Gordon and Noble impersonate Sheriff's Officers

Gordon and Noble are a firm of debt collectors based in Scotland. They are also Sherrif's Officers, which is the equivalent of bailiff in England.

What they are not allowed to do, however, is mix the two up, and say they are acting as Sherrif's Officers or bailiffs while they are merely debt collecting.

This series of transcripts shows they are flagrantly misinforming people while acting as debt collectors.

Message 1

This is a message for XXX. My name is XXX from Gordon & Noble Sheriff’s officers based in Glasgow. It is quite important you give me a call back as soon as you can please on XXXXX. There is a reference number XXXX

Message 2 

 I don’t know if there’s something wrong with your phone somehow I keep getting cut off. This is a message for XXX. My name is XXX I phoning from Gordon & Noble Sheriff’s Officers based in Glasgow. It’s quite simple we’ve got a parking problem that you’ve got and I need it resolved as soon as possible or we will take legal action. If we take legal action it will just add additional cost to a bill that is obviously difficult as it is. The reference XXXX. It is important you call me back as soon as you can on XXXX. Either cutting me off or hanging up the phone on me is not going to make this go away. A proper conversation in a courteous manner will reconcile the problem. Failing that, we will sue.

Message 3

This is an urgent message for XXXX. My name is XXXX I’m from a company called Gordon & Noble it’s a Sheriffs officer business. The reference number for the case is XXX. It is important you contact us cause this is not going to go away. The next process is to process a writ for court. The phone number is XXXX. If you speak to me we can prevent that from happening. My name is XXX

Message 4

This is an urgent message for XXX. My name is XXX, I’m calling you from a company called Gordon & Noble they’re Sheriff’s Officers based in Glasgow. It’s important somebody contacts me immediately on XXXX. I called a couple of times yesterday and it appeared the phone was getting hung up. I don’t understand this discourtesy at all. So you call me as a matter of urgency on XXXX to try to resolve a serious problem

Message 5

I don’t know if you’re hanging up or whether there’s something wrong with your phone but this is pretty serious. You should even have the courtesy to find out what it’s about. This is a message for XXX. I’m calling from a Sheriff’s officers business based in Glasgow. You know what a Sheriff’s officer is? There is a legal case paper reference XXX. My name is XXX, my phone number is XXX. I’m trying to resolve a problem that you have without taking legal action but it’s no going to go away. Putting the phone down, how discourteous, it’s silly quite frankly, Now I’m here till after 12 o’clock and I strongly suggest you call me and try and sort this out in a reasonable manner cause its certainly not going to go away

Message 6

This is a serious message for XXX. I’ve phoned you half a dozen times and all you ever keep doing is hanging the phone up. I find that ludicrous based upon the fact that (pause) you know (pause) being serious, what do you think happens next? We’ve been asked to contact you in regards to a serious matter that’s not going to go away and we’d really prefer to speak to you and reconcile over the telephone but failing that quite simply we’ll have other recourse to other processes that will only gonna add outstanding money to an already outstanding position. So you know with the greatest of respect putting the phone down, no speaking, no replying, no replying to messages I find that really quite silly on your part. We are trying to help you to reconcile the problem. Failing that..….really ….. I’m quite sure you’re aware what happens next. So if you want to try and call before close of business today. Failing that don’t bother calling….we’ll be in touch. It’s (Phone number) Glasgow. My name is XXX

Message 7

I’m phoning to see when the time will suit you for Sheriff’s officers to come out and see you. My number is XXX. You call me when you have a suitable time and place, thanks

Message 8
 This is a message for XXXX. This is XXX from Gordon & Noble Sheriff’s officers. Why don’t you give us a call please to let us know when you can accept service of a summons erm regarding this eh problem we have? (phone number) as soon as you can please cause I don’t want to send someone out when you’re not in.

Quite simply, the person is pretending to be acting with the authority of a Sherrif's officer while actually acting as a debt collector. As a debt collector, they have no powers to take legal action for an alleged civil debt. That power would lie with the car parking company, UKPC, or the landowner, depending on the contract UKPC has with the landowner.

Sheriff's Officers would also have no interest in 'coming out to see' anyone unless the debt was already proven through the court system, and the threat that a summons has already been issued which now needs to be served is also baffling.

The Prankster therefore advises the following.

As the keeper lives in Scotland, they should robustly remind Gordon & Noble that there is no keeper liability in Scotland.

First Floor
133 Finnieston Street
GLASGOW
G3 8HB

Dear Gordon & Noble,

I am writing to you as registered keeper of the vehicle. The debt is denied; please refer back to the principal, reminding them that the keeper cannot be held liable for private parking charges in Scotland.

They should also contact the Gordon & Noble board. The Prankster suggests writing to the company secretary, Mrs Lorraine Gordon.

Dear Mrs Gordon,

I enclose the following transcripts which show that one of your employees is impersonating a sherrif's officer while actually acting as a debt collector. I assume you will treat this matter as seriously as I have, and will arrange for corrective action. If I am not satisfied with your reply I will report you to the CSA for breaches of the code of practice (y, aa) .

To report to the Credit Services Association, use the forms at http://www.csa-uk.com/#contact

The keeper should also report UKPC to the British Parking Association at aos@britishparking.co.uk

Dear BPA,

Please investigate UKPC for breaches of the Code of Practice. They are using a debt collection agency which is contacting me impersonating a sherrif's officer. I enclose transcripts of various calls made.

It would also be worth registering the information with the police to see if any offences have been caused.

Finally, the Sherrif's Court may well also be interested, and if this is regular occurrence will no doubt be re-evaluating Gordon and Noble's suitability to remain Sherrif's Officers.

Sheriff Clerk's Office,
PO Box 23,
1 Carlton Place,
Glasgow,
G5 9DA

To the Sheriff Clerk.

I enclose transcripts showing that Gordon and Noble employees are impersonating Sheriff's Officers while engaged in debt collecting. Please investigate as appropriate.

Happy Parking

The Parking Prankster