PCN received from New Generation Parking

[barrybarry]

Hi,

 

I have read this by searching but stupidly I too wrote back to this company before reading the site.

 

I tried to appeal and yesterday received a letter back saying I did not appeal properly. I didn't pay first then appeal, to be honest I thought it would have been stupid to pay because then you obviously won't get your money back in any case.

 

Anyway, here is what I wrote to them explaining what happened.

 

“NGP

37B New Cavendish Street

London

W1G 8JR

 

Reference - *****

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

 

I am writing in relation to a parking ticket I received yesterday. Notice number *** issued on**** at ****. My car is ****.

 

I wish to appeal and I will outline the reasons why. I am a new tenant in the development and I moved in on ****. I was informed by the letting agent ‘***’ based *** of the parking bay to use although they were not 100% sure. I was not able to double check because the caretaker who maintains the site does not work on weekends. Furthermore, I tried to register my car to the bay on the NGP website but as you know you cannot register without knowing the exact bay.

 

As soon as was possible on *** 29th I contacted the caretaker and was advised of the correct bay to be in. I returned home on my lunch break to move my car at about 12:15 but the ticket had already been issued.

 

I have spoken to NGP and I was advised that we both need to write a letter of appeal in, the letter from *** is attached.

 

As you can understand this was a genuine mistake for which I am not responsible as I only parked where I was advised to by the letting agent. As I mentioned I now know the exact space in which my car is now parked, and I have also registered my car on the NGP website.

 

I hope you will take this as a one off error and take this into consideration when dealing with the appeal.

 

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Warmest Regards”

 

And here is the letter from the letting agent of the property.

 

“NGP

37B New Cavendish Street

London

W1G 8JR

 

30 June 2009

 

To Whom It May Concern,

 

RE: - Parking fine ****, issued on *****.

*************************.

 

I am writing regarding a parking fine that was issued to ****, car registration *** ***

*** moved into **** on *** 27th **** 2009, a property that Keylet manage. We had previously had tenants in the property for over 3 years, and as a result did not have the car park space number noted on our file. As it was a weekend the caretaker was not available to advise us of the correct space, we therefore called the previous tenants who advised they believed the space number to be 62. Unfortunately this was incorrect, and as a result ***was issued with a fine.

 

***is now fully aware which space is the correct number, and had a visitor space been available until he was able to clarify the correct space, he would have parked there to avoid confusion. This was a one-off incident that occurred due to there being no-one available on the weekend to confirm the correct space, I therefore believe that it would be unfair to impose a fine on ***due to these circumstances, and can fully reassure you that no further incidents will occur. ***spoke with the caretaker as soon as he was available on ** 30th **, and upon finding the correct space number, returned to****on his lunch break to move his car to the correct space, I am now advised that he has also registered his car with NGP to the correct space.

 

I trust that you will consider the above when dealing with ****appeal.

 

Should you have any further queries or require any more information please do not hesitate to contact me on ****or by email ****

 

Yours sincerely

 

****”

 

I mean the obvious point is I might have jinxed myself by writing in the first place (drat!) and also that it wasn't my fault I was told the wrong space.

 

I would just be really grateful for some advice please if possible.

 

The fine is

£65 if paid within 7 days

8-14 days is £75

15-28 £125

after 28 days £150.

 

The letting agent who misinformed me also told me they would not pay the fine for me. I would have to pay, and if an appeal was successful great, if not I would have to appeal to the letting agent for my money back! Obviously not acceptable.

 

Anyway, any advice would be so appreciated.

 

Thanks very much indeed

Edited July 31, 2009 by barrybarry

[david1605red]

... I hope you will take this as a one off error and take this into consideration when dealing with the appeal ...

You could use that phraseology when walking through the underpass at Waterloo station at midnight, perhaps the knife-wielding muggers might not take your wallet.

 

There is NO FINE. Pay them nothing, zilch, zip, nada. Ignore all their rubbish letters until and unless they issue a court claim. And keep a decent set of boltcutters handy in case they try to (illegally) clamp your car.

[Al27]

Ok, do now what you should have done from the start:

 

• do not pay

• do not contact them

• there is no appeal process - nno private company will turn down profit

• ignore any threatening junkmail from them or their powerless debt collectors

• they will give up and go away

 

It's a mail [problem]. Private companies cannot fine people, only recoup their actual losses. Your actions have cost them nothing, but then they wouldn't be in business if they stopped handing out fake parking tickets.

