UKPC parking fine

[Fox Fan]

Originally Posted by Bernie_the_Bolt

It is always possible that UKPC will not "join the dots" and will ultimately write to your mother in which case you simply ask them for evidence of who the driver was.

Thanks for the advice Bernie - do you suggest that I sign this letter with the name of my mother or with my name?

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Originally Posted by Fox Fan

Thanks for the advice Bernie - do you suggest that I sign this letter with the name of my mother or with my name?

Yours.

[thejedi]

Hi Fox Fan,
Coincidently my wife has also suffered a private parking ticket in a Staples car park, this one is in Fareham Hampshire and patrolled by AS Security.
We also wrote a quick letter of objection stating why my wife had parked there and then we found the CAG forum, now i am well armed and waiting for the battle to start with these scammers.
For the record the signs are unsatisfactory and it looks like a continuation of Sainsburys car park which allows 2 hours and is adjacent to Staples, we also wrote to Staples head office but they have not had the courtesy to reply.
I have written to my MP who has taken an interest and written to AS Security so it will be interesting to see what happens next.

Regards

[emmylou38]

Hi - I am in the middle of a UKPC dispute and have a posting on this site as I left the car park to get my baby some water, even though I had a receipt for using the park facilities! Reading through these posts, it looks like UKPC have been reported a fair few times to the BPA - I too, emailed my case to them and got a reply back saying there was nothing they could do and they would forward my complaint to UKPC! I wrote back to them saying that in my opinion UKPC were in breach of the BPA code but they haven't responded to that. We all know where the complaint forwarded to UKPC will end up - b for bin! Surely if enough people complain about the same company they should be struck off - it seems to me that BPA don't follow through. I'm going to write to MP and also the owner of the leisure park, but I wonder just how many complaints to BPA UKPC have had......Has anyone had a positive response from their complaints to BPA?

[jojo.1984]

Hi

I received a parking notice for parking on a small retail park once the shops had closed. UKPC must of only just started operating there because i always park there and this has never happened before.

When i seen the ticket i looked for signs and i noticed them, it said the usaul max stay 2 hours, no parking out of hours etc.

so i looked for signs with the times on the signs were so small with the times and not in clear to see in the dark or day in fact but at the end it said the barriers will be down when the car park is closed. well obviously they were not down because i would never of got on the carpark if they were!!

I have wrote to UKPC appealing with my car but they have said i have to pay and i have another 14 days to pay the 45 fine then today the day after receiving that letter i have got a final demand of 90!!!

any advice on what i should do?

thanks

[Andy7807]

Jojo, don't worry, read the sticky here, and look at other peoples threads regarding UKPC and other companies of the same ilk. They will threaten court etc, will pass on to their debt collecting mob, but essentially it is unlikely that they will go to court. I have been dealing with them since Feb and heard nothing since around May, so they have probably given up on me.


http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...s-charges.html

[KewUser]

Hi GA,
I have sent them 2 letters both special delivery the second one saying i do not wish to receive any more letters other than to say the ticket is cancelled and have heard nothing untill yesterday when they sent me a letter saying i now owe them £170. I intend to write back, not too sure what to say but i will also be e mailing Jane at BPA and reporting them.
kewuser.

[jojo.1984]

Originally Posted by Andy7807

Jojo, don't worry, read the sticky here, and look at other peoples threads regarding UKPC and other companies of the same ilk. They will threaten court etc, will pass on to their debt collecting mob, but essentially it is unlikely that they will go to court. I have been dealing with them since Feb and heard nothing since around May, so they have probably given up on me.


http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...s-charges.html

hi andy

should i just ignore the letters?

[Andy7807]

Hi Jojo, I am presuming that it is a private car park as you said it was a retail park. I wrote to them denying any wrong doing as the registered keeper wasn't the driver of the car. You could use one of the many templates on this forum just to let them know that you understand they can't really persue a penalty. Leaving the barriers open when it it closed seems like a bit of a scam to get people in and issue a ticket. just ignoring them is another way, you will recieve further letters and then letters from Hunter Forest who are their debt collectors. When you get that one inform them that you deny any wrong doing and they should pass it back to UKPC, who will then probably sit on it.

[Guardian Angel]

Hi KewUser and any one else who is being conned by UKPC Ltd
...I know it's hard to ignore them, but they are totally in the wrong and against BPA Code of Conduct..they simply are not allowed to charge so much. They dare not take court action because they know the judge will have a field day with them and probably investigate them and if that happens I'll be happy to back you up with my file to give the judge as proof of the disgusting way they con motorists.

