[Update 14/04/2018 Parking Awareness right to reply]
Parking Awareness sent a motorist an invoice for parking which the motorist disagreed was valid. When the motorist did not pay, Parking Awareness sold the alleged debt to rogue debt collectors MIL Collections.
However, Parking Awareness's KADOE contract with the DVLA prevents them from selling on motorists' details without express written permission from the DVLA. Following the Prankster's advice, the motorist wrote to the DVLA and got a letter back confirming they had not asked for permission.
The motorist therefore took out a count court claim against Parking Awareness for £500 for misuse of personal data. They did not contest the case and so paid out £500 plus £35 costs.
The DVLA are now looking into Parking Awareness's dealings with MIL Collections.
Prankster Note
If MIL Collection's have tried to enforce a parking charge against you, and the motorist details were provided by the DVLA, then you may have a valid data protection claim against the parking company, MIL Collections or both. If you are feeling brave, you may also have a claim against the DVLA as they were well aware this abuse was happening but failed to put measures in place to prevent it.
The data protection claim would likely apply whether or not the parking charge was valid and whether or not you paid MIL or even if they achieved a court judgment against you.
However, it is important to properly follow the process and get the wording of any claim correct, which will probably be different depending on circumstances.
Parking Awareness right to reply
Matthew Wild, a director of Parking Awareness Services, has contacted The Prankster to state that the reason they did not defend the claim was that they never received the court papers. Their mail processing company who receive their legal mail had stopped providing service in January 2018 (the contract actually ended 4th April 2018).
They therefore only became aware of the claim once the claimant contacted them providing payment details. They are now suing the mail processing provider for their breach of services they provided us, for the amount of this claim and other damages.
Happy Parking
The Parking Prankster
Putting the fun back into parking
Click for guide to fighting ParkingEye court claims
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excellent , the wheels are falling off
ReplyDeleteThis is just the start, a cold wind is heading the way of the DVLA. Are you watching, Mr Toft?
ReplyDeleteIn 9 years of data, MIL have only targeted my company once. It didn't end well for them then either and they've not tried since. If DPA rules applied to companies, I'd have had a shot at bankrupting a few of them by now.
ReplyDeleteWait until GDPR comes in, then the excrement will hit the fan.
ReplyDelete"that they never received the court papers." , how ironic , seems to happen to hundreds of people that end up with default CCJs due to non delivery (old address)
ReplyDeleteExactly I had one like that where horizon and gladstones who were both in full knowledge of my current address for service due to already defeating them on previous claims (same reg number) they issued more claims at previous address and got dedadef judgment. However since then I got it set aside (horizon ordered to pay £225 set aside fee and £90 day off work plus £5 parking) then at the rehearing I won on non pofa compliant ntk costing them a further £190 for my costs :)
Deletethe can pay the set aside £255 and convince a DJ that should have another go, this is the sort of s*** that MIL put innocent peeps thru everyday.
DeleteYes, but they won't get the £255 back even if they win.
DeleteThey didn't win as their ntk was not pofa compliant , si I cost them £435 plus the money they paid gallstones. :)
DeleteThat's what happens when you change your registered office 7 times in the last 2 years... things go missing!
ReplyDeleteLike integrity?
DeleteThey've heard of it
DeleteSo they hadn’t noticed getting no mail at all for 3 months?
ReplyDeleteSo all those paid by cheque, the cheque hasn't cleared? Yeah right. I was going to say tell the truth but then remembered it's a PPC so they won't know the meaning of the word
ReplyDeleteit was me who claimed £535 of parking awareness now its time to go for mil collections mr alan gerald davis and his bunch of fictisious mob a letter has been sent to this rogue claiming my money back will keep you all informed of the outcome summons will be issued next week if he doesnt pay up i am quiet enjoying bringing these crooks to justice if anyone has had a letter of mil then sue the parking company as i did thanks to advice from parking prankster
ReplyDeleteInteresting that they plan to sue the mail company for the amount of the claim. Why not apply to have it set aside and then defend it? Oh yes they know they'll lose. I hope the mail company will thoroughly defend any claim against them
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that John Wilkie would be happy to defend the Mail company in question ;-)
ReplyDelete