Hi there.

I'm new to all this and have only done a search having received a parking ticket from Premier Parking solutions in Exeter on Friday. I would be greateful of any advice on what the legality is surrounding the issuance of such a fine.

Basically, I was looking for a car park in Exeter and followed the standard blue "P" signs and arrived at the Victoria Yard car park. There was a single space on rough concrete directly opposite the entrance with a chain link fence. I parked the car and noticed a sign behind the car reporting the T&C for the car park. The initial bit referred to parking in a "marked bay where applicable" and the rest was general stuff. As there were no markings and the car was inbetween others and not causing any obstruction I bought a ticket and displayed it in the car.

On returing to the car (within the time period) I found a 'ticket' had been applied 30 minutes previously. There was also another car in a similar situation, a clamped car and a woman waiting for a space saying she had been caught there the previous week. The ticket indicates that the reason for the ticket was "No Network Rail permit. Not parked within yellow marked bays". There was an official looking guy talking to someone and whilst he did not work for PPS he did fill me in with some detilas. Apparently the car park is split into 3 parts. Network Rail have some spaces, a solicitors firms have some and some are for public parking. He mentioned that I should have parked in the yellow bays (which he then pointed out) and also mentioned the signs saying "park in the yellow bays" which are, ironically, only in front of the yellow bays!! You had to kind of look over and between the cars to see this!

There was no indication, that I could see, that the car park was split like this nor was there any indication where I parked that this was a Network Rail space as clearly I would not have parked there!

Although I'm sure this is irelevent, I did also notice (and took pictures of) that there was some yellow paint on the ground next to my car from some old space markings.

Any help and advice would be much appreciated. The fine was £100 reduced to £75 if paid in 7 days. They only provide a PO box number for correspondence and no telephone number.

Thanks

Jez

Well it isn't a fine, it's a Parking Charge Notice not a Penalty Charge Notice, right? And have a look at any reference to 'appealing' - check that it tells you to appeal to the Parking Company and/or a PO Box - nothing about Magistrates Court I assume?

If there's nowt on a railway ticket about Rail Bylaws and Magistrates Court then it's not legit - so forget about the '£75 if paid in 7 days' rubbish 'offer'! You won't be paying it, they have no authority to fine anyone. And re 'appealing', don't even think about it, the answer will be no and you will have shown them that you think they have some authority and you would be giving them info they do not have!

Of course just ignore it and the standard debt collector letters which follow; we have all been there done that, ignored a PPC or six! Do not appeal, do not ring, do not write - IMHO do not even think about sending any template letter. Don't waste another SECOND thinking about it! Think of it as a phishing email which you'd just snort with laughter at and delete...this is the same sort of thing.

Just file ALL their letters, even those with scary bold lettering, debt collector headings and threat of litigation. It is all hot air.

Read as many other current forum threads on CAG, MSE and pepipoo.com, posted by people in your shoes, until you feel confident about it and until you have seen the word 'ignore' soooo many times that it makes your eyes glaze over. See the 3 links below for the main 3 relevant forum boards, current threads like yours with sticky advice at the top (just don't bother with template letters IMHO). Make sure you check out the copies of debt collector letters and the link to Watchdog on this matter:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/forumdisplay.php?88-Parking-Traffic-Offences

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...play.php?f=163

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

Nothing will happen, no Court, no CCJ, no bailiff, nowt. There's no effect on credit rating by deleting a phishing email nor from ignoring a PPC. Spread the word and tell anyone who thinks this is a real fine to read up on it.

Hi,

I parked in Exeter on Saturday 16th July, at the Victoria Yard car park, and had an experience almost identical to that of Jeremy Evans, back in February. I paid and displayed and when I returned (within the time period,) I found a £100 parking fine had been taped to my windscreen. I think I must have parked in the exact same spot from what Jez says, and can confirm that such notices that were on display were ambiguous and there was nothing obvious to indicate that I'd parked in a reserved space, (such as a sign saying Reserved Space for example!) The penalty of £100 (pay up within 7 days and they'll reduce it to £75,) seems exorbitant, and well above what a council would normally charge.

I've read the helpful advice of Coupon, but I was just wondering whether Jez, or anyone else in a similar situation, has had any problems with PPS since February, or whether they really do give up with their claims after a period of time.

Thanks

Mike

They give up 99.99% of the time Mike, so file it in drawer 13.

Thanks Crem. I appreciate your help.

Hi guys, sorry to revive an old thread, but I have just received a ticket from PPS in an Exeter car park. Just wondering if it carried on by you ignoring it? £100 (£75) is a ridiculous charge, and completely unreasonable for the offence. But yeah, just wondering if anything more drastic would happen if I ignore it?

