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i really need your help! i recently recieved a fine from NCP car parks, the fine was for raising the barrier in the car park. In my defense i stated that the machine buzzer wasnt working and no attendants were available in the hut and nobody turned up over and hour....below ive posted a copy of the letter i sent to NCP and a reponse from NCP - can you tell me what the next stage is? and what i can do? on the records they cant see at any time the buzzer being pressed but i have informed them that the buzzer wasnt even working and i did look around in there hut for an attendant!....please i really need your help as the fine is £200!!!!
letter to NCP:
i recently recieved a letter about being fined for raising a car park
barrier. I accept that the post in the car park was raised but the
reason this was raised as we tried contacting your ncp as we had a
problem with our ticket not working in your machines (the payment wasnt
being accepted). We heard no replys and there was no staff or security
at the site to help! we even asked local people if they know how to
contact ncp but they couldnt help...we understand it may have been late
but due to circumstances we had no choise! It was early in the morning
and we needed to leave so we could head back to walsall and waiting
around was difficult as the response was poor and no staff to help - i
am sorry about what has happened but as i was put in a circumstance
where there was no help and was waiting for over 60 mins in the car park
and still no reply..i was unable to do anything...i hope out of good
will we could look past this and i understand that these problems do
happen. This has never happened to me before and i have never been in
trouble with NCP EVER! i hope you understand that the problem would never have occurred if there were staff available and machines at the site working correctly...i hope to hear from you soon.
Response from NCP:
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the above notice numebr.
while i appreciate the circumstances that you have outlined, it does not preclude you from complying with the parking regulations.
In light of this i see no grounds for the cancellation of this notice. I request that you make payment of £200 within 28 days from the date of this letter in order to conclude this matter.
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding the above notice numebr.
while i appreciate the circumstances that you have outlined, it does not preclude you from complying with the parking regulations.
In light of this i see no grounds for the cancellation of this notice. I request that you make payment of £200 within 28 days from the date of this letter in order to conclude this matter.
sorry the original letter that was sent out to me i returned back to NCP - but i have requested for the original copy of the letter to be sent back....there was a time and date written on the letter head, is there anything i can do? i really need help!
• do not pay
• do not contact them again
• ignore any further letters you receive, no matter how threatening
• they will give up and go away after 4 or 5
As you've discovered, there is no appeals process. You will always get back a standard 'appeal rejected' letter. This is a private invoice and a private company will never do themselves out of profit.
It's a [problem]. Private companies have no powers to fine people - they just make it sound like they do so you'll be intimidated into paying up.
NCP are well known here. You're taking it too seriously - just ignore them and their tricks.
(below).Thanks for the reply - when i look back at the letter sent by NCP there is a final note on the bottom of the letter which i fogot to add on the post (below).
Payment can be made by either
sending a cheque or postal order to national car parks
debit or card payments
if the payment is not received within this time then the case will continue to progress.
You tell me to ignore there messages but they have warnmed me that if the payment isnt recieved then they will take the case further...yes but it my case it was raising a barrier as i had no means of exiting the car park - as a private company cant they send baliffs to my house to collect the payment?
you are in the right - they were detaining you in the car park. don't worry about it at all. post back when NCP send their next letter - they will send more as you contacted them so they think there is a chance you will fall for their [problem]. Not even NCP's greed would make them pursue this to court - you would hammer them in court and so would the judge. It is NCP that failed to fulfill its purported contract not you !
Thanks for the messages guys - the only thing that stresses me out is going to court and im not one who wants to attend court!...has anyone been through a smiliar situation with NCP or had any problems about fines to reassure me!
Hmmm,
Reminds me of the story of a burglar who tripped in the dark and sued a householder for damages...
I wonder how long you would have had to wait before the barrier was raised? Could you sue them for false imprisonment, I wonder?
I agree with advice so far - you sound like just the kind of person they target - pretty law abiding, frightened of getting on the wrong side of the law - fair game. Stand your ground.
so are you all sure that NCP wont take things that far to court?...i have spoken to them on the phone and they are extremely unhelpful and there manager chris sharp at PCCN is useless!
Is this a slightly different scenario to the normal un-gated private carpark? Is it possible that the owner of a carpark might be a lot more sensitive to people forcing their way out (even if justified). What if the problem was with nevinder's payment card or coins, and they have evidence of another car successfully paying and exiting a bit later?
A middle option is to write to them stating that I'm appalled at their inability to accept responsibility for faulty machinery, and to offer only the amount that was due for parking in Full and final settlement, stating that without further evidence I dispute their charge. Even if this is rejected it shows a willingness to pay what's due.
The small claims court is nothing to be worried about. It's 3 people in a room having a chat. But you need to keep copies of all correspondence.
You're under the impression that they have a) listened to a word you've said and b) are somehow entitled to £200 because you had the nouce to lift their broken barrier. I'm only surprised that you waited an hour before leaving.
Look again: "while i appreciate the circumstances that you have outlined, it does not preclude you from complying with the parking regulations."
Do you not see that this is a template letter? The same letter they send to everybody.
A middle option is to write to them stating that I'm appalled at their inability to accept responsibility for faulty machinery, and to offer only the amount that was due for parking in Full and final settlement, stating that without further evidence I dispute their charge. Even if this is rejected it shows a willingness to pay what's due.
im thinking of sending a letter like this to NCP but im not sure when to send it?...im sorry if you guys think im stressing over too much but the last thing i want is my fine to get bigger and i dont want to go to court!
sending a cheque or postal order to national car parks debit or card payments
if the payment is not received within this time then the case will continue to progress.
If you are still worried about court, then read the large text. Continue to progress = 4 more letters then we will give up. If they had a cat in hells chance then they would at least threaten to take legal action against you.
Worry not, and listen to the advise on here, they WILL give up if you just ignore them. It is a pity you weren't driving a large truck and had someone filming you smashing your way out, I'd give them £200 to see someone do that
PLEASE DONATE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN
A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. George Bernard Shaw
Rowan Atkinson as Mr Bean? Sure I've seen something about car park problems...
Stick it out mate, post all you get on here. Keep all evidence. Don't reply, however tempting.
NCP cark paking fine HELP!
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Originally Posted by nevinders