 

Now forget about it and get on with your life. All you have to do is ignore some junkmail that will come through your letterbox.

[barrybarry]

Thanks very much for the advice so far David and Al, I have read similar advice on other threads, just wanted the reassurance.

 

Could I please have clarification on the following points though please?

 

"Ignore all their rubbish letters until and unless they issue a court claim."

 

"And keep a decent set of boltcutters handy in case they try to (illegally) clamp your car."

 

Could and would they issue a court claim? How would I know if this was genuine? What would I do then?

 

Finally, could and would they clamp my car? My car is now registered to the correct bay and it is in in a secure fob entry underground car park under my flat. If it were one day clamped what would I do? Similarly if it were towed, would I simply report it as stolen?

 

Thanks very much, so helpful and reassuring so far.

[Al27]

Chances of a court claim are infinitesimal. There's just no money in it - for a measly £100 they'd have to spend a lot of time preparing their case, actually go to court and even then they've no chance of winning. Even if they did win, they might not get the cash even then.

 

The odd court case we see are for purely egotistical reasons - just a marketing tool to persuade others to pay. They're hopeless at it though.

 

Comprehensive defence available in the worst case scenario though.

 

It's an offence to clamp with no warning signs and also as a result of alleged outstanding debt (blackmail). You'd phone the police if that happened, but there's little chance.

[barrybarry]

Thanks Al, I will let everyone know if I get any amusing letters though!

 

I feel really bad for those who do pay and or feel intimidated, even though now I'm fairly confident it's a sham and I will forget about it, it's not a very nice feeling to hang over you!

 

Cheers

[desimodo]

Hi BarryBarry,

 

Could you please let me know how you got on with New Generation Parking and it's cowboy letters? I have just got one for parking outside Pizza Hut (ate in there too) at Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff. I am more than a little worried about it and need to know that ignoring the letters is what I should do. Certainly can't afford the £60 fine.

 

Cheers

[crem]

Barrybarry hasn't been on the forums since November 2009 which is usually a good sign that having successfully ignored the PPC, he didn't have a need to come back and post on CAG. It would be nice if people posted back with a conclusion, but unfortunately it is not usually the case.

 

Stick with the ignore route and it is by far the easiest for you.

[jorange]

Desimodo,

 

Let me throw the same question back at you - how did you get on with NGP and your ticket?

I too was given a PCN from NGP for parking in an unmarked pavement area by the entrance to a block in Cardiff which I can't afford but I'm loathe to ignore in case it comes back to haunt me in the form of a bigger fine or worse bailiffs knocking on the door.

[DBC]

Desimodo,

 

Let me throw the same question back at you - how did you get on with NGP and your ticket?

I too was given a PCN from NGP for parking in an unmarked pavement area by the entrance to a block in Cardiff which I can't afford but I'm loathe to ignore in case it comes back to haunt me in the form of a bigger fine or worse bailiffs knocking on the door.

 

Let me correct you. It's not a "fine", it's an invoice. For "bailiffs to come bollocking on your door" the case would have to go to court (very unlikely) you lose (very, very unlikely) and then you fail to pay whatever the judge orders within 28 days, That's such a remote possibility it's not worth worrying about.

 

Perhaps you are thinking of debt collectors, who are just powerless private citizens with no more power than you or I to demand money off people. Just ignore these clowns.

[esmerobbo]

Desimodo,

 

Let me throw the same question back at you - how did you get on with NGP and your ticket?

I too was given a PCN from NGP for parking in an unmarked pavement area by the entrance to a block in Cardiff which I can't afford but I'm loathe to ignore in case it comes back to haunt me in the form of a bigger fine or worse bailiffs knocking on the door.

 

NGP have been known to clamp for unpaid invoices so beware if you park at the same block again. Clamping for an unpaid charge is illegal but once they have the boot on the balls in their court.

[Dragons Dennis]

Not if you can pick locks

[jorange]

NGP have been known to clamp for unpaid invoices so beware if you park at the same block again. Clamping for an unpaid charge is illegal but once they have the boot on the balls in their court.

 

Could they clamp you outside your own house for the very same reason - surely it wouldn't be an overt step that's just a little too far for these shameless crooks.

[Dragons Dennis]

No they cannot. They have no powers on your property or the public highway.

[esmerobbo]

As DD says no they cant, but stay away from anywhere they manage.