do you have to pay parking tickets from private companies

[Muggerbee]

Mazzasmum

 

I would draw your attention that Perky is a co owner of one of these PPC's as such I would caution you on how much validity you place in his "advice" however mine is offered without prejudice and it is entirely up

to you if you take it or not as I cannot be held accountable for anything that results from it.

 

I would always advise someone to take as much legal advice as they can afford before commencing any legal action, however the letter above just states that you're not a cash cow to be milked and you reserve the right to sue the arse off of their "client" if you so wish.

 

If you wish to get a broader spectrum of opinion then there is a dedicated motorists forum at pepipoo, also you can read pete jones' sticky about the operators in this field and judge for yourself

[Muggerbee]

P.S.

 

Lots of cases he would have won if the PPC's ever turned up when they see a 20 page defense ;-)

[Guest perky88]

I am nothing to do with controlaccount ...

 

Muggerbees advice is offered on nothing more than an "internet lawyer". "know it all", "jack of all trades - master of none".

 

Ask him for 1 case that has been taken to court WITH BOTH THE PPC & DEFENDANT present and his argument won ...

 

Then you can base you response accordingly.

 

I am not giving any advice about this case, I dont know enough about it, so am NOT taking side of the PPC or YOU ...

 

Just advice given by layman/people with no experince .. should be taken with caution ..(same as mine, you dont know me so I expect the same questions).

 

Always ask the REAL FACTUAL basis for their information ... what past experiences in court have they had .. was the case similar ... etc.. then make you OWN decision.

 

One glove DOES NOT FIT ALL ...

[Muggerbee]

Perky

 

it would be really nice if you could not hijack threads for your own use.

 

No I am not a Lawyer, but the guy who wrote the sticky is and so is the man who has kindly offered to defend your latest victim. (still awaiting the PM btw)

 

Whatever you go with Mazzas, I wish you luck and can assure you that you will get all the support you need from the members of this forum

 

Brgds

[gwc1000]

And muggerbee (apparantly, this man has a monkey as his picture on other sites ... will let you all draw your own conculsions to this)

Hi, perky. You have always been very quick to criticise posters who have posted personal insults. Pot...kettle...?

[prettykitty]

Thanks guys!!

 

Will await (with dread) the next letter then....

 

 

Good luck babes - I'm having a similar dispute although thanks to this brilliant site I haven't even admitted it's my vehicle - and I've used some great letter drafts and lines...

 

Stand firm - I too am a 'Harrassed Mum!' with a recently disabled daughter to boot!

 

I say, in addition to fighting these parasites, we should let our protests be heard - involve local press if the signs are not clear - plus write to any of the businesses that allow these sharks to feed off innocently caught out people and vote with our feet!!!

 

We should all draft a letter between us to print off - well, maybe all you geniuses that are good at that sort of thing - saying we are intending to take our business else where until they stop dealing with these underhand gangsters!

 

Complain to Watchdog, trading standards Office of Fair Trading and police if we feel they break the law in any way - remember you only have to believe an offence has been committed to insist the police investigate.

 

Especially these companies suggest we have 'committed an offence' - (like I have found Parking Eye are when they alleged a vehicle bearing my VRM parked in one of the ALDI supermarket chain's car park for too long) They pose as having some legal office or authority and harrass MOPs like us (an offence in itself as I have discovered under section 40 the Administration of Justice Act - THANX GUYS!)

 

I mean are they really worried about people abusing their car park (it was a quiet Sunday and the car park was never more that a quarter full) - or is it the highest profit margin product they do?

 

Hit them where it hurts and don't give them your business... Spread the word around friends and families and write to our MP's!

 

You go girl and keep us posted!

 

(",)xxx

[prettykitty]

And muggerbee (apparantly, this man has a monkey as his picture on other sites ... will let you all draw your own conculsions to this) is any legal basis for your letter.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PELASE only reply if you have a case you can clearly show a PPC took a company to court and the driver won.

 

If you CAN NOT .. Please do not reply ... (I know you cant as there are none... I dont know the reasons but there are none !!! - and I dont mean judgements because someone never turned up .. I mean judgemnts after a CORRECT legal discussion).

 

muggerbee is another "internet/armchair lawyer" .. no experience to back him up just lots of cases he would have won if given the chance ...mmmmmmmm

 

 

Oh come on sweetie - don't you get it - if there isn't any cases then it's because the companies know they'll loose and don't want to set themslves up a precidence in law...

 

In anycase - if they don't ever take it to court then job done - the result is the same right?

 

EITHER WAY WE WIN!

 

Doh!

 

PS Did you ever used to watch Pinky and Perky? Remember the two little piggies? LMAO!

