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    • further polished WS using above suggestions and also included couple of more modifications highlighted in orange are those ok to include?   Background   1.1  The Defendant received the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) on the 06th of January 2020 following the vehicle being parked at Arla Old Dairy, South Ruislip on the 05th of December 2019.   Unfair PCN   2.1  On 19th December 2023 the Defendant sent the Claimant's solicitors a CPR request.  As shown in Exhibit 1 (pages 7-13) sent by the solicitors the signage displayed in their evidence clearly shows a £60.00 parking charge notice (which will be reduced to £30 if paid within 14 days of issue).  2.2  Yet the PCN sent by the Claimant is for a £100.00 parking charge notice (reduced to £60 if paid within 30 days of issue).   2.3        The Claimant relies on signage to create a contract.  It is unlawful for the Claimant to write that the charge is £60 on their signs and then send demands for £100.    2.4        The unlawful £100 charge is also the basis for the Claimant's Particulars of Claim.  No Locus Standi  3.1  I do not believe a contract with the landowner, that is provided following the defendant’s CPR request, gives MET Parking Services a right to bring claims in their own name. Definition of “Relevant contract” from the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4,  2 [1] means a contract Including a contract arising only when the vehicle was parked on the relevant land between the driver and a person who is-   (a) the owner or occupier of the land; or   (b) Authorised, under or by virtue of arrangements made by the owner or occupier of the land, to enter into a contract with the driver requiring the payment of parking charges in respect of the parking of the vehicle on the land. According to https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/46/section/44   For a contract to be valid, it requires a director from each company to sign and then two independent witnesses must confirm those signatures.   3.2  The Defendant requested to see such a contract in the CPR request.  The fact that no contract has been produced with the witness signatures present means the contract has not been validly executed. Therefore, there can be no contract established between MET Parking Services and the motorist. Even if “Parking in Electric Bay” could form a contract (which it cannot), it is immaterial. There is no valid contract.  Illegal Conduct – No Contract Formed   4.1 At the time of writing, the Claimant has failed to provide the following, in response to the CPR request from myself.   4.2        The legal contract between the Claimant and the landowner (which in this case is Standard Life Investments UK) to provide evidence that there is an agreement in place with landowner with the necessary authority to issue parking charge notices and to pursue payment by means of litigation.   4.3 Proof of planning permission granted for signage etc under the Town and country Planning Act 1990. Lack of planning permission is a criminal offence under this Act and no contract can be formed where criminality is involved.   4.4        I also do not believe the claimant possesses these documents.   No Keeper Liability   5.1        The defendant was not the driver at the time and date mentioned in the PCN and the claimant has not established keeper liability under schedule 4 of the PoFA 2012. In this matter, the defendant puts it to the claimant to produce strict proof as to who was driving at the time.   5.2 The claimant in their Notice To Keeper also failed to comply with PoFA 2012 Schedule 4 section 9[2][f] while mentioning “the right to recover from the keeper so much of that parking charge as remains unpaid” where they did not include statement “(if all the applicable conditions under this Schedule are met)”.     5.3         The claimant did not mention parking period, times on the photographs are separate from the PCN and in any case are that arrival and departure times not the parking period since their times include driving to and from the parking space as a minimum and can include extra time to allow pedestrians and other vehicles to pass in front.    Protection of Freedoms Act 2012   The notice must -   (a) specify the vehicle, the relevant land on which it was parked and the period of parking to which the notice relates;  22. In the persuasive judgement K4GF167G - Premier Park Ltd v Mr Mathur - Horsham County Court – 5 January 2024 it was on this very point that the judge dismissed this claim.  5.4  A the PCN does not comply with the Act the Defendant as keeper is not liable.  No Breach of Contract   6.1       No breach of contract occurred because the PCN and contract provided as part of the defendant’s CPR request shows different post code, PCN shows HA4 0EY while contract shows HA4 0FY. According to PCN defendant parked on HA4 0EY which does not appear to be subject to the postcode covered by the contract.  