MET ANRP PCN - Burger King - overstay? site 997 BP Blue Boys Tonbridge, TN12 7HE. **CANCELLED BY BP**

[FTMDave]

The fleecers love these set ups where they can entrap motorists.  It's done quite deliberately.  Absolutely do not appeal.  The PPCs never accept appeals and you would probably throw away your POFA 2012 protection.

 

I see there is a "Services" sign from the main road so it's obvious a driver would think this is a single area.

 

The fleecers' shenanigans have never been lawful but a recent government Code of Practice has spelt it out.  Have a look at 3.2 here  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private-parking-code-of-practice/private-parking-code-of-practice#signs-and-surface-markings

 

[FTMDave]

Yep, ignore the fleecers.

 

I've done some digging and ... before explaining, do you still have proof of purchase at Burger King?

[FTMDave]

Given the fleecers refer to the area as "BP Blue Boys" and given there is written here  https://motorwayservices.uk/Tunbridge_Wells

 

Parking and use of the bp forecourt is limited to 30 minutes maximum stay and is strictly enforced by MET Parking.

 

what I suspect might have happened is this.

 

You drove in from the main road, entered the BP part and then exited it a few seconds later.  You parked at Burger King.  Afterwards you once again entered the BP part and left a few seconds later.

 

But the fleecers cameras are rubbish so have combined the two visits.  This is extremely common in this disgusting industry and has its own name "double dipping".

 

I therefore suggest that, as well as ignoring the fleecers, you get on to the CEO of BP  https://ceoemail.com/s.php?id=ceo-9499&c=BP Plc-Chief Executive

 

Explain what happened, that you at no time abused BP's facilities and it is a disgrace you are getting demands for £100 when the driver and their party did nothing wrong.  Attach the proof that you were elsewhere at Burger King.  Demand BP get the fleecers to cancel the invoice.

 

It might work, you may get nowhere, they could come back and initially fob you off before round two - but it's got to be worth a try.

[FTMDave]

dx & BN are spot on.

 

However, you need to make sure your post is checked.  If further down the line you do get a Letter of Claim, if it's not answered you can be damn sure the fleecers will issue a county court claim form hoping to get judgement by default.

[FTMDave]

So if the place is local to you go back and get photos of the signage.

[FTMDave]

Debt Recovery Plus are an uninterested third party with no powers whatsoever.  Laugh at them & ignore them.

 

Well done on getting the photos.

 

To answer your question.  They would issue a county court claim form to the old address, you would know nothing about it, and after a fortnight you would lose the claim by default for not filing a defence.  Search "Backdoor CCJ" on the site and you will see that that has happened to a hell of a lot of people.  So conclusion - if you move send them a two-line letter with your new address and get a free Certificate of Posting from the post office. 

[FTMDave]

Same thing!

[FTMDave]

Will deal with the snotty letter this evening when I knock off work.

 

Meanwhile - did you ever contact the CEO of BP as suggested at the start of your thread?

[FTMDave]

Well, yes.

 

Some organ grinders are great and call off their minions.

 

Some are useless and never cooperate.

 

It's surely worth a try.

[FTMDave]

As for the snotty letter, how about -

 

 

Dear CST Law,

 

cheers for your Letter Before Claim.  If you were even a bog-standard small-town solicitor, never mind the "highly-experienced legal team" as hilariously claimed on Credit Style's site, you would have done a tiny bit of due diligence before lazily sending out your robo-letter and thus discovered your client's case is complete pants. 

 

Section 3.2.  Government Code of Practice.  Get off your backsides for once and look it up.

 

On top of that your greedy client has invented £70 Unicorn Food Tax.  Bad own goal!  Judges don't like these made-up amounts, do they?

 

Your client can either stop this foolishness now or I will look forward to thrashing them in court, obtaining an unreasonable costs order under CPR 27.14(2)(g) and spending it all on a nice foreign holiday while laughing at your client's expense. 

 

I look forward to your deafening silence.

 

COPIED TO MET PARKING SERVICES LTD

 

 

I'm assuming the Unicorn Food Tax is £70.  If so invest in two 2nd class stamps (all these fleecers are worth) and get two free Certificates of Posting from the post office.

Edited January 27, 2023 by FTMDave
Typo

[FTMDave]

I've corrected a typo in the letter.  Best not to sign it.

[FTMDave]

That sounds very promising from BP.

 

Of course send them the evidence they want.

[FTMDave]

Well done on your victory!