I want you to take a few minutes to read this which is printed on BPA website:

Welcome to the British Parking Association

Ref: BPA 340
Date: 18 April 2007

BPA Initiative to End Rogue Ticketing

Rogue companies which issue parking tickets on private land will be driven out of the market thanks to an initiative set to be enforced later this year. From October 2007, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will release vehicle registration information only to those companies which are members of an Accredited Trade Association. The British Parking Association (BPA), which is to become the first Accredited Trade Association, said today (18 April 2007) at Parkex, Europe’s largest parking industry fair, that the initiative will prevent motorists receiving high-priced, unregulated tickets. As it has the responsibility of being the only parking organisation with official DVLA accreditation, the BPAhas also announced that it will be launching its own Approved Operator Scheme, backed by a Code of Practice for Parking Enforcement on Private Land and Unregulated Car Parks. Members that do not comply with the terms of this Code (see notes for terms) could have their BPA membership initially suspended, and possibly terminated (dependent on individual circumstances of complaint). Transport Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman said: “This initiative will help us clamp down on unscrupulous people who abuse the system to make money out of innocent drivers. I fully support the Approved Operator Scheme and welcome the fact that the BPA is DVLA’s first Accredited Trade Association.”

Part 2 of the Code, introduced today, extends the scope of the successful ‘wheel-clampers’ Code introduced at Parkex in 2006 and aims to standardise the industry’s approach to ticketing on private land and introduce a level of fairness for the consumer

'Under the Code guidelines, standard charges for a parking ticket issued on private land should not exceed £75, and the maximum charge shall not exceed £150. Early payment discounts are recommended for a period of 7-14 days and all details of charges should be included on signage.'

There's loads more to help the motorist if you research their website.

So please ignore UKPC and keep writing, telephoning and emailing Jane Hicks at BPA saying you have a complaint against a member of their association and don't give up until she replies. I suggest you write something along these lines:

"..Under BPA's Code guidelines, standard charges for a parking ticket issued on private land should not exceed £75, and the maximum charge shall not exceed £150. I understand the Competition and Retail Pricing laws allow the BPA to set recommended fee limits, however in the case of UKPC Ltd fees that far exceed these recommendations are being charged against BPA's Code guidelines (attach copy of parking tickets etc). I would appreciate you personally investigate UKPC Ltd as being non-compliant with its Code and Approved Operators Scheme and seek robust justification as to why this Operator is able to harass and extort money from innocent motorists in this very unethical manner. I assume the BPA will take every step possible to ensure all its members behave and operate in a fair, compliant and reasonable fashion and agree that these charges are unenforceable under your current guidelines. I look forward to your reply by return.

I suggest you also lobby your MP and copy him in on all correspondence. Again, lets see how you get on with this and keep me posted.

GA

[digger42]

Hi i'm new here, I have recieved a charge certificate from UKPC last saturday for unauthorised parking and leaving the site and as the registered keeper/owner i am liable, As it was my wife who was driving the car, How am i liable for this?

digger42

[Zamzara]

You're not liable, they're liars.

[digger42]

Can anyone tell me how to put a letter together to send to these people, I'm not very good at that?


Digger42

[Barnsley Boy]

Dear Sirs,

Name– Parking Charge / Reference Number *****
I am in receipt of your above invoice for an alleged parking incident in **** on the **/**/2007. I note you have written to me as the registered keeper of the vehicle but I was not driving at the time. Please be advised that as the registered keeper of the vehicle concerned that I have no liability whatsoever to pay your invoice. You need to contact the driver and take up any issues with them directly.

Please do not correspond with me any further on this matter except to confirm that you will be not taking the matter any further with me as the registered keeper of the vehicle.

They will ignore that one saying sometime along the lines of "your appeal has been rejected."


Next Letter:

Name– Parking Charge / Reference Number *****
I am in receipt of your letter dated ********* with regard to the above referenced unsolicited invoice.

I demand that you issue Court proceedings within 14 days or cease and desist from any further contact.

Any other form of contact whatsoever, whether by you or your agents, will be regarded as harassment and will be reported as such.

y/f

[patdavies]

Originally Posted by Barnsley Boy

Dear Sirs,

Name– Parking Charge / Reference Number *****
I am in receipt of your above invoice for an alleged parking incident in **** on the **/**/2007. I note you have written to me as the registered keeper of the vehicle but I was not driving at the time. Please be advised that as the registered keeper of the vehicle concerned that I have no liability whatsoever to pay your invoice. You need to contact the driver and take up any issues with them directly.

Please do not correspond with me any further on this matter except to confirm that you will be not taking the matter any further with me as the registered keeper of the vehicle.

They will ignore that one saying sometime along the lines of "your appeal has been rejected."


Next Letter:

Name– Parking Charge / Reference Number *****
I am in receipt of your letter dated ********* with regard to the above referenced unsolicited invoice.

I demand that you issue Court proceedings within 14 days or cease and desist from any further contact.

Any other form of contact whatsoever, whether by you or your agents, will be regarded as harassment and will be reported as such.

y/f

I would take out the bit in red above - it's simply unnecessary.

[Barnsley Boy]

Originally Posted by patdavies

I would take out the bit in red above - it's simply unnecessary.

pat - I concur but the reason I stuck it in was that digger was insistent that his OH was driving.

[digger42]

Thanks Barnsley Boy and Patdavies.

I will certainly us your quotes in the letter, there is one question that i would like to ask, do i put the letter in the envelope that they supplied with the invoice? or use one of my own?

[Barnsley Boy]

Use their stationery. They are more likely to think its a cheque. Don't worry about a stamp.