[prettykitty]

And muggerbee (apparantly, this man has a monkey as his picture on other sites ... will let you all draw your own conculsions to this) is any legal basis for your letter.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PELASE only reply if you have a case you can clearly show a PPC took a company to court and the driver won.

 

If you CAN NOT .. Please do not reply ... (I know you cant as there are none... I dont know the reasons but there are none !!! - and I dont mean judgements because someone never turned up .. I mean judgemnts after a CORRECT legal discussion).

 

muggerbee is another "internet/armchair lawyer" .. no experience to back him up just lots of cases he would have won if given the chance ...mmmmmmmm

 

Flippin' billiant - well done - I really admire you guys who do this off your own back just to help and support us less knowledgeable on the subject - THANK YOU SO MUCH!

 

I only hope I can help someone else soon with some of my limited knowledge - I used to work for the police...

 

Perky is a misserable human who should channel his energy into something more useful to sociaty rather than trying to be a negative, depressing little fc-uk 'er ;o)

 

Bee happy!

[Barnsley Boy]

PLEASE PLEASE PELASE only reply if you have a case you can clearly show a PPC took a company to court and the driver won.

 

If you CAN NOT .. Please do not reply ... (I know you cant as there are none... I dont know the reasons but there are none !!! - and I dont mean judgements because someone never turned up .. I mean judgements after a CORRECT legal discussion).

 

 

I know this one has been done to death but......

 

Perky may not claim to know the reason but a plausible explanation is pretty obvious. The PPCs fly a kite every now and again and put in a claim to MCOL against someone who they think will either fail to submit a defence or who will submit a poor one. Contrary to their stated views, PPCs do know the law and will stay away from court when they see a proper defence is filed.

 

How else can the "no shows" be explained.

[emopaz]

I have spent most of the morning reading through all the various threads after receiving a "Civil Traffic Enforcement Notice" from UKPC for unauthorised parking in my local B&Q/Halfords store. I must admit I was devastated and immediately felt like a criminal on seeing the photo of my car. I parked in this 'free' car park for approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes when the time limit is 2 hours on what was a very busy Saturday morning in the run up to Christmas. I saw the attendant in the car park but presumed that I was OK as no notice was on my car. Then, 4 days later this arrives in the post. Although I want to fight it, as a law abiding citizen, I can't help thinking that yes I did overstay the time limit. I am really worried about being black listed if I don't pay this fine. Has this happened to anyone? I don't think I could face the stigma of debt collectors, having always been upfront and paying my way.

 

I immediately wrote a letter to the company and was about to post it but decided to look on the internet for advice. After reading your threads I have torn up that letter trying to justify my actions and will send one based on your templates, but I am so nervous with worry over this. I really feel like not using these stores again for fear of these parking fines, but I will be the one losing out having to shop elsewhere at higher prices. I guess they are in a win win situation!

[demon_x_slash]

Black listed?? That's an archaic term I haven't heard in a while

 

These people rely on the feelings you're having right now to trick you into believing that their invoice is a 'ticket', or a 'PCN' - it is not, and as long as you keep your head and read through the advice on this section of the forum carefully you'll have no trouble whatsoever. Don't get worried, get angry - they're deliberately provoking your fear and sense of honour 'as a law-abiding citizen', and making the invoice look as 'official' as possible, to get you to give them money, and in prettier words that's termed obtaining money by deception.

 

Please don't worry yourself over it - take a look at the stickies at the top of the forum and all the other myriad threads on private parking. Welcome to CAG

[emopaz]

Thanks. I have used the template and sent the letter - no going back now I guess.

[Forever Forest]

Ive just sent of my first template letter to these people. I am obviously now 'mentally' preparing to send my second letter. Can I just ask, how much emphasis do I put on asking for evidence to back up their claim? Am I right in thinking that if I make this request and it is ignored then that would work in my favour?

 

Any other advice for content of the 2nd letter (Other than the templates)

 

Thanks Guys

[Timmeh]

Can I just ask, how much emphasis do I put on asking for evidence to back up their claim? Am I right in thinking that if I make this request and it is ignored then that would work in my favour?

 

Any other advice for content of the 2nd letter (Other than the templates)

 

Thanks Guys

 

I would also like to know this.

[demon_x_slash]

If they're going to take you to court (as they claim), they are required to provide you with this evidence free of charge anyway. If it does get that far (unlikely) the judge will not look too kindly on them refusing to provide you with 'proof' of the debt they are claiming exists...