6.2         The entrance sign does not mention anything about there being other terms inside the car park so does not offer a contract which makes it only an offer to treat,  Interest  7.1  It is unreasonable for the Claimant to delay litigation for  Double Recovery   7.2  The claim is littered with made-up charges.  7.3  As noted above, the Claimant's signs state a £60 charge yet their PCN is for £100.  7.4  As well as the £100 parking charge, the Claimant seeks recovery of an additional £70.  This is simply a poor attempt to circumvent the legal costs cap at small claims.  7.5 Since 2019, many County Courts have considered claims in excess of £100 to be an abuse of process leading to them being struck out ab initio. An example, in the Caernarfon Court in VCS v Davies, case No. FTQZ4W28 on 4th September 2019, District Judge Jones-Evans stated “Upon it being recorded that District Judge Jones- Evans has over a very significant period of time warned advocates (...) in many cases of this nature before this court that their claim for £60 is unenforceable in law and is an abuse of process and is nothing more than a poor attempt to go behind the decision of the Supreme Court v Beavis which inter alia decided that a figure of £160 as a global sum claimed in this case would be a penalty and not a genuine pre-estimate of loss and therefore unenforceable in law and if the practice continued, he would treat all cases as a claim for £160 and therefore a penalty and unenforceable in law it is hereby declared (…) the claim is struck out and declared to be wholly without merit and an abuse of process.”  7.6 In Claim Nos. F0DP806M and F0DP201T, District Judge Taylor echoed earlier General Judgment or Orders of District Judge Grand, stating ''It is ordered that the claim is struck out as an abuse of process. The claim contains a substantial charge additional to the parking charge which it is alleged the Defendant contracted to pay. This additional charge is not recoverabl15e under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4 nor with reference to the judgment in Parking Eye v Beavis. It is an abuse of process from the Claimant to issue a knowingly inflated claim for an additional sum which it is not entitled to recover. This order has been made by the court of its own initiative without a hearing pursuant to CPR Rule 3.3(4)) of the Civil Procedure Rules 1998...''  7.7 In the persuasive case of G4QZ465V - Excel Parking Services Ltd v Wilkinson – Bradford County Court -2 July 2020 (Exhibit 4) the judge had decided that Excel had won. However, due to Excel adding on the £60 the Judge dismissed the case.  7.8        The addition of costs not previously specified on signage are also in breach of the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Schedule 2, specifically paras 6, 10 and 14.   7.9        It is the Defendant’s position that the Claimant in this case has knowingly submitted inflated costs and thus the entire claim should be similarly struck out in accordance with Civil Procedure Rule 3.3(4).   In Conclusion   8.1        I invite the court to dismiss the claim.  Statement of Truth  I believe that the facts stated in this witness statement are true. I understand that proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against anyone who makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a statement of truth without an honest belief in its truth.   
    • Well the difference is that in all our other cases It was Kev who was trying to entrap the motorist so sticking two fingers up to him and daring him to try court was from a position of strength. In your case, sorry, you made a mistake so you're not in the position of strength.  I've looked on Google Maps and the signs are few & far between as per Kev's MO, but there is an entrance sign saying "Pay & Display" (and you've admitted in writing that you knew you had to pay) and the signs by the payment machines do say "Sea View Car Park" (and you've admitted in writing you paid the wrong car park ... and maybe outed yourself as the driver). Something I missed in my previous post is that the LoC is only for one ticket, not two. Sorry, but it's impossible to definitively advise what to so. Personally I'd probably gamble on Kev being a serial bottler of court and reply with a snotty letter ridiculing the signage (given you mentioned the signage in your appeal) - but it is a gamble.  
    • No! What has happened is that your pix were up-to-date: 5 hours' maximum stay and £100 PCN. The lazy solicitors have sent ancient pictures: 4 hours' maximum stay and £60 PCN. Don't let on!  Let them be hoisted by their own lazy petard in the court hearing (if they don't bottle before).
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Moved into a building part of a housing scheme, electricity bill insanely high


