Vehicle Control Services Ticket

[oraclenet]

Hi

I received a ticket from VCS on the 5th Nov 07 which you can see here:

http://www.seoltd.co.uk/parking-ticket/vcs-ticket.jpg

I was parked in a furniture shop car park, close to the town centre in Macclesfield, which is for customers of the shop only. However I didn't actually visit the shop, I was visiting my bank close by.

There are parking notices displayed, but there are no video cameras. I stupidly decided to ignore the notices though.

When I got home, I sent the following email to VCS appeal email:

"To Whom It May Concern:

Serial Number: VC/ 0043501 2

I have contacted my solicitor regarding the above. On account of the following, this ticket is void:

• The vehicle registration mark on PART TWO does not match that found on PART ONE
• The time seen has been altered by the issuer
• The address has been altered by the issuer
• No ticketing machine was present to purchase ticket
• Permit is not required for customers of the furniture shop

"
Yesterday (10th Dec) I received this email from VCS:

"Your email appeal has been passed to me for investigation. Please could you forward me your full postal address. Due to auditing reasons I am unable to handle your appeal via email."

At this point, I again stupidly, sent them my address, but not my home address, instead it was my office.

Today (11th Dec) I received a letter from them saying:

"We are sorry, but in the circumstances we must advise you that grounds for representation against the parking charge notice have not been established and this letter is issued as a formal notice of rejection....

On the day inquestion a Vehicle Control Services officer was called to the site by the landowner, this being private property"


It went on to say that because the registration mark was shown correctly at the top of the ticket that it is a legalling binding document and admissable as evidence should this matter progress to court.

Now they want £80 by the 20th Dec or £120 if late, otherwise they will start court proceedings.

What does anyone suggest that I do now. Should I send a letter back, if so, what should I write? Or should I just ignore it? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks Ben

[Barnsley Boy]

Hi,

This ticket has no legal significance, it does not have statutory status like a council PCN or a Police FPN. It is just an invoice and a decidedly dodgy one at that.

The best tactic is just to ignore. They will get your home address from DVLA and will continue to issue threats to you.

Stand firm and ignore. 999 times out of 1000 they will run out of steam. In the unlikely event that they are silly enough to issue a county court summons then people here would simply love to help with your defence.

Read the topic at the top of tis forum "Private Parking Companies - all you need to know"

Tell all your friends about this scam. Too many people simply pay in ignorance.

[MikeBigg]

Originally Posted by oraclenet

I have contacted my solicitor

If you did contact a solicitor and this was the advice he gave, you might like to point him here or the pepipoo forums

Mike

[Steve__M]

Notwithstanding the fact that private charges appear not to be legally enforceable, they do not appear to have any argument if the carpark does not have a ticket or permit system.

Write to them saying "If you believe the basis of your invoice to be correct, please submit your claim in the county court. Do not waste time and additional cost on debt collectors etc. as I will not be liable to pay their charges. Do not contact me again." In the highly unlikely event that they do submit a claim they won't have a leg to stand on.

That said, if the furniture shop man is that bothered, I guess you shouldn't park there again!

[oraclenet]

Hi many thanks for your advice everyone.

I'll let you know how I get on.

ps. I didn't actually contact a solicitor, but I thought I would try that route, but from what I've heard on this forum now, companies like this will never ever actually accept appeals as they don't care. They just bank on scaring people. It's a shame that so many people give in and pay.

Ben

[petej2811]

Originally Posted by oraclenet

Hi many thanks for your advice everyone.

I'll let you know how I get on.

ps. I didn't actually contact a solicitor, but I thought I would try that route, but from what I've heard on this forum now, companies like this will never ever actually accept appeals as they don't care. They just bank on scaring people. It's a shame that so many people give in and pay.

Ben

If you say you've contacted a solicitor it would help if what you purport the fables solicitor has said was actually correct. As it is you risk looking like a guy who lied about being in touch with a solicitor.

That said if it comes to county court I'm one of those people who likes to write obscure defences. Get in touch if it gets that far.

PJ

[oraclenet]

Hi

I know I shouldn't have lied but I wasn't really thinking straight at the time. The parking firm did a good job in scaring me and my initial thought was to do what i did.

If it goes to the courts I will definately seek your advice.

Thanks PJ

Ben

[oraclenet]

Write to them saying "If you believe the basis of your invoice to be correct, please submit your claim in the county court. Do not waste time and additional cost on debt collectors etc. as I will not be liable to pay their charges. Do not contact me again."

So should I just ignore and wait for the debt collector's letters, or should I send them a quick letter containing the above?

Thanks

[battyboomboom]

Don't waste time effort or money on them. Just sit tight, and get on with your life

[oraclenet]

Ok Thanks. I suppose the debt collectors will start sending letters next at which point shall I just send them one of the template letters saying that their is still a dispute with the ticket company etc..

ps. I've taken the photo of the ticket down. If anyone wants to see it again let me know

thanks ben