Private Parking Tickets - General discussion points

[Scattycat48]

Am a little bit in the dark about this so bear with me. I parked my car in Morrisons car park in Whitehaven today (which I have done nearly every day for past 7 years) then left car park on foot. Came back 1 and half hours later to a ticket on my screen. After nearling having heart failure I read ticket which was from CP Plus Ltd and it said I was seen leaving site. The reason code was 08 which actually says CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTION TO OTHER USERS. This car park is a shoppers car park and initially had no restriction of usage. About 4 or 5 years later they slapped a 2 hour restriction and now on the notice boards in the car park (which I hadn't read) you are not allowed to leave your car in car park and go off the premises. The charge is for £50 or £25 if you pay within 14 days. Is this legal?

[GuidoT]

Just ignore the ticket. In law they are unenforceable penalties.

 

They will write all manner of apparently increasingly threatening letters and then fade away into obscurity.

 

These letters usually work and most pay, but not the initiated that are wise to the [problem].

[jama4]

I'm new to this forum so apologies if I asking for advice on a question thats been asked a few times already...

 

I have received a PCN from Parking Eye car park management. It states that as my car overstayed it's welcome on one of their car parks I should now pay £50.00. It's one of those letters with the chequered border if that helps anyone.

 

From reading this thread the advise seems to be to just ignore their letters but I do have concerns with having my possessions seized or a CCJ being held against me.

 

Is this likely to happen / has it happened to anyone on here??

 

Many thanks

[letshelp]

I'm new to this forum so apologies if I asking for advice on a question thats been asked a few times already...

 

It has but no problem.

 

I have received a PCN from Parking Eye car park management. It states that as my car overstayed it's welcome on one of their car parks I should now pay £50.00. It's one of those letters with the chequered border if that helps anyone.

 

Ah yes one that tries to imitate REAL tickets issued by lawful authorities, we know the ones.

 

From reading this thread the advise seems to be to just ignore their letters but I do have concerns with having my possessions seized or a CCJ being held against me.

 

It looks like you have started to fall for the [problem]. They have to take you to court first, (think chances of winning Euromillions here), then they have to win (think winning euromillions lottery 5 times on the run, to give you an idea of their chances), then you have to refuse to pay. Relax it is a bluff.

 

Is this likely to happen

 

Not in a million years.

 

has it happened to anyone on here??

 

No

 

Many thanks

regards

[Michael Browne]

Here's Parking Eyes letter chain:

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/156986-parking-charge-notice-parking-6.html#post2652589

[jama4]

Great, thank you both for putting my mind at rest, I shall be ignoring the letters.

 

Regards

[Scattycat48]

Thankyou for your reply. I have to admit a tiny portion of my brain (its a very small brain so this would be miniscule!!!!!) was thinking of actually paying this charge and then I thought (there I go thinking again!!!!) why should I when I am a pensioner and even £25 is a lot.

Thankyou again and I will write again if and when I receive any letters. Though according to your letters I won't.

[Pepsi549]

Had a 'Parking Charge Notice' myself.

 

The first thing you need to do is note the title....it’s a notice, not a fine..it does not quote any breach of Road Traffic legislation.

 

The next clue is to look at the wording....in my particular case

 

On the specified date you were the owner, keeper or driver......

 

What legal enforcement falls upon an individual that neither had responsibility nor control of a vehicle at a material time of an apparent incident? The notice offers no request to supply details of the user of the vehicle as per most official notices of intended fine/prosecution.

 

Any further process to follow up this notice by Parking Eye, must be done within the law. The end result being that an individual is entitled to his or her day in court. An appeal based on the lack of information and content of what is a misleading document would put the weight of success in the lap of the unfortunate recipient of the initial 'Parking Charge Notice'.

 

I see the benefit of enforcing parking issues in supermarket car-parks, but such establishments need to be concerned that those representing their interest do so with professionalism and customer care.

