'I went for a heart scan and ended up with a £170 fine and bailiff threats'

The 61-year-old nursing assistant says she was left ‘scared to answer her door’ and with a deteriorating heart problem because of the stress of being threatened by bailiffs four times

A fuming NHS worker was ordered to pay £170 for a parking fine – despite ‘getting everything right’ while parking at a health centre.

Catherine Hickey says she was left ‘scared to answer her door’ and with a worsening heart problem as she was threatened by bailiffs four times.

Catherine had an appointment for a heart scan at Newbury Green Medical Practice in Higher Broughton on January 20.

The 61-year-old says she obeyed the signs in the car park.

One reads: “Permit holders only, see car park sign for terms and conditions.”

While another at the car park entrance reads: “Newbury Place Health Centre Car Park for patients and visitors only.

“Please register at one of the reception desks to park for up to two hours.”

“I went for an ECG at a health centre. I got there, parked up in a car park that said ‘permits only’,” explained Catherine.

“I went in, queued up for the receptionist and she said that I should have gone in a different entrance, but told me to put my registration in a machine on the wall before I went to the next building.

“A couple of days later, I received this fine.”

Catherine received a £100 fine, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, from Civil Enforcement Limited on January 27.

The reason for the fine was listed by the company as: “Failed to obtain a permit in accordance with the notified terms.”

But the senior mental health nursing assistant refused to pay the fine, insisting she had followed the rules and 'got everything right'.

“I work nights for the NHS, I pay for parking where I work at Prestwich Hospital, it’s not right [to say I haven’t paid],” Catherine persisted.

“It’s not like I’m thinking I can park for nothing. The receptionist pointed out the machine, I asked for it, I was looking at how to pay.

“I know I put my registration in.”

Catherine tried to appeal the fine online at first, as instructed by the notice she received, but says the link to the payment website kept failing.

Catherine then decided to appeal the fine in writing instead, ‘assuming’ that would be an acceptable method, and paid for recorded delivery.

Her appeal was delivered on February 20 – well within the 28 day window in which parking fines can be appealed.

Yet Catherine became even more frustrated as she contacted Civil Enforcement Limited, only to be told the company only accepted appeals online.

Determined to fight the fine, Catherine refused to pay and wanted to have her day in court.

“I asked them when it will go to court, because I want to represent myself,” she explained.

But pressure mounted as Catherine says she received four threatening letters from bailiffs and the sum climbed to £170. Catherine claims it made her worrying heart symptoms – the reason she went to the health centre in the first place – worse.

“I was there for a legitimate reason, it’s completely disproportionate,” said Catherine.

“I don’t want to answer my door just in case it’s the bailiffs. If it does go to court, do they let me know?

“I’m so stressed now. It’s made me more anxious. I’ve just had an x-ray for my arthritis because it’s flared up – I think that’s because of the stress.

“I offered to pay it back £10 a month, even though I know I’m in the right, but that’s not been accepted.”

Catherine says that any further attempts to contact Civil Enforcement Limited were met with instructions to speak to the bailiffs.

In a letter labelled ‘final reminder’ and dated April 7, seen by the Manchester Evening News, Direct Collection Bailiffs Limited (DCBL) wrote to Catherine saying: “Direct Collection Bailiffs Limited have been instructed to collect the outstanding balance on behalf of our client [Civil Enforcement Ltd]. The balance is still outstanding and you are now at risk of legal proceedings being issued against you.

“In the event that a claim is issued against you, further fees and costs will be incurred and these will be added to the balance that you owe to our client. Thereafter, non-payment of the claim amount may result in a count court judgement being entered against you.

“This may result in further enforcement action being taken and in some circumstances, may prevent future lending.”

The M.E.N. found that there is no phone number nor email readily available on Civil Enforcement Limited’s website to put queries to the company.

Civil Enforcement Limited did not respond to the M.E.N.'s attempts to get a response to Catherine's case, but has an online form which can be used for complaints.

Just one working day after the M.E.N. filed a complaint about Catherine’s fine – the fine was revoked.

Catherine was sent an email by the bailiffs which read: “Please note, our client has instructed us to close this case and as such, DCBL will not be pursuing this balance further.”

The M.E.N. contacted Direct Collection Bailiffs Limited, which said ‘no comment’ to Catherine’s case.

Catherine responded to the sudden change, saying: "It's a massive relief. If I have ever had a parking fine before I have always paid it.

"But I really disagreed with this one. It was very unfair and disproportionate to the offence, if I was guilty of just parking and not putting my registration into the machine, I would expect a fine the same as the council charge.

"The firm seemed unprofessional when I have contacted them to sort it out. They were just interested in when I was paying it."