NSL employ a rotten liar

A lyre, not a liar

Mr Mustard has been a debt collector since 1987. Thus, he usually knows when he is being lied to. It was therefore a foolish NSL employee who decided to tell Mr Mustard an absolute whopper.

Here is how the exchange went:

27 Nov 13: PCN issued to car.

12 Dec 13: Mr Mustard is introduced to the motorist. We are already out of time for the 50% discount so might as well fight to the bitter end.

30 Dec 13: Notice to Owner issued.

3 Jan 14: Mr Mustard files the formal representations. He includes the following:

I have a copy of the contract between NSL and Barnet Council. For a code 19 PCN the contract stipulates an observation time of 3 minutes which has not been adhered to so this PCN has been issued in breach of contract and is ultra vires. I further note the use of the "z" suffix for an expired permit but Mr G. hasn't had a permit at this address.

20 Jan 14; NSL, on behalf of Barnet Council, reject the formal representations and include the following:

It has been stated that the observation period given before issuing this notice is insufficient according to the contract between NSL and Barnet Council; however as with all contracts they are subject to amendments from time to time and contravention 19(z) is now an instant contravention meaning no observation period is required prior to issuing a notice.

Mr Mustard's nose twitched when his client sent the response on to him.

3 Feb 14: Mr Mustard filed an Appeal at PATAS.

9 Feb 14: Mr Mustard sent the doubtful response to the parking manager.

11 Feb 14: Mr Mustard saw the parking manager at a committee meeting. He was then told that no contract changes had been made since the contract started and an apology was on its way from NSL. The parking manager seemed not to be amused.

11 Feb 14: NSL write on behalf of Barnet Council to the motorist and say the PCN has been cancelled due to insufficient observation. They don't write to the representative, Mr Mustard, and apologise for insufficient truthfullness. The apology is not sent by the dirty rotten liar themselves.

26 Feb 14: The PATAS Appeal is dismissed as the council has thrown in the towel. The council are £40 down in fees.

12 May 14: Mr Mustard decides that NSL have no honour and that a proper apology will not arrive. He decides it is high time that the world knew what outsourcing means, it means that you have no real control of the outsourced process and that at least one employee (Mr Mustard knows who you are; you have had your one bite and will remain anonymous for now) of NSL will stop at nothing to deny a genuine reason for cancellation of a PCN.

This is why you don't stop when your first and second challenges get rejected and you stick with the process and Appeal to PATAS where you will get an inpartial hearing.

Why do parking contractors have no manners?

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

Note: The Parking Enforcement Contract which started on 1 May 12 for a 5 year period with a possible 2 year extension (if that idea hasn't already been squashed then we are managed by fools) is one of the earliest of the first wave of One Barnet contracts (and the sooner we wave goodbye to it the better) and this disgusting event just goes to prove Mr Mustard's point that outsourcing is not the answer to all your problems (Barnet cabinet councillors please take note) but simply removes some and replaces them with others. The big problem that you inherit is managing at a distance. If this had been a council employee writing to Mr Mustard such a stupid and blatant lie would not have been attempted as direct employees would know that sometimes the manager's phone will ring and Mr Mustard is on the line and sometimes Mr Mustard's home phone rings and a parking manager is on the line.

One Barnet isn't working.