I got a parking ticket

[DrO]

Dear members

I have a special situation here: I have received a parking ticket which says: “charge certificate” “Civil parking charge notice” Exceeded free parking duration at Lidl … “parking charge of £90” “we have obtained your name and address from the DVLA, any appeals should be made in writing within 14 days…” “If the parking charge is paid within a period of 14 days a reduced parking charge is payable (£45)”

To be honest, I always park there because I am a member of the gym next to Lidl, and as members we are entitled to park there for 4 hours, providing that we give our registration number to the Gym receptionist. I forgot to do that, hence I got the ticket. They sent me a picture of the car entering and leaving the car park, but I cannot see myself in the car…

My questions are:

1)Shall I contact them and tell them that I am a member of the Gym and give them my Gym membership details?…or

2)Shall I contact them asking for prove of identity?

3)What happens if in the appeal process I exceed the 14 days of reduced charge period? Do I have to pay the higher charge?

Any help will be much appreciated

DrO

Edited August 23, 2008 by DrO
correcting subject

[crem]

1)Shall I contact them and tell them that I am a member of the Gym and give them my Gym membership details?

 

You can do, I bet they won't cancel the ticket (sorry, INVOICE) though so is there any point in bothering?

 

2)Shall I contact them asking for prove of identity?

 

They will ask you for £10 for any "evidence" they have. If a court case was progressing (which is improbable) they have to provide the "evidence" for free, so I would leave it.

 

3)What happens if in the appeal process I exceed the 14 days of reduced charge period? Do I have to pay the higher charge?

 

There is no "appeal process" with these PPCs, well none that works as your appeal will always be rejected. So it does mean you have the higher charge to ignore instead of the lower one. As I hope you have no intention of paying the net cost to you will still be £0 whether inside or outside the 14 days.

[DrO]

Dear crem

 

Thank you very much for your helpful reply, the only thing that worries me is what they say: "failure to pay the charge within the time period described may result in your case benig transferred to a debt collection company ..." but Still not sure whether if I should pay the reduced charge...

What do I need to do?

best regards

DrO

Edited August 23, 2008 by DrO
change topic

[lamma]

"As I hope you have no intention of paying the net cost to you will still be £0 whether inside or outside the 14 days."

 

read the stickies. this is an unenforceable private parking INVOICE - not a ticket, not a fine.

 

don't pay a penny. just ignore them.

[Al27]

You have an unenforceable invoice from a powerless private company. The law does not allow for private companies to issue fines, and they could only take you to court to recoup their actual losses. The losses they have incurred from you 'overstaying' are precisely zero.

 

You need to get your head around the fact this is a complete [problem]. They will never go to court and thei business model is just based on sending intimidating letters and cashing in on the 40 or 50% of gullable people who pay.

 

The general advice is:

 

• do not pay

• do not contact them

• ignore their letters

• they will give up after sending you 5 or 6

• ignore all their lies about court, CCJs, bailiffs and owner liability

 

Nobody will be knocking on your door. They merely want you to be scared so you'll pay up. Debt collectors are merely powerless private companies and it's a waste of money for them to spend their time and petrol knoking on people's doors on the off chance they're in and will be stupid enough to hand over the cash there and then.

 

Just sit tight and ignore them.

[Barnsley Boy]

DrO,

 

You have been given good advice, ignoring really is the way to go. The tickets seem so legitimate don't they? These parking companies also have a cozy relationship with DVLA. They pay £2.50 a pop to obtain registered keeper details. This is yet another example of the government's casual attitude to our precious data. I suppose we should be grateful that they are actually selling it rather then casually leaving it on a train or taxi for free.

 

Whether you use the templates or not, you will get a series of increasingly shrill letters, some purportedly from debt collectors. Do not be in the slighted bit concerned, they mean absolutely nothing. We've all been there, just resign yourself to their wasted efforts.

[DrO]

Dear members

 

I have read carefully your replies and Knowledge is power! thank you for your valuable help, I really appreciate your time and support. I will do what you say, I won't do anything apart from ignoring them

 

Warmest regards

 

Omar (DrO)