Debt recovery No small change Louise Parfitt speaks to BPA members from the debt recovery sector about the Parking Code of Practice proposals t was a massive shock for all of us. There will be absolutely no deterrent for anyone who does not want to pay. Stewart Clure, director at Debt Recovery Plus (DRP) part of the Bristow and Sutor Group is speaking for most people in the parking sector when he describes the reaction to the removal of the debt recovery charge in the Parking Code of Practice proposals. Darren Connor, managing director at DCBL, agrees: At no point throughout the technical consultation phase was the scrapping of the debt recovery fee tabled for discussion. In fact, the language used by all parties was always in respect of a debt recovery fee being in place. Had the consultation asked a question about the impact of removing or reducing the debt recovery fee, then this would have created a specific debate around the fee, the benefits of the debt recovery process, and the consequences of removing it leading to greater numbers of motorists being taken to court, and possibly having a county court judgment issued against them. I Knock-on effects Clure and Connor are very much in favour of much of what the Code will bring in, including a single independent appeals service, more transparency and greater scrutiny. However, with charges being removed or reduced, it could mean that some core support services offered by many debt recovery firms will have to be scaled back. DRP operates a call centre to offer all motorists the opportunity to speak to someone about their case and to talk through options available to them. We offer a variety of payment options to make it affordable for people, but most importantly, we listen to them, Clure says. This is invaluable in helping to identify vulnerable customers, but also in offering a final fairness check sometimes the debt recovery firm will recommend cancelling a ticket after they have heard from the customer. Debt recovery is a key part of an escalation process, which provides additional opportunities for the motorist to raise any issues or concerns they had not previously raised, says Connor. We have professional, well-trained customer service agents, including our welfare and vulnerability teams, who offer guidance and support. But providing all these services costs money. If we are having to tighten our belts owing to the lack of a debt recovery At no point throughout the technical consultation phase was the scrapping of the debt recovery fee tabled for discussion charge, then we may have to reconsider the services we can offer, says Clure. Lack of deterrent It all comes back to the impact non-compliance may have on operators, landowners, businesses and other motorists. They end up having to cover the costs of both running the car park and chasing the unpaid tariffs. Either parking tariffs go up, affecting all customers, or the landowner increases rental costs to the businesses on the land. They will then have to raise their prices, so again it affects genuine motorists and customers, which is absolutely wrong, Clure says. Remember too, we get cases at the end of a process: after the motorist has had chance to park correctly, after they have had chance to make an appeal, after they have had chance to go to independent appeals. If after all that, it 18 britishparking.co.uk PN Apr 2022 pp18-21 Enforcement.indd 18 24/03/2022 10:57