[petej2811]

Has anyone had dealings with Controlaccount? They are the debt collecting agency of Euro car parks' date=' I believe. Am having serious probs with them. My daughter go a parking ticket - didn;t tel me but tried to negociate a payment schedule with them as she was too broke to pay. She did all the right things - tried to ring, e-mail etc eventually spoke to an employee who agreed a scheldule of payments. daughter duly paid one instalment via bank - next thing they had hiked up the charge by £50 to £ 262 with threatening letter, saying final chance to avoid litigation etc. She again managed to get thro but having no success with said employee asked to speak to her boss. got thro to him - he agreed that she owed £200 not the amount being demanded. I spoke to this chap and he agreed that £200 would be the final payment and that there would be no outstanding sums to pay. I duly paid this amount by credit card and was assured that i would have a letter stating that there would be no further outstanding amounts (this was on 31/10/07) No such letter has been received but imagine my horror when today my daughter received another threatening letter demanding another £50! Haven't yet been in touch as office closed but what advice can anyone give me - grateful for all suggestions1 Many thanks[/quote']

 

If you paid by credit card we can recover the money.

 

Read my guide at the top of the forum, my email address is at the bottom. Email me and I'll help you recover the funds.

 

Regards,

 

PJ

[petej2811]

I am nothing to do with controlaccount ...

 

Muggerbees advice is offered on nothing more than an "internet lawyer". "know it all", "jack of all trades - master of none".

 

Ask him for 1 case that has been taken to court WITH BOTH THE PPC & DEFENDANT present and his argument won ...

 

Then you can base you response accordingly.

 

I am not giving any advice about this case, I dont know enough about it, so am NOT taking side of the PPC or YOU ...

 

Just advice given by layman/people with no experince .. should be taken with caution ..(same as mine, you dont know me so I expect the same questions).

 

Always ask the REAL FACTUAL basis for their information ... what past experiences in court have they had .. was the case similar ... etc.. then make you OWN decision.

 

One glove DOES NOT FIT ALL ...

 

 

There must be a car park within driving distance of your house. I suggest you go there and sit in the bushes with your little pad and pencil.

 

PJ

[ben33nottingham]

Hello to everybody

I am Ben33Nottingham (Ben) I was reading all this threads yesterday and today after find a Civil Penalty Charge Notice from the company called Town & City Parking Ltd

It is a small retail park and parking was free but I never read the sign that its for 1,5 hour free parking. So they claim I have parked just under 2 hours and details of my car colour and reg no. And reason being given is: Parked in excess of permitted free period

 

I have never received one before so I didn't know what to do? I only went shopping and have early lunch in the retail park I didn't realised how long I have been shopping. It was a week day and car park was pretty empty and its retail park so I thought it cant be any problem. There is 2 supermarket opposite and same company doing parking notices and time limit is 3 hours when I go back and look.

 

In the notice it says:

Vehicle parked at the location breach of the terms and conditions advertised.

Civil penalty charge of £60 is now due and if its pay in 10 days its £30 and payment instructions.

If I don't pay it in 10 days it will be £60 plus £10 admin charge after 28 days.

They are the member of the BPA (British parking Association) so they will ask my details from DVLA and it says

Failure to respond will lead to civil legal action being taken to recover the penalty charge together with any judicial expenses that may be incurred.

 

I don't understand how could this be fair when you are shopping in the retail park and park half an hour more than free parking limit. If I did now time limit was 1,5 hour I wouldn't eat lunch or park in supermarket.

Anyway I hope you don't mind I am sending this e mail to you. I didn't now what to do. Shall I ignore the notice and wait they contact me first or write them now with kind of letter and ask for proof or just pay it and not park there again I am new on this. And have no idea about law. Do you think I have a ground to stand? I guess the car park belong to local council but the obviously using this company for parking charges to motorists. Would you please let me know? Or Anybody can direct me to right direction on this case.

Thanks

Best Regards

Ben

[Barnsley Boy]

Hi Ben,

 

This is a private ticket, not from the council or police. It is not official and has no legal status.

 

One tactic is to ignore. They will get your address from DVLA and write to you threatening you with County Court and larger amounts of money.

 

If you get a letter from a Debt Collection Agency, write back to them saying the debt is denied completely.

 

Read the "stickys" at the top of the forum. "Private Parking - all you need to know" is a good place to start. There are also suggested "template" letters for writing at different stages of the dispute.

 

Don't worry but above all DON'T PAY

[ben33nottingham]

Hi Barnsley Boy,

Thanks for replying, I will ignore them and as you said If they contact me I will use the template letters. I cant beleive this people trying to rob people, because they are shopping 2 hours in retail park or anywhere really totally unfair just before the christmas it happened and I am pretty annoyed about it but I am not letting them spoil my life like that. Anyway I will send more info about how we getting on?

