| Senior staff nurse Celia Findlay claimed she reported “harassment” by private operator Vinci Park Ltd to the police after being warned her goods could be seized for sale at public auction to pay off the “debt”.
Nurses have been receiving debt letters, solicitors’ letters, court summonses and “menacing” phone calls from agencies for failing to pay parking tickets they say they never received.
In some cases the nurses say they were not even at work at the time the alleged offences took place.
They have been receiving notices for almost a year from debt firms, acting on behalf of the car park operators.
The Tele highlighted the demands in September and Vinci Park said employees incorrectly received the letters due to a “technical error”. But the letters have continued to arrive — along with phone calls.
“Usually I just bin them, but the latest one (solicitor’s letter) threatened to send round the ‘heavies’ if I didn’t pay up,” said Ms Findlay.
“I decided to report the matter to the police. I’ve been continuing to receive letters and it’s harassment.”
The letter demands she pay £117 before legal proceedings are issued in court — the parking fine is £20 but the solicitors’ firm has added on a claim issue fee, judgment costs, a warrant issue fee and its own costs.
For the past year, she has been receiving notices for two parking fines of £20 each on two dates, although she claims she wasn’t at work at the time and didn’t get any tickets.
I’ve been told to pay within seven days or bailiffs will turn up at my door,” she said.
“I’ve got a young child and it’s frightening to think of people turning up on the doorstep. I’ve never had a letter threatening me with bailiffs before.
“I’ve received four or five letters since September and I just wonder when it’s going to end. It’s really starting to worry me.”
Another nurse, who did not wish to be named, said she’d been the victim of “menacing” phone calls from debt agency companies demanding she pay up —despite her number being ex-directory.
“Where is it all going to end?” she said.
“It is becoming increasingly invasive on my private life.
“It is turning quite nasty. I had about three phone calls just before Christmas from a debt collection agency harassing me and I asked them where they got the phone number from.
“They said they got it from the DVLA, but I don’t know if that’s possible. I feel that this is harassment.
“They have been quite menacing in the way they’ve spoken.”
She also received four letters in two days for alleged parking offences demanding £200 in fines.
A spokesman for the car park operators said they would attempt to resolve the matter.
“Vinci Park is more than happy to look into the individual nature of each inquiry,” he said.
“Should anyone dispute the charges they should contact the contract manager on site who should be able to resolve the matter.”
Anyone affected should contact the parking office on 01382 668182. |
