UKPC ticket for 'parking outside the marked bay'

[sick_of_leeches]

Hi guys, wondering if anybody could give me some advice. I know somebody already has a similar thread to this one but i feel mine is slightly different circumstances.

 

I recently recieved a fine of £35 from UKPC for parking outside of a marked bay. The 'offence' happened at the waterfront near Merry hill shopping centre in Dudley (dont know if anybody else here knows it). Basically, there arent any clear bays on the floor, just metal studs sort of outlining where the bays are. Its free parking for up to 2 hours - but was only there for 30 minutes. Anyhow, the photograph on the ticket i recieved doesnt show me outside of any 'bay'.

 

So, of course, i sent them a letter disputing the fine. I also sent them the original ticket (i realise now that this was the wrong thing to do). I heard nothing back from them until about 2 weeks later, simply ststing that the fine had now gone up to £70.

 

I thought to myself... ' oh well, theyve probably sent out that letter just as theyve recieved my dispute letter'. I put it to the back of my mind and got on with my life.

 

a further week or so passed when i recieved a letter from debt recovery plus ltd, stating that the fine had now rose to £121.75 and that if it wasnt paid, legal proceedings would commence.

 

WHAT??!! What about my dispute letter?? Are they ignoring it?? Did they not recieve it?? Now i begin to start thinging im 'being done'.

 

So i try ringing up UKPC, only to be greeted with a recorded message of a rather cheerfull chappy asking for my bank details. It seems you cant actually speak to anybody there. What a surprise eh??

 

So i ring up the debt recovery firm and tell them the situation. they come back to me about a week later and say that the dispute had been refused and that i should have recieved a letter confirming this. Thing ois though...i didnt recieve anything of the sort. Not a sausage. They are now 'starting legal proceedings' against me to get the money. The thing is, I would have been more than willing to pay the original £35 if they could explain to me fully the reasons for the fine. But as it was they seemed happy enough to let the fine keep getting larger and play dumb.

 

Just where do i stand on this matter guys?? I get the feeling im in the right but would like some advice from people who know what theyre talking about.

 

Also, what address do i send dispute letters to?? Like i said i sent the original ticket back to them with my original dispute (DOH!!)

 

Thanks in advance and sorry about the long winded nature of my post.

[Al27]

Deary me. You've been sucked into the [problem] good and proper.

 

Do now what you should have done from day 1:

 

• do not pay

• do not contact them

• ignore the threatening junkmail from them and their powerless debt collectors

• they will give up and go away

• they will not take you to court

 

All you have is an unenforceable invoice - private companies cannot 'fine' people.

 

It's a [problem]. A trick. A con. There is no 'appealing' or 'disputing'.

[crem]

as Al27 says.

[sick_of_leeches]

Yes mate i have been sucked in. Ive never had a ticket before (ive been driving for 9 years) and i dont know the procedure. Although, one thing that has me to believe that this whole thing is as sham is the fact that the 3 times ive spoke to the debt collection agency thay offered to reduce the fine as 'a goodwill gesture' - firstly going down to £90 (from £121.75) then again down to £50. Of course, i told them to sling it.

 

So...if i ignore everything else these cowboys send me, everything will be rosey??

[Al27]

Yep - ignore the lot and they will go away. Debt collectors have no powers whatsover (they're not bailiffs with court papers) - [problem] relies on people not knowing that.

 

It's desperate times in the parking [problem] world - more and more people are going on the internet as soon as they get a ticket and finding out it's a trick and to ignore them.

 

Don't feel bad mate - you've escaped their clutches just in time!

[sick_of_leeches]

Thanks mate, u have put my mind at rest (a bit ). Will keep everyone informed though.

[Al27]

If they ring (which they could do since you've given them your number), say you'll go and get person X and just leave the phone sitting there whilst you go and watch TV.