 

Ring the establishment that you visited on the material day you over stayed your parking welcome, discuss politely the circumstances. These people are human, they will listen and advise them that companies acting for them might per chance be tarnishing their good name.

 

Don’t waste your time ringing the number on the notice. The person you speak with will not be sufficiently trained to advise and judicate on your complaint. Your conversation will only leave you uptight, annoyed and further frustrated.

 

So if you receive a notice, put the kettle on, read its content and read again. Then research the company, research the content and calmly make your representation.

Edited January 25, 2010 by Pepsi549

[really annoyed]

Well having received my Penality Notice on the 18.12.09. I did what was suggested on here and did not get in contact with them at all - they have never been in contact with me at all and it is now 25.01.10.

Incidently my friend also got a parking notice as he was parked next to me, he did write to them and told them he had proof that he was in work at this time and they wrote back saying no further action will be taken, without even asking him for proof - I really believe it is some sort of [problem] and they rub their hands with glee at people paying up without question.

[kiptower]

Pepsi549 calmly make your representation , ?? against a [problem]

 

there is only on answer to these [EDIT] ignore them in the first place

 

"T***L"

[tigerthecat]

I have not replied to 2nd letter from them, asking me to name the driver who was driving my car at the time, and im not going to reply to any other letters from them , threatening or not!! i will ignore all!.

[Steven_A]

Hello there, I would just like to say that I have now been through countless letters for a parking 'fine' that escalated to over £450.

 

The advice here is to IGNORE THEM and that's just what I did!

 

Now my house is repossessed, I lost my car and my job.

 

Only kidding... NOTHING HAPPENED! Despite the above being in my mind in darker moments... the letters have now stopped after a lot of red ink and in not answering I have not entered into complicated dialogues.

 

I just want to thank this forum and to stress the advice, DO NOT RESPOND to the begging letters!

 

It takes a little resolve and courage in some instances.

 

And I will be sure next time to be mindful of how long and where I park, unintentionally or otherwise.

 

Thanking you all again.

Edited January 26, 2010 by Steven_A

[letshelp]

Thanks for coming back to report that IGNORE is the best.

regards

[crem]

Yikes! You nearly had me going there when I read to line 3. I realised you must be joking though when you didn't confirm they had eaten your dog and stolen the kids (or should that be the other way round?.. ... no matter )

[YorkshireWorrier]

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!

[kiptower]

continue to IGNORE

[YorkshireWorrier]

Thank you

[letshelp]

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.

 

Ahhhhh, not a debt collection agency, people with absolutely no power other than to send letters some with scary red ink...

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?

 

Correct, 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!

 

In their dreams.

 

regards

[plastics]

Hi everyone

Can I start by saying I have read the stickies and nearly 33 odd pages of posts, and have to say how remarkable the support on here is, particularly from letshelp, crem and lamma who keep saying the same thing again and again - IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE.

 

I was one click away from sending in my 'online appeal' to the company after receiving a 'PCN' = (Parking Charge Notice on behalf of the Landowner'), stuck under my wipers, before I read all this.

 

In summary, I've just moved to work in a new hospital 4 weeks ago, and moved into 'hospital accomodation' which is off-site from the hospital and owned by a 'social housing' company providing keyworker accommodation. The car park is privately monitored by a CMS Uk Ltd. On moving in, I paid my monthly rent up front and paid for a month's parking permit, thinking that this was would be renewable by deductions from my salary slip. Anyway, I found out a few days ago that I have to pay upfront for a new permit each time before it expires (even though I have to give 4 weeks notice to move out) and, found out today, when I renewed my permit that the company 'are very quick to enforce their PCNs'. The lady who checked me in didn't tell me any of this at the time.