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Hi,

 

I moved into a one-bedroom rented flat at the end of December and got my first electricity bill toward the end of January, totaled at approx £180. I knew I had used the heating a bit excessively over the past month as January was cold, however I was still surprised to see that I am charged £140 for heating only (at around 10p per kilowatt). The other thing was that I am charged with two standing charges - 25p/day for electricity and 75p/day for "Band 5", which I found goes to the developer of the building and is based on the size of the property. This means that I have to pay £30 a month in standing charges even if I don't use any electricity or heating at all.

 

I switched everything off immediately and had an engineer coming over to check the meter, which he tested and found it is working okay. The meter readings are transmitted electronically to the supplier so when I got the bill I compared it with the current instant reading and it was about right. However, I only have the first reading at the start of the tenancy for the electricity only and not the one for the heating, which were provided to me by the agency, so I wonder if there is a way to check if the one for the heating is also correct?

 

I watched the meter for a while and noticed that with thermostat set to 18-19 degrees and heaters open at max, it rolls 1 kilowatt per about 10 minutes. Some quick calculations later and I found that if I use the heating for 2.5h per day it will cost me around £40 without the standing charges, which will nearly double my bill.

 

I have spoken with an advisor at another supplying company and checked with them if there is any way to switch, however they couldn't help much. I understand that if I switch suppliers, the whole building will have to switch too as part of the scheme. I also understand that I have little control over leaving the scheme (if this is even possible), as I am only a tenant and not the owner of the property.

 

Is there anything I can do to reduce this bill or fight this before it takes me to bankrupt? My tenancy is on a 12-month basis and leaving the flat earlier is hardly an option.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

L

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Why on earth do you have to pay 75p a day to the developer of the building ?

 

I will try and find someone who might be able to help you with this.

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I think when they've completed it they've signed a lease with the supplier to put the whole building with them and in return get the standing charge.

 

These are only rumours but from what I've heard, everyone is getting ripped off.

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why the 75p/day for the developer? becasue they are allowed to charge it if the leccy comes through their meter before going to the individaul meters. A common thing on mobile home parks etc, less common in a solid building. You might need to have a look at the wiring for the block if the meters are in a communal place and see if there is any mileage in the LL claims cos if the meters are individual then you can just change supplier and that is that-no contract. Check your meter number and just ask another supplier about switching and if they dont have a MPAN then you cant.

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Hi ericsbrother,

 

Thanks for the advise. The meters are inside the flat so only I have access to them (and as I mentioned, the supplier is getting the readings by automated transmission).

 

I would be a bit wary fiddling with wires myself - as far as I understood what the engineer checked was whether there is anything going through the valve when the heating is switched off, and it was fine.

 

When I spoke with the other supplier about switching to them they said they can't find my postcode in the national database and I did ask my current supplier for MPAN, but they said they don't have them and I need to speak with the person in charge of the housing scheme (I keep calling it housing scheme, not even sure if it's the right term!).

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi,

 

Heating is communal, there is no gas supply in the property.

 

The second bill, for January/February, arrived today and here is a rough breakdown:

 

Heating/Hot Water: £35;

Electricity: £7;

Standing charges (electricity + band 5 apartment): £8 + £23;

VAT: £4, coming to a total of £76 for 32 days.

 

This is with heating completely switched off from the main with the exception of around 3-4 days when the engineer and I were fiddling with the meter.

 

Thanks

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Hi

 

With the building are they using a district heating system to provide heating & hot water? (What you then have in the individual flats is a heat exchanger and meter)

 

What does your Tenancy Agreement say about the utilities?

 

Did you sign any separate agreement for the utilities? i.e. heating & hot water

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Hi,

 

stu007 -

 

I am not sure about the district heating system, but I think this is the case. There is a small 8L boiler-looking kit and a separate meter installed for the heating/hot water additionally to the one for electricity. I also know the supplier owns the generator/substantion, if this helps.

 

In regards to utility bills, the Tenancy Agreement, it states the following:

 

"The Tenant shall: b) Upon signing this agreement as soon as reasonably practicable place all telephone and utility accounts into the name of the tenant and pay all charges for the use of gas, electricity, water (if not included in the service charge) and telephone consumed or supplied on or to the property during the term of this agreement including all rentals, standing and other recurring charges and not to allow any of the said services to be disconnected, altered or removed and shall ensure that the said services are operating throughout the tenancy.".

