It does help to see all these - at least you can see what to expect. It seems that some private parking companies are more persistent than others and the very persistent ones might cause more distress for people who weren't sure to start with. Keep up the good work!

Thank you DBC and letshelp. I may be a seasoned veteran but I still panic and the reassurance is very much appreciated. I'll sit back and wait now for the next invoice! All the best everyone.

Hi all - I'm back again! Happy to report that on my previous issue (with Parking Eye), I stopped hearing from them. But now I've gone and done it again! This time in a car park in Stockport, that I assumed was free as it was for a shopping centre - daft thing to do obviously! Anyway, I got back to my car to find a Parking Charge Notice, from Excel Parking Services Limited, attached to the driver's window - last time the first I knew was when I got a letter. I'm pretty sure that the advice will be the same, but just checking really. This one states that I 'parked without displaying a valid ticket' - if I'd realised I needed one I'd have bought one! It now says that I must pay £100 - or if I pay within 7 days I can pay 'only' £60. For 20 minutes parking that strikes me as rather steep! I would welcome any advice. Many, many thanks.

Hi - I didn't get a ticket either. The first I knew about my alleged 'offence' was when I got the first begging letter in the post. I'm hanging in there for now.

I would just like to endorse what 'plastics' says - 'letshelp' truly is a help for people like me who panic about these sort of letters. Keep up the good work! (I suspect I'll be seeking further reassurance sometime fairly soon!)

Thank you

I know I'm probably being silly (why beak the habits of a lifetime?), but I am worrying slightly as I have today received communication number three - this time from a debt collection agency. It states that the £110.00 outstanding should be paid by return to avoid them taking me to court. I'm guessing (I hope correctly) that the advice once again will be to ignore? There's a little note at the bottom of side 2, stating 'Please note a small processing charge will be applied to Debit and Credit Card payments' - as if £110.00 isn't enough!

A quick update. I was away for a few days and got home to a second letter from Parking Eye. Although they had originally told me I had until 14th January to pay the 'reduced £50 payment' the second letter was dated 11th January - so they didn't even wait to see if I paid by the 14th! The second letter also gives me a grace period in which I can pay £50 and this letter has photos of my car on it, with enlarged pictures of my number plate. The warning adds that 'If payment is not received we may pursue this matter through the appropriate channels.' but doesn't actually state what the 'appropriate channels' are! I bet I'm supposed to be scared now! Thanks to this site (and the very helpful people on it), I'm not.

I feel so much happier about it now. It also helps to know that I can get further information if I need it. Thank you again.

Many thanks kiptower - so glad I came online before coughing up and paying them. YorkshireWorrier (who is worrying a bit less now!)

At the risk of asking what has been asked countless times, I wonder if someone would mind very much telling me if, with possible changes to the law, the current advice would still be to ignore, ignore and then ignore again letters re a Parking Charge Notice. I have received one of these and was just going to accept that I had been stupid and pay up (£50 if I pay this week, then £80, rising to a possible £110). However, before I signed on the dotted line I decided to do a bit of research and came across this forum. It seems to pretty much cover what I wanted to know, but I read one of the posts from quite a while ago and I wondered if the law had changed. The letter I received is from Parking Eye and apart from the car registration and the place and time, is very like a lot of the letters posted about in here. Many thanks for any responses I get.