 

My permit date expired on 1st Feb; yesterday, the 2nd, I was at work all day (from 0700 to 1800) in operating theatres, and couldn't get back to the accom office (opens 830-1600) to pay for another permit (about £25 a month). This morning I managed to leave work temporarily to get back to the office for a new permit. They said, I didn't need to come in person, I could have phoned up and pay before the expiry date and they would leave the permit in my mailbox - again, no information like this was given when I moved in.

 

Anyway, went to the car to apply the renewed permit, and I find a yellow-and-black PCN notice on my windscreen asking for £80, reduced to £50 if I pay before 14 days, stating my contravention was 'Not displaying a valid permit'. The Housing company in their documentation say that they will not enter into any dialogue re.parking fines, and I need to appeal directly to CMS, the parking company.

 

I am a resident there, and so I am not sure how the template letters (re. stating that the onus is on them to prove who the driver was), apply in this situation. My DVLA details, including address, are also in the process of being changed because I only moved from my previous residence about a month ago.

 

I was very tempted to write a letter to explain the circumstance i.e. couldn't get to the office yesterday to renew the permit, but have paid for another month's parking and I am still resident here so I will be paying monthly for the parking anyway. But having read all the posts here, it seems that entering in any sort of dialogue is a waste of time. My only issue is, IF in the remote chance they escalate it to court, will it be a problem if I don't respond to any of their letters - i.e. will the Judge ask why I didn't follow their stated appeals process if I wasn't happy with the charge? And can this 'debt owed' impact my credit rating? To which letters, if any should I make a response?

 

I think I know what the answers will be - ignore, file the letters and only respond to a formal court summons. But I'm also a bit of a worrier, and just checking to see if my situation is slightly different to the normal, since I am a resident here and my car is sitting here all the time.

 

Sorry that it is so long winded, but if these companies are knowingly flouting Consumer regulations, why aren't Trading Standards clamping down on all this activity - can we not fight back in anyway and take them to Court ourselves? £50 isn't a massive deal for me, but it is the principle of it: there are a lot of the other less well paid workers living here who are will probably be scared into paying up. It seems to be so unethical and should be outlawed by the law!

[GuidoT]

You are right in that a judge would take a dim view regarding ignoring correspondence.

 

Balancing the time you will expend corresponding with them (the initiation of such may make them more likely to commence) and the remote possibility of ending up in court, I would take the small risk and just ignore them.

[letshelp]

Hi everyone

Can I start by saying I have read the stickies and nearly 33 odd pages of posts, and have to say how remarkable the support on here is, particularly from letshelp, crem and lamma who keep saying the same thing again and again - IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE.

 

I was one click away from sending in my 'online appeal' to the company after receiving a 'PCN' = (Parking Charge Notice on behalf of the Landowner'),

 

Glad you read this before wasting your time with an appeal. Please do not confuse a PPC with a lawful authority, by engaging with things like appeals you are giving them the credibility they crave so much.

 

In summary, I've just moved to work in a new hospital 4 weeks ago, and moved into 'hospital accomodation' which is off-site from the hospital and owned by a 'social housing' company providing keyworker accommodation. The car park is privately monitored by a CMS Uk Ltd. On moving in, I paid my monthly rent up front and paid for a month's parking permit, thinking that this was would be renewable by deductions from my salary slip. Anyway, I found out a few days ago that I have to pay upfront for a new permit each time before it expires (even though I have to give 4 weeks notice to move out) and, found out today, when I renewed my permit that the company 'are very quick to enforce their PCNs'. The lady who checked me in didn't tell me any of this at the time.

 

I think you have paid enough money for the right to park where you do, don't you?

 

My permit date expired on 1st Feb; yesterday, the 2nd, I was at work all day (from 0700 to 1800) in operating theatres, and couldn't get back to the accom office (opens 830-1600) to pay for another permit (about £25 a month). This morning I managed to leave work temporarily to get back to the office for a new permit. They said, I didn't need to come in person, I could have phoned up and pay before the expiry date and they would leave the permit in my mailbox - again, no information like this was given when I moved in.

