UK PArking Enforcement Agency (Parkforce)

[lamma]

does your uni have a law dept ?

go see the prof.

[materofvirii]

Hi, thanks for the quick replies everyone, firstly no i havnt instigated contact with them, and secondly i am the registered owner of the vehicle. As for going to see the law prof, that may be an option, but i would rather not involve the university just yet, i plan to make an official complaint to the principle. So shall i write them a letter, explaining that i do in fact have photographic evidence showing that they are not lawfull in there sign placement and ergo i am not required to pay them~? or shall i just completley ignore them!

[Conniff]

You are worrying completely unjustly mater. It's probably been linked before, but have a read of this link.

 

Judge says Excel parking fines illegal - Mansfield Chad

 

This is a sentence from it and should end any doubts you may have:

 

"But the far more important issue was that the judge found there was no justification for the £100 fine. He said it was a penalty charge and therefore unenforceable by the court.

 

Have a nice nights sleep.

[shammy02]

Hi All

 

Just reported this company ParkShield (aka. ParkForce, Private Car Parking Enforcement Agency, UK Parking Enforcement Agency) to the Trading Standards.

 

My company received TWO Parking Charge Notices in the post today;

No laughing but Both for the same registration, charged at the same date & time, different locations AND with wrong vehicle make & model list on both to what the vehicle is!

 

Plus the vehicle has never been to the place they state or our driver which is 280 miles away from the company.

 

It seems a couple of my employees got them to charging for parking in London during the day; Impossible they were working 90 miles away!

 

Well, I will not be paying either and would love them to take us to court to get the money! it would be just so much fun.

[Conniff]

Hi All

 

Well, I will not be paying either and would love them to take us to court to get the money! it would be just so much fun.

 

Unfortunately you wont get your day of fun in court, they don't go that far, just threaten it.

 

You could, of course, have some fun with them via Royal Mail though.

[materofvirii]

hi all,

still havnt engaged in conversaion with them, but got letters through the other day from a differnt collection agency saying they were going to send debt collectors round my house unless i paid up, is this legal that is threatening with unjust cause, they cant do that anyway i havnt had any summon to court!

[lamma]

rubbish tactics from them. We ALL know that DCAs have no powers. if one turns up send him on his way. But video the whole thing !

 

who is this 'different agency' ? often its the same bunch of chancers using a different name.

 

whoever they are report them forthwith.

[Al27]

but got letters through the other day from a differnt collection agency saying they were going to send debt collectors round my house unless i paid up

 

Just another tactic to scare you into paying. Of course, they are entitled to knock on your door, just as I am. They have no powers though - all they can do is ask for some money. You don't have to converse with them at all if you don't want to.

 

Chances of a knock on the door are very slim though. It's a waste of petrol for them.

[lamma]

yes it is - so a good reason to keep the appointment with them !

ask for ID and then:

 

Question 1) to the DCA "have you come far"

Question 2) "Do you have far to go for your next appointment"

then "You have no powers, leave my property now. Drive safely."

[dpick]

Hi all I am thinking about having a go at DVLA as I have just received a Parking Charge Notices to registered owner in the post on Saturday. Problem is that on the date the the original private parking charge was issued the car did not belong to me but to the previous owner. I am not worried about the unlawful charge I will just tell them to bog off. But I am annoyed that DVLA gave my details to these cretins when I did not own the vehicle at the time of the charge. You would think that when they are giving info out they would check that the info given is correct.

 

dpick:mad:

[Conniff]

I would say that the way to go about this dpick would be to ask them why firstly so you can acertain if they received your registration.

 

If the answer is 'no' then you do exactly the same as they do and not accept that as an answer and issue them with an £80 penalty charge.

 

Still working by their rules, there is NO appeals process and demand that they pay or it will be refered to a debt collector and then court.

[Aus]

I've been writing to Parkforce over the last few months - the "ticket" was left on my car in November last year - and have started to receive letters and 'phone calls from Rossendales Collect.

 

Very rude, starting to get aggressive, stated that if I won't deal with it by 'phone they'll send someone around to my house. At what stage do I lodge a complaint under the "Protection From Harassment Act"?

 

Aus

[pin1onu]

I've been writing to Parkforce over the last few months - the "ticket" was left on my car in November last year - and have started to receive letters and 'phone calls from Rossendales Collect.

 

Very rude, starting to get aggressive, stated that if I won't deal with it by 'phone they'll send someone around to my house. At what stage do I lodge a complaint under the "Protection From Harassment Act"?

 

Aus

While they may have been rude and agressive on the phone - I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. These are standard tactics for Debt Collectors. They're trying to intimidate you into paying.

 

The way to yank the chain for Rossendales is tell them the debt is disputed - refer back to their client as per OFT guidelines. Also tell them that you are withdrawing common law consent for anyone from Rossendales to come calling. If they still harass you after that then contact Trading Standards and tell them that you are being hassled for a disputed debt in breach of OFT guidelines and the Administration of Justice Act section 40.

 

If they actually bother sending anyone around make sure you record their visit, write down what was said, video them if you can - basically you'll need to gather evidence that they are harassing you. I'd call the police as soon as they identify themselves (You can make the Police aware of their threat now so that it's on record.) You'll need evidence of harassment to gain an injunction under the Protection from Harassment (which will cost you money).

[Aus]

I wasn't going to lose any sleep over it - but I got angry enough that I had to put the 'phone down before I said something I might regret...

 

Thanks for the quick reply - I'll bear your suggestions in mind for their next contact.

 

Aus

[jagerdaddy]

Here's a bit of a twist on the whole Parkforce debacle that I hope somebody may be able to shed some light on or offer some guidance.

