Thread: Central ticketing.

Dear All,

I recently received a letter from a company called Central Ticketing, giving a PO BOX address in Birmingham. They are persuing me for £85.00 for "Patron Parking Abuse" in a free car park at the Beach Retail Park in Aberdeen. The letter states that the sum must be paid before court action. As you can imagine, I am very destressed about this, as I am not aware of what I have done wrong.

On the date of the letter, I had popped into that carpark to briefly visit one of the shops, it was a Saturday morning and the carpark was empty. I wasn't in a disabled bay and I wasn't parking obstructively.

I remember once I arrived home I noticed a yellow parking slip at the passenger side of the windscreen, tucked in at the corner. I opened it and there was a tick in a box next to "Patron Abuse". There was no penalty sum indicated, nor a company name or contact address. Having shown this to my partner, we both came to the conclusion this was not a parking fine. I had one a few years ago from the council for parking on a single yellow line and the fine and contact details and period it had to be paid in were clearly stated on the £30 fine.

Nothing on the yellow slip indicated a fine.

Then 3 weeks later, I receive a letter requesting £85 before court action. I am still unaware of what I have done wrong.

We often visit Dunelm Mill, Pagazzi, Comet, Asda, JJB sport shop and never have either of us received this before.

I went back to visit the carpark after receiving this letter, as citizens advice requested I check if there is adequate signage. It's only when you see a sign with the company's crest (on the top of their letter) do you recognise the signs. Aside from that, the signs aren't clearly recogniseable that the carpark is attended by a company.

My plan is to write to the company - sending the letter recorded post, to the Birmingham address indicated and ask what I have done wrong.

If I don't get anywhere with that, I have been advised by a friend to contact my local MP to look into this matter.

This letter has really made us think again about shopping at the shops in the Aberdeen Beach Retail site in future.

Stop worrying. its a [problem], youhave done nothing wrong but I bet central ticketing have. For a start their letter that only shows a P.O. box is against regulations. http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...blems+ppc+face Do NOT write to the PPC. by all means write to your MP. have a read around on here and be comforted.

Don't contact the PPC in any shape or form. Not now, not never.

Hi,

Thank you for both pieces of advice.

When i received the letter, i firstly called a family member who works in the Police. They said that often these cases dont go to court, but these companies can be pests; they can send sherriffs officer round and also they can affect your credit ratings too. But i havent done anything wrong. I found an article online regards the problems people are having at the beach.
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1117872?UserKey=

Originally Posted by Honest Citizen

Hi,

Thank you for both pieces of advice.

When i received the letter, i firstly called a family member who works in the Police. They said that often these cases dont go to court, but these companies can be pests; they can send sherriffs officer round and also they can affect your credit ratings too. But i havent done anything wrong. I found an article online regards the problems people are having at the beach.
http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1117872?UserKey=

I'm sorry to say your family member in the police is wrong on this point. Your credit rating can only be affected :-

1) IF they take you to court (chance = 0.001%)
2) WIN!! (chance = 0.000001%)
3) You refuse to pay the fine (why on earth would you refuse to pay at this stage?)
4) They go back to court for default judgement
5) Finally, and only now can the COURT instruct a bailiff (note the PPC does not/can not instruct bailiffs)
6) Your credit file ONLY NOW has a bad entry recorded on it

crem is correct.

I occasionally shop down there and i've seen the "parking attendants" wandering around and wondered if they would have got anybody. As suggested, just ignore the ticket completely. Legally, they don't have a leg to stand on, despite what they claim.

Hi,

I wrote an email to the local MP... hoping he may b able to shed some light on these companies.

I will let you know if I hear back from the MP.

Martin Lewis is generally good, but his parking guide has some gaping errors. Citizens Advice are clueless - it's manned by part time WI women.

he advises to contact them and dispute the fine

1. It's not a fine. Private companies have no such powers - they, you and me can only recoup actual losses. Your actions have not cost anybody £30 (not to mention that 'patron abuse' means diddly squat). All you have is an unenforceable invoice.

2. This is a private company who will never do itself out of pocket by allowing 'appeals' - your 'appeal' will always be rejected. The mention of appeals is all part of the [problem]. They want you to contact them so you can weigh you up. The fact the person has fallen for the appeals [problem] shows they aren't clued up and will probably pay up if pestered enough. These people go on the hooked fish pile and get a higher priority with regard to quantity of letters.

I cant believe how pedantic Central Ticketing are, for giving me a ticket for parking breifly in an empty car park

It's more than pedantic. It's a [problem].

Money Saving Expert talks alot about going to court.

You've more chance of winning the lottery.



• do not pay
• do not contact them
• ignore the threatening junk that comes through your door
• they will give up and go away

We know Central Ticketing very well. Ignore the clowns -nothing will ever come of your comedy 'fine' and they will go away if you ignore. [problem] relies on people's fear and ignorance over these joke invoices - they will not be taking you to court.

better paying £2.20 to park in bon accord centre

Just remember that the Bon Accord Centre, as well as the Trinity Cnetre, Shiprow and College Street car parks, are all ran by [problem] merchants...Chapel Street, Gallowgate, West North Street (OPPOSITE Morrisons, not the Morrisons Car Park) and the ones just off East North Street (both sides) are ACC car parks in the centre.

Honest Citizen, I know it is very difficult to ignore this type of correspondence as it is designed to frighten a honest law abiding motorist into paying.
Look at the facts.You parked in a free car park and entered one of the shops.The PPC now want to charge you £85 for 'patron abuse'.
In the unlikely event of this going to court, not only would the judge throw the claim out, he may even suggest this was an act of fraud by the PPC.

With the facts you have given, you are absolutely safe in ignoring all future corrrespondence.
Post each letter you receive here so that we can all have a good laugh; and then eventually they will give up.

I totally agree, when the situation is considered in simple terms - its daylight robbery...

Originally Posted by RichardM

All people see is the words "parking ticket" and almost always equate it with those issued under the road traffic act, not understanding that the road traffic act is irrelevent on private land.

No 'parking tickets' are issued under the Road Traffic Act.

Decriminalised parking enforcement is under the auspices of the Traffic Management Act 2004.

Non-decriminalised enforcement is under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Wasn't that what Richard was gettiing at Pat?

Traffic Management Act 2004

2004 CHAPTER 18

Traffic Management Act 2004 (c. 1


Does this cover Scotland? As it refers to England and Wales only.

Originally Posted by Al27

Wasn't that what Richard was gettiing at Pat?

I didn't think so. Richard's exact words were

always equate it with those issued under the road traffic act,

I was merely pointing out that no tickets are issued under the RTA

I think he meant people incorrectly equate it with those issued under the RTA?

Anyway, OP - don't pay!