Advice on Excel Car parks

[Qweeg]

It's my first post so I apologise if its in the wrong place.

 

I received a Parking Charge Notice from Excel parking Services Ltd on Sunday 09/03/08, it was because I'd not put a ticket on my car, there is a sign up saying ************* customers park free and loads of Excel signs which I really didn't notice. After shopping, I went up to the car park and a guy from Excel was there, taking pictures of my car and writing out a ticket, I asked him why as I was a ********** customer, but he said you have to buy a ticket and get the money back off *********. I then offered to go buy a ticket and he said once he had started writing the ticket, he wasn't allowed to stop, he also said if i drove off before he put the ticket on my windscreen the fine would go up to £100!!! So I waited, he put on the ticket, took some pictures of the ticket and off I went.

 

Now I'm really vexed as I was only there for 11 minutes in total and I'm sure he could have shown a little common sense. Do these guys work on commision?

 

Should I pay this fee? Your help and advice would be greatly appreciated.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Qweeg

[ShortlyTdwarf]

NO!!! definitely do NOT pay their fee. It is not an official PCN or FPN, just an invoice for the driver to pay a sum for not buying a ticket. It basically amounts to a penalty charge and the most they could legally expect to be able to recover is their losses, in this case the cost of the ticket you didn't buy when you parked.

 

Keep the ticket, and wait to see if they write to you demanding money with menaces, as is their wont. Then we'll take it from there. In the meantime read the sticky's on Private Parking at the top of the forum to give you an idea of how to deal with them when the time comes. And whatever you do, never admit liability to these idiots.

[CinnamonLady]

Please please please read the relevant "stickies" about your position in law. And there are many other threads on Excel which I would advise reading, so that you know what kind of organisation you are up against. Also have a look at articles reported in the Sheffield Telegraph.

 

Also, when you receive (as you most certainly will) the bumph from them, for goodness sake don't call them on their premium rate number. Try the information below instead.

 

We've been sending all our correspondence recorded delivery to the MD himself. And we will continue to do so.

 

I can't tell you how affronted I am at their business model, their attitude, their scare tactics, and what I view to be their blatant profiteering.

 

 

 

Excel Parking

356 Omega Court

Cemetery Road

Kenwood Park

Sheffield

South Yorkshire

S11 8FT

 

tel: 0114 267 8008

fax: 0114 267 8009

 

Managing Director : Mr Simon Renshaw-Smith

 

Regards,

 

CL

[Qweeg]

Thanks for the advice.

 

So I should just sit on the ticket until they send me a scary letter? Deal.

 

Once I have the letter, I'll be back for more advice.

 

Thanks concerned citizens of Britain.

[Qweeg]

Hi again

 

I received the ticket on the 09th March and haven't heard from them yet, should I just keep waiting without calling or writing?

 

I'm inclined to just ignore everything they send. Is that a bad idea?

 

Thanks.

[Barnsley Boy]

Queeg,

 

You could ignore, it is much more fun to use the template letters although the end result will be much the same whichever route you go down.

 

The main thing to remember is - DON'T PAY - they are simply not entitled to any of your hard earned money to finance their [problem].

 

It may be be fun to write to them along the lines of:

 

Dear Excel,

 

Why do you still pretend that these ridiculous invoices are somehow enforceable when you've had it rammed home to you that it simply is not the case.

 

I enclose a copy from an article in the "Mail on Sunday" in case you've not had chance to read it.

 

See you in court?

 

Regards

 

I Will Knot B. Fooled.

 

Judge quashes £300 parking fine...because it set out to ‘frighten and intimidate’ driver | the Mail on Sunday

[Qweeg]

Still haven't heard a thing and it been neary 10 weeks, maybe they'll leave me alone?

[pin1onu]

Still haven't heard a thing and it been neary 10 weeks, maybe they'll leave me alone?

It does look good. Maybe after their recent defeat in Mansfield they are busy licking their wounds.

 

They often process their tickets in batches so they may not have gotten round to you yet. However it could be there was a problem with what was recorded e.g. wrong VRM so someone else gets chased.

 

Silence is golden. The longer it goes on, the more likely it is that they aren't going to persue it. Keep your ticket as evidence in case they raise it at a later date.

[Mossycat]

Hmm so he told you that if you drove off before he attached the ticket you would get a £100 fine huh?

 

That's rubbish, if they do write to you send them a bill for your time, ie the time you waited (at their request) whilst they wasted your time writing out a worthless piece of paper. The only reason you waited is because they asked you to do so.

 

 

Mossycat

[Qweeg]

Unbelievably I received a letter asking me to pay £100!!! it says "NOTICE TO OWNER OF INTENT TO ISSUE COURT PROCEEDINGS"

 

LIABILITY FOR THE PARKING CHARGE NOTICE (PCN) LIES WITH YOU THE OWNER/KEEPER/DRIVER/HIRER.

