UKCPS Parking Charge Notice for Leaving Site - I didn't!!!!!!

[highfigh]

There a quite a few posts on here relating to Parking Charge Notices which refer to possible mitigating circumstances ie slight overstays, not presenting tickets properly, hidden signage, puddles over double yellows etc.

 

In my particular case I DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG!!!!!

 

 

Below is the content of my appeal to UKCPS (blanked out anything sensitive for confidentiality)......

 

 

 

I wish to appeal against the issue of the attached parking charge notice ISSUE NUMBER 8****8.

 

On Sunday 21st October 2012 my partner and I parked in Forbury Retail Park to visit DFS to buy a new sofa. We spent 30 minutes in the store and spoke to a sales assistant called J***. We then went into Furniture Village for 10 minutes followed by Home Sense for 10 minutes. We then returned to the car and left the site. It was not until we arrived at Tesco down the road that I noticed the parking charge notice attached to my windscreen. We returned to Forbury Retail Park but could not find a parking attendant to query this with. I took time to check the parking charge notice and review the terms and conditions on the signage in the car park again and noted that your offices are not open on a Sunday so deferred contacting you until today.

 

I telephoned 08700 330002 today 23rd October 2012 and was advised that appeals must be sent to appeals@ because due to legal procedures it is difficult for UKCPS Ltd to submit verbal evidence before the court.

 

 

 

The reasons for my appeal are as follows:

 

Firstly, none of the boxes under "REASONS FOR ISSUE" were ticked so I am not entirely sure why the parking charge notice was issued therefore I will state an appeal for each of the "REASON(s) FOR ISSUE"

 

1) No "REASON FOR ISSUE" has been indicated on the parking charge notice - issue number 8****8.

2) I was parking with authority as I was shopping at Forbury Retail Park.

3) I was parked within a marked bay.

4) I was not on yellow line/s or box section.

5) I was not shopping for longer than the stipulated limit.

6) I was not parked in a disabled bay.

7) I or my partner did not leave the site.

8) The car reg on the ticket states "OY** ***" my car reg is "GV** ***"

 

Further to this appeal I am requesting to make a formal complaint with regard to the attendant (1C?) who issued the parking charge notice as there is no reason why I should have been issued a parking charge notice in the first place. This constitutes a breach of the code of practice as referenced in PART 8 "LAWFUL ISSUE" on the parking charge notice.

 

I would also like to enquire how to instigate an assessment and review of your operational procedures by one of the number of government organisation which operate a working code of practice to ensure lawful and ethical practice as referenced in PART 8 "LAWFUL ISSUE" on the parking charge notice.

 

I would like to request that you acknowlege receipt of this email.

 

I look forward you resolving these issues promptly.

 

 

Regards

 

 

This was written before I looked on CAG and I have since recieved a standard response stating that I left the premises and therefore owe £100 etc etc.

 

I realise now that it may have been a waste of time bothering to explain my appeal to them so eloquently as they probably didnt even read it.

 

I simply replied stating that I stand by my above appeal and that I would like to now appeal using POPLA and could they please send me the forms. I also requested that they respond to my two requests re PART 8 LAWFUL ISSUE

 

 

So there you have it. Sorry its such a long post.

 

 

Have I done the right thing?

Do I have anything to worry about?

 

Cheers All

[DBC]

Just keep ignoring from now on.

[tomtubby]

Very good letter indeed and once again, retail parks such as this one should be made aware that using these private car park operators will ENSURE that shoppers abandon such retail areas. This is COMMERCIAL SUICIDE and when will they realise.

 

At around 6.30 last Saturday I visited a retail park to go into Pet City and Homesense and when I went back to my car, I was approached by the driver of the car beside me who was furious at receiving a notice on her car. She had "apparently" overstayed by 10 minutes and she told me that she had visited 5 stores in the retail areas and had spend nearly £600. She made it clear that she would NEVER return to that area again. But what was dreadful is that at that time of day, there were just 6 cars in the car park!!!!

 

This private car parking racket is not about "managing car parks". It is a money making machine.

 

Could you update this thread to advise of the response to your request to have the matter considered by POPLA.

[highfigh]

I will update with their next response.

 

Is it the retailers decision to contract UKCPS?

 

cheers

[DBC]

If it's in a retail park, it might be the owner/landlord.

[highfigh]

Here is the standard reply I received in response to my appeal.......

 

 

 

 

Dear xxxxxxxx

 

 

The driver of the vehicle was issued with a parking charge for parking the vehicle and leaving the site. Numerous signs at this site state that parking vehicles and leaving/walking off the site will result in the issue of a parking charge. By parking the vehicle and the occupants not remaining on the site the driver contractually agrees to pay a parking charge of £100 (reduced to £60 for early settlement if paid with 14 days from the day of issue), which remains unpaid. Whilst we sympathise with the situation, as the parking charge was correctly issued on this occasion it will stand

 

Your representation has been rejected for the reasons supplied to you. If you wish us to consider any additional information which you believe supports your appeal please provide this within seven days. You may also appeal to an independant assessor through POPLA (Parking on Private Land Appeals) for tickets issued 1st October 2012 onwards details of which will be sent at the appropriate time.

regards UKCPS Ltd Appeals Department

 

 

Clearly haven't read my appeal or dealt with anything i raised in it!

[DBC]

This is the reason why they failed to read your "appeal" (from a previous thread)

 

The only other possibility is that they keep a monkey at their office, who has been trained to open letters and, although it cannot actually read them, to immediately press a designated character on a keyboard (perhaps marked with a banana symbol) which then produces a letter of reply.

[SURFBOY]

Appeal rejected (suprise suprise!)

You can now appeal to POPLA and cost them £30.

[DBC]

How on earth are they going to prove you left site? Even if you had, what actual loss has been suffered by the landowner?

 

If they haven't sent you the POPLA paperwork inside the required time and have not told you they are dropping the "case", then you can complain to the BPA that they are in serious contravention of their guidelines.

Edited October 24, 2012 by DBC

[Binary1]

Jeeze, thats unbelieveable. How the hell would they have known if you left the site other than to follow all the customers who park in the car park and follow them wherever they go until they get back to their cars.

This is outrageous. Please don't pay these morons. It gets more unbelieveable what lengths they are going to to [problem] innocent shoppers.

I have a similar thing going on with them too. They are expecting me to pay them £45or£90 for the pleasure of me shopping in Lidls ( they have 'taken over that car park) for six minutes as their 'attendant' who sneaked a 'penalty charge' on my windscreen whilst I was in the Lidl shop for six whole minutes. The car park doesn't have pay and display manchines so as far as I am concerned I didnt not display a valid ticket, I didn't not pay the appropriate charge as the car park is free, I didn't leave the car park, and I didn't over stay the parking time as the limit is 2 hours. Idiots. They can swing for the money because I have no intentions of paying them, ever.

[greasmonkey]

she should have gone back in the stores and asked for a refund and told them why

this would make them aware of the trade they could loose