Dear All

I have just found this forum and I am hoping somebody can help me. I received a Parking Contravention Charge Notice from the NCP on 30 May when I was parked in a railway station car park. The charge was £100 (or £50 if I paid within 14 days).

I wrote to the NCP to appeal the decision on the grounds that it was a bank holiday that day and therefore I didn't realise that I had to pay. Furthermore, there was nobody in the ticket booth to ask, and the cars either side of me also did not have tickets which confirmed my assumption.

I have received a letter from NCP today (dated 17 June) saying that they have declined my appeal and giving me a further 14 days from the date of the letter to pay the £50, or £100 thereafter and also saying that if that £100 is not paid thereafter, they will follow a recovery process which includes passing the case to a debt collector who will seek to recover the outstnading debt on their behalf and admin costs. It also says that they reserve the right to use the courts ti reciver the charges due to them.

Where do I stand? I receive benefits so I don't have this sort of money readily available but also my credit rating is already quite bad and I don't want it to become worse or put a black mark against my name. Equally I do not want to go to court? Are there other options or will I just have to pay?

Thank you in advance.

THere is NO appeal.

Ignore everything you receive from them. It's an invoice.

Jogs

Have a read of this sticky http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?309210-Private-Parking-Tickets-AKA-Speculative-Invoices it will explain what a 'speculative invoice' is.

Just ignore it and don`t even bother to contact them as its a waste of a stamp.

Someone may let you know what scary letters from debt collectors and solicitors(so called) that you may get but just ignore it and smile!

They are private companies that cannot issue fines only invoices that are not enforceable.

If worried then get back on here but DON`T pay them a penny, I would rather you sent it to me!

So today you can celebrate the fact that you nearly got "HAD" by con artists and you found this site first!

By now you should have a big grin on your face

I too was worried about my NCP ticket but know I know and tell all the people I know about it to save them money.

(and I took a bit of convincing)!

It may follow with scary red ink on paper with scary words but that’s all they are and intended to frighten people into paying towards their big lush houses while we all work hard for a living.

Nast words like debt collector and CCJ and court and Bailiff etc.

It’s just words to scare you into paying.

It is no different to me sending you and invoice in the official looking yellow sticky thing and asking you to pay me £1000 because I don`t like the colour of you shoes!

Would you pay me! That would be nice!

Would I take you to court? Be a bit silly if I tried!

Better to send 10% to this forum for saving you a bomb!

Andrex.

Andrex.

More like Izal.... cheap, rough & slippery.

Ignor everything you are sent regarding this no matter who the letters are from or how scary they are. It's all bluster to scare you into paying. After a few months they will realise they are wasting their time and money and forget about you. FACT!

Thank you everyone for your replies. I was just worried because I had given them my address and I didn't want it to come back at me on this address or on my credit rating. I won't bother to contact them anymore and I will ignore future letters.

Oh and if I could afford it, I would give you lot the £50 for the peace of mind you have given me!

Thank you, thank you, thank you XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Does it matter that I have identified myself as the driver???? Reading the thread on speculative invoices, I think it might... ???

Don't worry, even if they did decide to take a gamble in court, they would have to prove to a county court judge that your actions cost them the hundred pounds that they are claiming, plus they would have to prove that it isn't a penalty, which it clearly is.

If it did go to court and you lost, the most the judge would order you to pay would be the cost of a pay & display ticket for the time you were there, probably no more than a couple of quid. It's not worth their while to pursue these cases all the way, they just send the scary letters out and hope people pay up before they stumble across sites like this.

Just ignore them from now on and don't contact them again.

NCP have never ever done court.

Hey all

I have followed the advice and ignored the letters that I have received so far but now I have had a letter from Newlyn debt collectors saying that I need to pay £142! It is a really scary looking letter - is this something I now need to pay or can I continue to ignore? NCP might not send me to court but will Newlyn? I looked them up online and they look pretty official.

Thanks in advance for advice.

Just relax and don't fall for their meaningless and hollow threats. They won't take you to court. Simple as that!

Thanks for the quick response DBC. I have been following the advice from this forum but when I got this letter it has really knocked me sideways. I didn't think they would go to the extreme of instructing debt collectors and I am worried about bailiffs coming to my property.

A debt collector is a person who writes letters or at worst phones you, they have no power you can simply ignore them,or tell them to go away! Bailiffs can not be sent by anyone except a court. So you wont be seeing them!

Newlyn are well known for exaggerating their powers. However they really have none at all!

The letters are a normal part of the chain, you may even get a reduced amount offer from them eventually!

Or make them an offer of £0 or less and tell them to head south past beachy head!

Just ignore them and seriously don`t worry about it, laugh at them instead. and tell your friends.

I spoke to someone today who alas think they were also conned due to lack of knowledge of this site.

Just ignor them Laura.

It will look like it's getting worse, it's all part of the act. They will give up.

Thank you everyone. I have paid these sorts of things in the past and I was thrilled to come across this forum on this occasion. I will continue to ignore it (and to pass on the word to my friends).

Hi Laura. The guys here really know their stuff, you can trust them. Keep your money from now on and yes, tell all your friends.

I'm glad you found us, please don't run away too soon.

My best, HB

The DCA letters LOOK scary - until you know how the PPCs operate and that DCAs have no powers at all.

Then to many they probably just look like pathetic begging letters from chancers trying to trick you into parting with your money.

Don't get scared, get angry.

Its a while since I posted this link

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/164651-problems-ppcs-face.html?highlight=problems+ppc+face

That article probably needs a few more 'problems' adding to it, not least VAT liability.

I've since received another couple of letters from Newlyn which I ignored but today's one says:

You are formally advised that unless the payment is received within 14 days, proceedings will be initiated in the County Court where a Judgement may be obtained. The CCJ may then be enforced by a court appointed bailiff which will incur substantial costs....blah blah blah

Do you think that I might get a CCJ against my name? It is my understanding that these take 6 years to clear and I'm intending to buy a house next year so I don't want this to affect me. Or is this yet another threat from Newlyn that I should ignore? this has been going on for so many months, I really thought they might have given up by now.

Ignore.

Ignore them. The usual utter rubbish. They make it sound as if they can hand out CCJs. Wrong!Only a judge can hand out a CCJ, and this whole matter would have to go to county court first. Unless you receive stamped court papers, continue to do nothing.

Thank you. I suspected so but wanted to check because I definitely can't risk having a CCJ against my name.

Hi Laura. Does it really say they will take you to court? Usually it's a bit more subtly worded and says they may. It still doesn't mean anything.

Same advice as above.

My best, HB