 

Scary stuff eh? I apparently have 7 days to pay.

 

What should I do next?

 

Any advice accepted !!!!

Edited October 9, 2008 by Qweeg

[RichardM]

Same advice as ever. Ignore it.

 

After all, they've said that any one of four people could be liable, so how do you know it's intended for you?

 

The only person that notice can legally be written to is the DRIVER, and they have to prove who that person was in a court of law. And you are under no obligation to tell them who the driver was at the time of the alledged "breach of contract."

 

They are like flies. Annoying at the time, they do buzz off eventually and can do absolutely no harm to you whatsoever.

[lamma]

Notice of 'intent' not action. usual scare tactics from Excel. Judge quashes £300 parking fine...because it set out to ‘frighten and intimidate’ driver | Mail Online

[Qweeg]

Hi, I've had two snotty letters now, in bright red, bold writing, threatening to take me to court if I don't pay. I have made no contact whatsoever with them, no phone calls, letters etc, should I just leave it like that? My wife is panicking and wants to pay, but its a matter of principle to me.

 

Should I continue to ignore them and make no contact? Bailiffs won't come into it unless the court has found against me, is this correct?

[crem]

Bailiffs aren't involved unless you have actually been taken to court AND lost AND then refused/unable to pay in the 28 days allowed.

[lamma]

head of Excel reportedly pulls down over 400k a year - those letters are the source of his ill gotten gains. look here FAQs - PPCs - fighting back. The forces are aligned and here http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/164651-problems-ppcs-face.html?highlight=problems+ppc+face Don't contact Excel use your stamps to better value and lodge detailed complaints against every single transgression they have made. BPA, DVLA, Companies House, Trading Standards.

[Al27]

LIABILITY FOR THE PARKING CHARGE NOTICE (PCN) LIES WITH YOU THE OWNER/KEEPER/DRIVER/HIRER.

 

In breach of the Fraud Act 2006 and The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Hence chances of court action are very very slim.

[Qweeg]

Since the last snotty letter, threatening me on the 09th of October, I've not heard a thing. So that's over three months since any contact with Excel, lets hope they've given up.

[DDWales]

Looks like they have. Although you may recieve a final 'one last chance' to pay (desperation letter!!) with the amount increased to whatever daft number they can come up with. As before,- just dismiss it

[Qweeg]

I received a letter today from ccscollect telling me their client Excel have instructed them to collect £125 or they "May authorise them to prepare documents for the issue of county court proceedings against you" any advice as to what I should do now? The letter was issued on the day of my last post, they must read this forum !!!

[Barsteward]

I received a letter today from ccscollect telling me their client Excel have instructed them to collect £125 or they "May authorise them to prepare documents for the issue of county court proceedings against you" any advice as to what I should do now? The letter was issued on the day of my last post, they must read this forum !!!

 

Whats changed??

Nothing,

So that's what you do - nothing

Excel are the ones in the wrong regarding their letters. Failure to comply with their own industry code of practice - and therefore in breach of agreement with DVLA.

Do you really think they will go to court with that evidence in your possession??

[letshelp]

they must read this forum !!!

 

It is no secret that these **** suckers read this forum, usually to see if they can id people from the information posted, I suppose they also get some sort of pleasure seeing the worry they cause to people. Whatever rocks your boat........................

[Qweeg]

A "friend" received a letter today from the ridiculously posh named Charles Howard associates giving my "friend" 72 hours notice of a home visit !! To "collect the cash owed and to assess the situation prior to court action. Charles Howard is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCS collect, the debt collectors.

 

My friend spoke to his sister who is a solicitor and aparently this is constituted as a threat.

 

My friend is thinking about bringing in the law as this is harassment.

 

My friend is looking for advice as to what to do if smeone actually turns up.

[Lonegroover]

I've just opened a letter from charlie howard as well. can't wait for someone to turn up

[letshelp]

A "friend" received a letter today from the ridiculously posh named Charles Howard associates giving my "friend" 72 hours notice of a home visit !! To "collect the cash owed and to assess the situation prior to court action. Charles Howard is a wholly owned subsidiary of CCS collect, the debt collectors.

 

My friend spoke to his sister who is a solicitor and aparently this is constituted as a threat.

 

My friend is thinking about bringing in the law as this is harassment.

 

My friend is looking for advice as to what to do if smeone actually turns up.

 

Ignore, no-one is going to be 'turning up'. Just treat their letters as what they are, junk mail. How these clowns think anyone could be fooled by this nonsense just baffles me.

regards

[crem]

How these clowns think anyone could be fooled by this nonsense just baffles me.

regards

 

Unfortunately too many people do seem to be fooled by these letters.