 

In a nut shell I was issues a parking ticket (and numerous since) from Park Force which I decided to investigate before paying. I found this forum and may a decision to ignore them and all of their correspondence.

I've had the letters then the letters with the big red writing and threats. They have been followed by letters from Rosendales collect threatening court action and I thought it won’t go to court because they know the contractual agreement blag won’t hold up etc etc.

 

One thing that is interesting is that within this time they have taken to sticking warnings on my car before issuing a ticket. In essence it's the same deal as the spiel they give on their contract boards but in a handy size that they can slap on your windscreen.

 

Now comes a letter from Else Commercial Solicitors. This is the 2nd that I've had, I don't know what the first said because it hit the bin before the door mat, but it reads as follows:

 

FINAL NOTICE

 

Dear sir/madam

 

Our client Park Force - UK Parking Enforcement Agency

(gives details of location)

Date of offence 13/13/2007 12:00:00

Car Registration Number: (gives correct details)

 

We refer to our letter dated 27 October 2008.

 

No Payment has been received and therefore, we confirm that Court proceedings are now being issued and will be served upon you. Please note that all costs of and incidental to issuing proceedings will be added to the sums set out in our earlier correspondence.

 

Should you wish to make payment, please send a cheque made payable to Else Commercial Solicitors to the address shown at the bottom of this letter for the total debt due in the sum of £200.80.

 

Alternatively... (and it goes on to say I can phone them and pay by credit or debit card but that they'll charge me 2% to use a credit card. It then gives details should I wish to pay by bank transfer)

 

Faithfully

 

Else Commercial Solicitors

 

Unlike Parkforce who's phone was answered by a toddler when I tried to contact them a while ago, these guys seem to be legitimate.

 

So it's not a threat of court proceedings but a letter to tell me that they are being issued... Is it time to get a solicitor on the case??

Edited December 10, 2008 by jonni2bad
Link removed

[RichardM]

Let them issue the court papers and have fun.

 

They have the same chance of winning a court case as ParkForce, providing that your defence is strong.

 

Remember that Rosendales threatened court proceedings and what happened? They passed it onto another company, presumably because they didn't have the balls to go through with their threats, knowing that they were on a loser. Do you think that a "more learned" bunch would take on a case that even Rosendales didn't think they could win?

[Shovel]

That's a new approach! I actually started coming on the forums because I got a Parkforce ticket about a year ago. Ignored them ever since and not heard a word!

[lamma]

much easier to just ignore them for the vast majority of people. the PPC will have no idea who the driver was, if the RK or the driver is a policeman, a lawyer, works for Trading Standards etc. However if you are one of those types then the PPC taking you to court is not to be feared. Why do thing Perky has not picked up the gauntlet thrown down by pepipoo ? Of course a very small number of PPC invoices may be enforceable so that always has to factored in - but it is a very small number and have never seen a PPC yet that didn't act unlawfully in trying to enforce.

[judderi]

Well we too have received a letter from "The UK Parking Enforcement Agency" with many a threat etc etc. After reading through the whole post my suspicions were correct that they are a bunch of unlawful con artists praying on the weak. Its also interesting to see that after a year or so no court action came to any of the earlier posters. By the way i would love to hear of the outcome for Bella 47 & Phantom in particular. So i would like to say a big thank you for all the information and help supplied. Think i will send off one of the template letters tomorow with my parcels that i have to post and see what the reply is.

 

By the way i have no intention of ever paying up as we parked there to use the store in the 1st place! Cant say i will ever use the store again though after the reply i got from the manager!

[GRRRRR]

Im seething on Dec 15th 2008 I attended the Royal free hospital nw3, for an appointment to see the vascular team to discuss the best op to save my legs and hopefully enable me to walk, also had a pre assessment.

 

The disabled parking in the AE entrance was TOTALLY blocked off with a builders fence. We were TOLD by an attendant there that we see most visits, to park in a corner where he pointed to. So I did and displayed my blue badge.

 

We left the hospital about 2 hrs later.

 

Then 0n 26/1/09 I get a threatening letter from this bunch of clowns dated 22/1/09 demanding £85 within 7 days or it goes up to £135, they say its £85 not £60 as I ignored the first letter, I HAVENT HAD A LETTER BEFORE THE ONE DATED 22/1/09 AND DID NOT EVEN HAVE A BLOODY PARKING TICKET ON THE CAR!

 

Is this a deliberate ploy to not put a ticket on cars at the Royal Free so the fine goes up? Has anyone else had this happen at the Royal Free ? because I think the attendent that said we could park should face the sack, no be sacked! Bloody under handed useless shower of *!#!*

 

I have wriiren an appeal still waiting to hear....

 

Chris GRRRRR

[crem]

I have wriiren an appeal still waiting to hear....

 

Chris GRRRRR

 

To save you waiting for their reply I'll summarise it for you; "Your appeal is rejected, please pay us megabucks immediately or it will increase by a zillion pounds."

 

Best just to ignore everything that comes from them from now on.

[GRRRRR]

.....Well Im paying SFA they can whistle dixie. . .

[lamma]

you appealed ? mistake.

[GRRRRR]

Hi, well no I havent actually appealed yet have it scribbled up in envelope was gonna post it tomorrow, you think i shouldnt bother then?

Thanks,

chris GRRRRR

[lamma]

I am of the school who believes NEVER contact the PPC. if you do then do not use a home made letter rather use on of the standard ones from here. Do NOT post what you have written (to them or on here . just let them waste their money writing their 'scary' letters. have a look at the stickies here. and relax.