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Hi, as a first time poster may I start by thanking everyone for giving some great advice on this site - it has been a tremendous help.
I am, of course, here as another victim of harassment by Civil Enforcement Ltd; this time resulting from parking outside Pizza Hut - as a customer - at the Copdock Interchange Retail Park near Ipswich.
In short, I received CEL's notice mid-Feb (3 weeks after the event); responded to them politely pointing out that I was a genuine customer of the retail park so what were they playing at; received their reply today saying that they were continuing with their claim and mentioning county court proceedings, etc.
I also copied my letter to Pizza Hut who responded with apologies, some Pizza vouchers (now in my fighting fund!) and informing me that they "are currently in discussion with CEL with regards to the restrictions and the effects they have on our customers and business". I understand from the East Anglian Daily Times (online edition 12/13 Feb) that other retailers on the park were not consulted by the Retail Park managers before hiring CEL and are similarly taking issue.
So at present I am pondering whether to fire off one of the "go away and stop bothering me" letters from this site or to just ignore CEL altogether.
I have also emailed my MP today on the wider - and admittedly slightly ironic - topic of "given this Government's recent record of losing data discs have they found allowing the DVLA to give driver's addreses to PPCs a more effective means of dissemniating our private data to the unscrupulous?" (again, thanks to whoever it was here who first linked the 2 issues).
I would be interested in hearing from any other victims of CEL at the Copdock Interchange Retail Park and their experiences - please post to this thread.
CEL well known here and on pepipoo. There is a long running thread there with 895 postings and over 100,000 viewings. Interestingly there is not one recorded court case, not one. Despite CEL's threats, and they do threaten lots, I don't see you being the first that they do take to county court.
Their business model is based on easy pickings. 75% of people pay their fines, thinking that are "official" and that they have to. The remaining 25% they chase a bit but can ultimately let "get away" and still make a tidy profit.
If you ignore CEL, and you should, you will start to get letters from newlyn, a firm of bailiffs / debt collectors. Remember that debt collectors have no powers until sduch time there is an outstanding CCJ against you. Don't worry - more chance of you winning tonight's lottery.
In case this is still an issue for you, or indeed others, I thought I'd share my story.
We (party of 5 cars) all got stung by CE in Feb (at the same place as yourself).
As well as following the (great) advice and using the letter templates found on this site, we contacted pizza hut who then faxed CE on our behalf stating that we were genuine visitors and request that the 'charge' be dropped. 3 days later CE wrote to us to confirm that the charges had indeed been dropped.
Hope this helps & good luck.
Oh and a big thanks to all on here who have posted advice and supplied the letter templates, I was happy to see this all the way if necessary, they really got my goat, but at least I have it back now
Just an update on the CEL situation this one been going on since Dec 2007.
I had the usual parking ticket with scales on it from CEL for £75 if paid within 14 days if not we would have to pay £125, we, did not pay, threatening letters arrived etc we then progressed to newlyn plc I sent off the template letter asking them to refer back to CEL, they did, CEL then sent their usual letter saying 'after careful consideration we can not cancel your ticket etc etc, however in light of your correspondence we are willing to allow you to pay the fine at the reduced rate! I will not be paying! have now drafted letters to Watchdog, Which, and the OFT. not convinced it will do much good, but will keep you posted.
Great to read there are others out there, I can't believe they are getting away with it & people are actually paying!
I too got a letter from them (after staying in pizza hut, copdock for too long) I have now rec'd the letter from newlyn saying I owe £225. I have drafted my letter to send back to them stating I am disputing, I am also about to phone pizza hut as I noticed 8fish had more luck than me with them.
Hi 8Fish, having a similar problem to you, same hut, same circumstances.
Just wondering which bit of Pizza Hut you called? The branch or a central line?
Cheers
Small update...been passed to Pizza Hut Head Office.
The Duty manager was very nice in explaining that basically the system doesn't appear to work and that they have had problems with the registration machine (although it's logged as a touch screen failure).
Be firm. The system not working doesn't change the fact you are being pursued for an unenforceable fake fine by an aggressive company who send unlawful letters.
Hi all, good news! After speaking to the hut and some very friendly staff, they have have now told me they will nullify the charge with the parking company! Result!
Thanks guys for giving me the confidence to pursue this!
Well done. 'Nullify the charges' still adds credence to the [problem] though. Don't think they've done you any favours - they don't understand the unenforceability by the sounds of it.
We run a web design business based in Colchester and recently bought a new business laptop from PC World Ipswich because PC World Colchester did not have the model we were after.
We sailed past the relevant signage in the PC World Ipswich car park and then spent two hours in the store sorting out the laptop sale. This was on the 8th June. We have in the past spent thousands of pounds at PC World.
This week we were totally gob-smacked to receive a Civil Enforcement Ltd (CEL) fine for £150 (or £75 if paid in 14 days). We made another trip to PC World Ipswich yesterday to see what could be done.
We did see the signage which seemed farcical when it’s a retail park. People should not be restricted in how long they spend there with no way of adding an extra hour so as required. You seem to have to know exactly what you want, get in, and get out. The automated systems mean that no matter what time of day or night you arrive and leave you still get clocked on the way in, and on the way out, a computation is done, and then if your over the 90 minutes allotted time CEL spew out a fine!
PC World Ipswich had got a system in place and faxed a form to CEL who now have apparently waived the charges. But PC World should have an earlier system in place where their staff advise customers if a transaction is taking a long time that they will get fined.
It’s totally ridiculous as so much trade at the Copdock Retail Park will be lost due to aggrieved past shoppers who have been fined and shoppers who cannot fit their business within the 90 minutes allocated with no extra ability to extend your stay.
PC World said that they were not aware the system was coming in until the day after it was installed; when their entire workforce who used the car park that day were fined! Then upon having an emergency meeting with the management company fines were waived . The management company justified its actions by admitting that they needed to raise more revenue and it was to stop people using the car park on football match days and as a totally free way of travelling into town using the park and ride bus (although you still have to show a ticket to the bus drivers!).
In short it’s a ridiculous trade hampering greedy system which only survives due to the actual people that do pay up, and this is going on up and down this financially crippled country of ours. I would suggest where possible broadcast your own experiences with this set-up, especially on social media sites like Twitter as people do need to be aware.
Civil Enforcement at Copdock Retail Park
proceedings, etc.
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Originally Posted by Barnsley Boy
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Re: Civil Enforcement at Copdock Retail Park