Thanks in advance!

The only thing "drastic" that would happen is that your paper recycle bin will fill up a bit faster when you start receiving all that junk mail from the PPC. Just ignore. I imagine that's what the original poster did and that the PPC gave up when they found that the motorist wasn't going to give in to all those empty "threats".

Hi.

I got really worried back in November when I was given one of these tickets and couldn't believe the charge, I was mortified.

Anyway, I was sent lots of letters firstly telling me that the charge had increased and then threatening further proceedings etc..... then we had a letter saying they would reduce the now £130's charge to £80 if I paid within the week

Well because of this thread I did ignore and did not respond in any way (not even to explain that the driver of the car was not the registered keeper etc, as I was previously going to do ) and we have now not heard anything for a couple of months.

We are fairly confident that this will be the end of it, but I am very grateful for the folks on here who told me not to do anything and just ignore. ignore, ignore. I think that it was the right thing to do and feel fairly sure that no more will come of this.

Thanks very much to everyone.

Well done,,some people give in to them... madness i know...

Dont worry. Ive got ticked by these people for parking in my own space.

Im now 5months down the line with only a letter wanting the details of the driver.. just ignore.

Received a letter from Premier Parking Solutions saying I'd been given a ticket in Plymouth. No ticket on car from anywhere I'd been, plus still not sure of the location they said this was. Wanted payment of £100 plus because I hadn't paid within time, so phoned, told by CCS to contact and appeal to PPS. Put in an appeal by email. Received confirmation and told it would take two weeks. Nearly four now so phoned. Told I should have appealed to CCS and they shouldn't have told me to appeal to PPS. (Bet they're the same company). Sounds like the run around but wife is getting stressed. I'm also disabled with blue badge.

Advice please.

Just ignore. Simple as that. Please read the post above yours for further reassurance.

I have just had fine with 2 pics of my car its at bridge retail park, riviera way, torquay its at just after 10 at night saying i owe £60 the barrier was up also you cannot read signs in the dark i have taken photos myself etc. What shall i do and has anybody else had one

As with the numerous responses on here, if it is a non council ticket and does not say Penalty Charge Notice, then you can ignore it and the stream of begging letters that will follow

you dont do anything

you just ignore it

My introduction to CAG was through these so called "fines" I followed their advice and have heard nothing after 18 months! Ignore, Ignore, Ignore

Just incase you are unsure,

IGNORE

IGNORE

IGNORE

Hi all

New on here but thought I'd post as would like some advice/ feedback.

I received a parking ticket today from these guys pps. Reason being not parking within allocated bay markings , and to be totally honest my front wheel was encroaching on the adjacent bay . But this was a knock on effect from the car situated next to the bay I parked in.

Should I ignore / pay ???

Help cheers jimbo

Please take a look at the post immediately above yours.

Yep your question has already been answered...

Just looked on pps website and seen some unnerving comments on court cases won, are these genuine ?

I'm prepared to ignore the fools but in the back of my mind just think is it easier just to cough up and forget about it .

They are talking rubbish.

But if you are easily parted with your money and like wasting your cash then go ahead pay.

Why does bits of waste paper coming through the post scare you?

Just looked on pps website and seen some unnerving comments on court cases won, are these genuine ?

I'm prepared to ignore the fools but in the back of my mind just think is it easier just to cough up and forget about it .

If you read the text it would seem that these cases were won by them! When people have sued them for the return of clamping fees, a whole different ball game then an invoice on a screen. Done correctly clamping is legal! ( well until the first of October 2012)

"Court Judges sitting at both the Exeter and the Torquay and Newton Abbot County Courts ruled in PPS's favour dismissing the spurious and ultimately unsubstantiated claims made against them"

Earlier this year I parked in the car park off Southerhay in Exeter & my ticket must have got caught by the wind & got stuck at the front of the dashboard - still visible though if you looked properly. I returned to the car to a £100 parking charge which I appealed against & sent a photocopy of the ticket & a photo of it on the dashboard. I received a letter back stating 'you were not displaying a valid pay & display ticket & I therefore uphold our operative's decision to issue this parking charge notice.' I took the advice given on this forum & ignored all further correspondence from them. So far I've had a further 4 letters - first offering to reduce the fine to £75 if I paid by a certain date, then putting it up to £130 & then threatening me with a visit from a debt collector & saying that they'll take me to court. I've continued to ignore them & haven't heard from them for a couple of months now. Hopefully that's the end of it but I will continue to ignore them if I hear from them again however threatening they get!

Did they actually threaten you with a visit from a debt collector. If so, that's a first. They just rely on sending out scary looking letters.