Bailiff
7. The same day I called the Baliffs and they came back, I didn't let them onto my property but calmly discussed the case with them. They denied having said we had ten days to sort it out and maintained the clamp would stay until the full balance of £879.64 was paid ( this now included a fee of £46.20 for sending a letter!). I explained that their company had failed to comply to the terms of the SAR and had admitted as much on tape but they failed to grasp/care about this. They also said they had called the police as I had threatened to cut off the clamp, I didn't and I checked with the local police station ( I live in a very rural location) who confirmed they hadn't received a call. They also said they had called for the car to be removed, I explained that the car has more than 50% finance on it and proved it to them and that they could not break down my locked gates to get a transporter in to remove it, I suspect they where just bluffing.
I have since called JBW asking when the outstanding info will be supplied but they will not say, I have also informed the Baliff and asked if he can help speed it up ( fat chance). Is there anything else I can do?.
As I final note when I went to check the car I noticed the clamp hadn't been put through the suspension arm so I jacked the car up and the clamp just fell off. I have carefully stored it so they can't say it has been damaged in any way.
All advice gratefully received.
1. I received a fine for not paying the Congestion charge, I did not recall getting the letters so when I received a hand delivered letter from JBW asking for £268.84 as they had visited but I was out I filled an stat dec which was refused.
2. When I received the notification of the refusal I did nothing until I received another letter (posted) from JBW saying they now wanted paying. This was on the 20th of April. I called them the same day to say I could pay them on the Monday (23rd)as I would have funds available.
3. On the 21st (Sat morning) a baliff turned up saying I now owed £550.84. I explained I had spoken to his office the day before and offered to pay in full on the 23rd. He wasn't bothered but eventually left without doing anything.
4. I then sent in an SAR as I wanted to prove that I had made an offer to pay and they where simply ramping up charges.
5. On the 13th of this month two Bailiffs turned up, climbed over a 6ft gate and clamped the car. They then banged on the door so loudly that my wife and children where terrified. I was not in but spoke to them on the phone and explained I had still not received the SAR and that my wife, a teacher needed to get her and the children to school, they eventually un-clamped it and said nothing would be done for 10 days. Lo and behold when I got home there in the post was the SAR but missing any phone transcripts and including only one screen shot and very little info.
6. The following day they came back and clamped the car without waking us, I immediately called JBW and spoke to someone in their call centre ( you cant speak to customer services or any managers). I asked them to confirm the call was being recorded then asked why they hadn't complied to the SAR as it was incomplete, they agreed to send the additional info including phone transcripts, they would not say how long it would take. I followed this up with a detailed email explaining my grievance and that I would complain to the local ombudsman, TFL and the court that licensed the Bailiff
7. The same day I called the Baliffs and they came back, I didn't let them onto my property but calmly discussed the case with them. They denied having said we had ten days to sort it out and maintained the clamp would stay until the full balance of £879.64 was paid ( this now included a fee of £46.20 for sending a letter!). I explained that their company had failed to comply to the terms of the SAR and had admitted as much on tape but they failed to grasp/care about this. They also said they had called the police as I had threatened to cut off the clamp, I didn't and I checked with the local police station ( I live in a very rural location) who confirmed they hadn't received a call. They also said they had called for the car to be removed, I explained that the car has more than 50% finance on it and proved it to them and that they could not break down my locked gates to get a transporter in to remove it, I suspect they where just bluffing.
I have since called JBW asking when the outstanding info will be supplied but they will not say, I have also informed the Baliff and asked if he can help speed it up ( fat chance). Is there anything else I can do?.
As I final note when I went to check the car I noticed the clamp hadn't been put through the suspension arm so I jacked the car up and the clamp just fell off. I have carefully stored it so they can't say it has been damaged in any way.
All advice gratefully received.
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