 

There is a "Disclosure of Tenant's details to Spark Energy" at the bottom, and Spark Energy is not my current supplier! I did contact them about switching, as I said in my original post, and they could not help because of the missing MPAN numbers from the database. The disclosure states:

 

"
a) At the start of the lease gas and electricity will be provided, or will be in the process of being provided by Spark Energy Supply Limited ("Spark Energy"). However this will not prevent the Tenant from changing to a different energy provider if desired.

 

b) The tenant agrees that the letting agent may pass the tenant's name and contact details to Spark Energy for the purposes of:

- registering the gas and electricity meters at the property in the tenant's name with Spark Energy, providing gas and electricity to the tenant and administering the Tenant's account with Spark Energy;

- registering the tenant with the relevant local authority for the payment of council tax;

- registering the tenant with the local water supplier to the property.

 

c) Enabling Spark Energy or a third party with a broadband and telephony provider to provide the Tenant further information about its services and products with a view to concluding an agreement with the Tenant for those services and products offering (although the tenant will be under no obligation to enter into discussions with such provider and may change to a different provider if desired)

 

d) Spark Energy will use the Tenant's details only for the purposes set out above and not in any other way. Spark energy will comply with its obligations as a data controller in the Data Protection Act 1998 and will handle tenant's data in the manner set out in Spark Energy's standard terms and conditions and/or privacy notice. If the tenant has any questions regarding details or use of the tenant's data held by Spark Energy, the tenant may contact Spark Energy.
"

This disclosure is completely inaccurate. Do you think I can do anything about it? I don't want to move out, but if there is no way the landlord can help me with the bills, would it be possible to reduce the tenancy length from 12 to 6 months based on this?

 

ericsbrother -

 

I am not sure which one is the main one or if there is additional one outside the property, but I know for sure that I am paying all charges from the ones within the flat - heating/hot water, electricity, water, standing charges, and the landlord is not paying anything.

 

Thanks,

 

L

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What I meant is in some properties and places like mobile home parks there is a main meter that then has all of the subsidiary supplies and meters running from. The landlord has the contract with the supply co and then "sells" the electricity to the tenants as measured by their consumption on their own meters. these subsidiary meters dont have an MPAN and the landlord charges what he need or wants to for the supply to the individual.

Your meter should have a couple of long numbers on it to identify it as one that has its own supply and any energy co can tell you the meter code and who the supplier currently is.

The standing charge should be what the energy company sets but it looks as though you are paying a hefty whack as a SC for the communal heating and that has nothing to do with the energy co but is decided by the LL

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Thanks, this makes sense.

 

I have spoken with a couple of neighbours and there is definitely no way I can switch providers unfortunately.

 

 

Is there anything I can do to get out of my tenancy before December based on the false disclosure in my previous post?

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

L

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This is similar to what has happened in the area where I live it's going to cost the LA £1m!!!!

 

Might be of interest to you see here >> http://m.echo-news.co.uk/news/14174284.__1million_windfall_for_overcharged_tenants/

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Thanks, both.

 

I may have confused you with wrong terminology as I am not familiar with it. I want to clarify that I am a private tenant and I am not using any housing or council benefits; I pay my monthly rent entirely by myself. The scheme I was talking about is this - https://www.energbilling.co.uk/Home/FAQ/

 

 

I have spoken with the current supplier, a different supplier and my agency already and they all say the same thing - unless the landlord covers the expenses for new boiler/meters/anything else associate with this, there is no way I can switch to a different provider.

 

 

Is it possible I can negotiate lower rent amount/shorter tenancy length based on the false disclosure in my tenancy agreement?

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

L

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Hi,

 

Heating is communal, there is no gas supply in the property.

 

The second bill, for January/February, arrived today and here is a rough breakdown:

 

Heating/Hot Water: £35;

Electricity: £7;

Standing charges (electricity + band 5 apartment): £8 + £23;

VAT: £4, coming to a total of £76 for 32 days.

 

This is with heating completely switched off from the main with the exception of around 3-4 days when the engineer and I were fiddling with the meter.

 

Thanks

 

 

This sounds about right. My heating is £7.35 per week (£31.85 a month) fixed on a pre-pay meter. About £30 elec a month. 1 bed flat with communal heat exchanger.

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