Have you received a letter of demand from Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents (ARMA). This page provides information about your rights in dealing with such a letter.
The CEO of "Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents" (ARMA) is Andrew Smith. Before starting at "Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents" (ARMA) Andrew Smith was CEO of Adrew Smith was CEO at "Australian Recoveries and Collections". Mr Smith was a minority shareholder in "Australian Recoveries and Collection" with the major shareholders being the owners of private parking company Australian National Car Parks. Part of Andrew Smith's portfolio was to chase the payment of parking tickets on behalf of Australian National Car Parks.
So it is no suprise that when Andrew Smith moved to Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents (ARMA) he continued to pursue people for unpaid private parking tickets.
ARMA is known to send out payment demands to people who incurred notices to their vehicles in Pripark car parks in Queensland. It goes like this:
1) The driver receives a notice on their windscreen for $55 in a Pripark car park.
2) If the windscreen notice is not paid by the due date on the notice, then Pripark's solicitor (Force Legal) applies to the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads for the name and address of the registered owner of the vehicle. Note that Andrew Smith is also a shareholder in Force Legal.
3) Using the details obtained from the QDTMR, Pripark's debt collectors ARMA then send a letter to the owner demanding $98. Note that Andrew Smith's office sends out these notices on behalf of Pripark.
4) If the $98 is not paid by the due date, then Pripark's lawyers send a demand for $175 to the owner.
5) If the $175 is not paid by the due date, then ARMA send more demands seeking payment of $175
So you can see that Andrew Smith of Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents (ARMA) has his finger in the pie at each of these payment points.
Do you need help with handling a demand you have received from ARMA? If so, contact this website on the contact us page and we'll help you if we can. In contract law in Australia, it is up to the creditor to prove any money is owed. It is not up to the alleged debtor to prove they don't owe the money. Therefore, it is up to the car park company (and Australian Recoveries and Mercantile Agents if the debt has been passed to them) to prove who the driver of the car was.