Thank you very much

Best regards

Ben

[whiteskoda]

Hello to everybody

I am Ben33Nottingham (Ben) I was reading all this threads yesterday and today after find a Civil Penalty Charge Notice from the company called Town & City Parking Ltd

It is a small retail park and parking was free but I never read the sign that its for 1,5 hour free parking. So they claim I have parked just under 2 hours and details of my car colour and reg no. And reason being given is: Parked in excess of permitted free period

 

I have never received one before so I didn't know what to do? I only went shopping and have early lunch in the retail park I didn't realised how long I have been shopping. It was a week day and car park was pretty empty and its retail park so I thought it cant be any problem. There is 2 supermarket opposite and same company doing parking notices and time limit is 3 hours when I go back and look.

 

In the notice it says:

Vehicle parked at the location breach of the terms and conditions advertised.

Civil penalty charge of £60 is now due and if its pay in 10 days its £30 and payment instructions.

If I don't pay it in 10 days it will be £60 plus £10 admin charge after 28 days.

They are the member of the BPA (British parking Association) so they will ask my details from DVLA and it says

Failure to respond will lead to civil legal action being taken to recover the penalty charge together with any judicial expenses that may be incurred.

 

I don't understand how could this be fair when you are shopping in the retail park and park half an hour more than free parking limit. If I did now time limit was 1,5 hour I wouldn't eat lunch or park in supermarket.

Anyway I hope you don't mind I am sending this e mail to you. I didn't now what to do. Shall I ignore the notice and wait they contact me first or write them now with kind of letter and ask for proof or just pay it and not park there again I am new on this. And have no idea about law. Do you think I have a ground to stand? I guess the car park belong to local council but the obviously using this company for parking charges to motorists. Would you please let me know? Or Anybody can direct me to right direction on this case.

Thanks

Best Regards

Ben

Hi there,

I have been reading some useful information about these bullies who demand money with threats.

Having fallen foul of them myself.

The people concerned being 'Euro carparks'.

One point I cannot quite understand is how can these people Legally obtain your private details from DVLA. what happened to the Data Protection Act!

My partner recently had cause to phone DVLA with a problem over the documents for her new car.ie having not received the registration document from them after the Dealer had registered the new car intially in their name.

She was told by those nice people @ DVLA that that she was not the keeper and they could NOT divulge who the keeper was. Citing the 'Data Protection Act'. !!

I naively thought that only such people as the Police had access to our private details held by DVLA.

Or are they as free with them as another well known public body who posts them out on discs.

Await your comments with interest.

regards Wills

[todd58]

hi will good point does any one know how the ppc have rights to our details via dvla

paul

[Barnsley Boy]

hi will good point does any one know how the ppc have rights to our details via dvla

paul

 

Yes, unfortunately they do have access to DVLA records. It is a money making [problem]. The DVLA charge £2.50 a shot to the PPCs to provide Registered Keeper address from a number plate under an access code citing "reasonable cause". Yes. it is wrong but that's the truth of it.

[todd58]

Hi Barnsley Boy,

Thanks for replying, I will ignore them and as you said If they contact me I will use the template letters. I cant beleive this people trying to rob people, because they are shopping 2 hours in retail park or anywhere really totally unfair just before the christmas it happened and I am pretty annoyed about it but I am not letting them spoil my life like that. Anyway I will send more info about how we getting on?

Thank you very much

Best regards

Ben

how you getting on ben

[Filthy Monkey]

And muggerbee (apparantly, this man has a monkey as his picture on other sites ... will let you all draw your own conculsions to this) is any legal basis for your letter.

 

Perky, I take great offence at this. Just what exactly do you have against monkeys...?

 

For those of you being persecuted by these charlatan companies, I just thought I'd give you my experience. I live in E16, just beside Canary Wharf and paid £15,000 each for two parking spaces in my development, as there is a double red line on the private road outside my flat. Two years ago the concierge decided that they would invite a parking company in to patrol the car park and ticket any cars not displaying a permit. Unfortunately the permits are not fixed and often slide off the dashboard, in the same way that non-sticky pay and display tickets do. However, I do park my car in the same space every day, it is very recognisable and it is always the same person who patrols the car park, so he is well aware that my car is entitled to be there. Since ticketing started, I have received over 50 tickets. If I leave my car without a permit and don't use it for a few days, I can come back and find 7 or 8 tickets on the windscreen. It's just ridiculous!

 

At first I got quite worried about the situation and had many irate phone calls with the company responsible, but having ignored every ticket and threatening letter they have sent me to date, with no consequences, I now just laugh it off, safe in the knowledge that they are spending a small fortune in stationary and postage costs. All of my cars are registered at my address in Glasgow, so every week when I go back there, I have a few more letters waiting for me threatening all sorts! I now have around 300 letters from Central Ticketing and various official sounding solicitors and debt collection agencies, but they will never see a penny of my money.

 

I guess the point I am trying to make is quite simply that their bark is far worse than their bite, so if you do receive a ticket, stand your ground. Do not give in to them!