 

It is almost as if they are working with the PPC's to get money out of people going about their lawful business.

 

Anyway, went to the car to apply the renewed permit, and I find a yellow-and-black PCN notice on my windscreen asking for £80, reduced to £50 if I pay before 14 days, stating my contravention was 'Not displaying a valid permit'. The Housing company in their documentation say that they will not enter into any dialogue re.parking fines, and I need to appeal directly to CMS, the parking company.

 

Complete nonsense from the housing company do not appeal, reasons as before.

 

I am a resident there, and so I am not sure how the template letters (re. stating that the onus is on them to prove who the driver was), apply in this situation. My DVLA details, including address, are also in the process of being changed because I only moved from my previous residence about a month ago.

 

The advice on the forum now is NOT to engage with the ppc at all, forget about the templates. Give them absolutely nothing to work with, let them waste their time and money, not you.

 

I was very tempted to write a letter to explain the circumstance i.e. couldn't get to the office yesterday to renew the permit, but have paid for another month's parking and I am still resident here so I will be paying monthly for the parking anyway. But having read all the posts here, it seems that entering in any sort of dialogue is a waste of time.

 

Correct.

 

My only issue is, IF in the remote chance they escalate it to court, will it be a problem if I don't respond to any of their letters - i.e. will the Judge ask why I didn't follow their stated appeals process if I wasn't happy with the charge?

 

The ppc's would love this to be how it is. Fortunately it is not. Why should you respond to a [problem]? There is nothing that can be held against you for ignoring these clowns. You are only legally obliged to respond to real, stamped court papers, and even then you can ignore them BUT at your peril.

 

And can this 'debt owed' impact my credit rating? To which letters, if any should I make a response?

 

There is no debt, they have issued you with a begging letter it has no more credibility than that. Despite what the PPC will threaten they can have no impact on your credit rating. They would first have to take you to court (think chances of winning the euro lottery here), then you would have to lose (think chances of winning the euro lottery 10 times on the run here). Then you would have to fail to pay the judgement within 28 days. So a really long way from impacting on your credit rating.

 

I think I know what the answers will be - ignore, file the letters and only respond to a formal court summons. But I'm also a bit of a worrier, and just checking to see if my situation is slightly different to the normal, since I am a resident here and my car is sitting here all the time.

 

Well you guessed what my next line was going to be, please try not to worry that is what their letters are designed to do, the [problem] fails when (A) You realise it is a [problem] and (B) You know what to expect so can just laugh at their silly attempts to extort money from you.

 

Sorry that it is so long winded, but if these companies are knowingly flouting Consumer regulations, why aren't Trading Standards clamping down on all this activity

 

Why indeed, something that is asked quite a lot on this and other forums.

 

- can we not fight back in anyway and take them to Court ourselves?

 

These clowns collect CCJ's like christmas cards, when they feel they have had enough they close the business down then reappear as another closely named company.

 

£50 isn't a massive deal for me, but it is the principle of it: there are a lot of the other less well paid workers living here who are will probably be scared into paying up. It seems to be so unethical and should be outlawed by the law!

 

If only

 

regards

[plastics]

Thanks for the advice!

....I just have that urge to take the Housing Association to task for allowing such shambolic money extorting activities on their premises, can't believe they are happy to just wash their hands off it!

...But you are right, I'll stay put for now, ignore everything and see what happens.....

[YorkshireWorrier]

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!)

[theduffer]

Hi, It must have been several months ago I received a parking ticket (sorry... invoice) for straddling 2 parking spaces at Asda. On the advice I received from this forum (and others) I ignored all letters from the thieving b******s and supprise supprise the letters stopped. Take the advice and dont ever contact them, if you do this they will look upon you as a lost cause and leave you alone. Thanks for the advice everyone.

[letshelp]

(I suspect I'll be seeking further reassurance sometime fairly soon!)

Only a post away;)

regards