Parking Contravention Athena ANPR Ltd

[DBC]

If you must reply (something that's not recommended) then don't call it a "fine". Giving a speculative invoice that name just bestows on it a legitimacy it doesn't deserve.

[groovymom]

Wow thanks for your super fast response. I don't want to respond on the other hand I want to tell them I got the letter but I'm not paying them. I don't know. I actually googled to pay them online today then found this site - I'm so grateful there are forums like this

[ManxRed]

Sometimes replying, even if to just say that you are going to ignore them, gives them the impression that you are taking them seriously and encourages them to send you even more junk mail than they normally would. It also shows that there is a real person on the end of the address (as opposed to a barrister, judge, chief constable, etc. that they have no idea about if you ignore and never respond). I would just ignore them.

[groovymom]

Oooh ok - thanks for that response. I will ignore them. Yes I will. Should I file the letters away or just chuck them in the bin??

[crem]

keep it safe in the bottom of some dark drawer just in case for the 1 in a million chance that they have a punt at cout.

[StormWarrior]

Plus if you don't keep them you can't get the whole set !

I've nearly got 3 full sets from different companies

[letshelp]

Oooh ok - thanks for that response. I will ignore them. Yes I will. Should I file the letters away or just chuck them in the bin??

Manxred is absolutely correct. Contacting them only encourages them. Sometimes whilst responding to these invoices in anger we tell them things we should not, like we were the driver at the time, which is the biggest hurdle they have to cross if they do risk court action.

Tell them nothing and then they do not know if there threatograms are even reaching anybody.

Trust me ignoring them hurts them a lot more than threats.

regards

[Minglespring]

I received a 'fine' from Athena a couple of weeks ago, unfortunately I emailed them back appealing the letter, I have since seen this thread. Shall I ignore them from now on as they have had a response form me..(No suprise, my appeal was rejected) My partner seems to think that they can come an clamp my car!! Please can you advise? Thanks

[DBC]

Yes, just ignore. They cannot clamp your car. They are not the police, council or the DVLA, but just a bunch of private citizens with no special powers.

[Beesnees]

Hi DBC - I threw in my two penny worth on the other thread. Would be much obliged to you if you transferred it to this thread as well.

 

Thanks mate,

Beesnees

[Pamila]

Husband has just received one of those charge letters. I have read this thread with interest and am considering ignoring the letter as advised, however I am slightly concerned that the information on here is only applicable in England - we live in Scotland. Anyone advise?

 

Many thanks

[Dublindel]

Same in Scotland, so ignore. Do you owe a parking fee

[Pamila]

Thanks for replying Dublindel - yes £90 or £45 if within 14 days

[Dublindel]

Well the charge you can always ignore but always offer the fee if you overstay and only ever pay by cheque or PO. Otherwise they could take you to court, they would lose on the charge but may win on the fee and you would pay costs. In your current position just ignore

[Pamila]

Oops just realised my mistake- no parking fee is due. The charge of £90/£45 is for overstaying 1 1/2 hour free parking limit. by 13 minutes

[Dublindel]

Ok. Debt collectors have no powers so ignore them too. If a solicitor comes on board then he is a shister. Ignore as well. Personally I always write to them in a slightly sarcastic way, because I enjoy baiting them. Have dealt with dozens but no sign of any court papers so far

[edingal89]

Hi, recently had a run in with Athena and found this site, great advice and very tempted to follow it but just a few questions.

 

Basically it was my friends car, she had loaned it to me for the week of the parking thing and she only received the apparent 'final warning' letter requesting she pay £90. Now as the car is in my friends name I'm wary of ignoring this incase she gets in trouble etc.

 

If I were to reply to them as my friend just to state that she was not the driver at the time, and that she is not obliged to disclose the name of the driver, would this take her out of there firing line, or do you think they would still pursue her for this?

 

Also the letter only states if ignored they 'MAY' pass the case on to debt collecters (unlike others i've read on here which state they 'WILL') so I'm pretty sure they are just trying to use scare tactics.

 

Any extra advice is greatly appreciated.

[June24]

Hi everyone thank you for this forum. I have a similar situation as the previous poster. My partner was driving his work van at the time.

 

Athena are now writing the registered keeper (his company). He would like to ignore them, but would get into serious trouble if his boss sees the letters. They have just sent a second letter. He would now like to write them giving our home address or just via email and admitting he is the driver so they hassle him at home/email rather than write letters to work.

 

We definitely do not want to pay, but also do not want him to get into trouble at work. Any suggestions would be welcome. It was a Lidl car park with a parking duration of only 1 hr which is very short. Lidl are very stupid for allowing this to happen to their customers I think.

[Dublindel]

It's your ticket so get it into your name and address. Then ignore

[June24]

It's your ticket so get it into your name and address. Then ignore

 

Thank you very much for your reply. Yes I think that is what he wants to do.

 

We are just unsure how to word the letter to them, and what consequences does it have if they know who the driver is?

[Missliss]

Hi all,

 

I've just received a "Civil Parking Charge Notice" from Athena ANPR for overstaying in Lidl Carpark in Croydon. It was by 50 minutes, and in error as we didn't see the signs saying only one hour was free. Now they want £90, reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days.

 

I am certainly inclined to ignore it given all I have been reading here but as many of the threads refer wording on the letters which is different to the wording on mine I was wondering:

 

1- Does the fact that it is a "Civil Parking Charge Notice" with no mention anywhere on the letter as a fine mean they have changed their wording so this is enforceable?

 

2 - Does the fact they are members of the "British Parking Association" give them any right to pursue us?

 

3 - I have seen all the advice about ignoring them completely - Has anyone here ignored letters from Athena ANPR before now, and what was the outcome?

 

Thank you all in advance

[dpick]

1- Does the fact that it is a "Civil parking charge Notice" with no mention anywhere on the letter as a fine mean they have changed their wording so this is enforceable?

 

No it is still an invoice for an unenforceable parking charge as all they can charge is their actual loss = 0

 

2 - Does the fact they are members of the "British Parking Association" give them any right to pursue us?

 

No British Parking Association is just a club of parking companies with no actual authority.

 

3 - I have seen all the advice about ignoring them completely - Has anyone here ignored letters from Athena ANPR before now, and what was the outcome?

 

Just read the threads and you will see that many just peter out as nothing to report on as in my case 6 letters then peace and quiet.

 

dpick

[Missliss]

Thank you dpick, that's really useful info

[Althepal]

Can somebody help me please. I received a Final reminder for a parking charge of £90 from Athena regarding an alleged overstay in Lidl's car park in Glasgow. I emailed them and although I admitted being at the locus I did not admit directly to being the driver, I said that I was unaware of committing any offence and pointed out that I had not received an initial notice and advised them that as an honest individual if I had received one I would have been prepared to pay the initial charge of £45 . They immediately responded with an email complete with photographs showing my vehicle entering and leaving the car park and it was dressed up like a parking charge notice. intimating that I could pay the initial charge of £45. Having seen your thread I have done nothing about it and have now received a NOTICE OF COLLECTION PROCEEDINGS stating that the money (£ 45) has not been received by them and it I fail to pay within 7 days my case will be transferred to a Debt Collection Agency and at that time the debt will rise to £115 in addition to threats of: - Execution of Bailiffs warrant to recover costs, s Attachment of earning order, Third party Debt Order ect . Any suggestions would be most welcome

[DBC]

Just ignore these clowns. No offence has been committed and you don't owe them a penny. Did they actually mention bailiffs? As you live in Scotland then no such animal exists. It just shows what muppets they are.