Civil Enforcement Ltd (again!)

[teenytinkerbell]

Hi, I am a newbie. Here is one for you:

 

I came home from work yesterday to a fine for £150 (£75 if paid within 14 days) from CEL. I stopped in a car park at Altrincham Leisure Centre last month as my 3 year old daughter was desperate for a pee and being visitors to the area (we live in Scotland) we stopped at the first place we could find that we thought would have a toilet! My husband took my daughter into the centre, asked their permission to take little one to the toilet, purchased something from the vending machine and came back. The total time spent was 15 minutes and 12 seconds (exact times stated on the fine). I DID NOT LEAVE THE CAR! (So as far as I see it the car was not "parked" as such becaus eI was in it) Unfortunately I did not realise it was a staff only car park until we were leaving. I am not sure if the signage going in was bad or I was too busy trying to find somewhere for the little one to go to the bathroom!

 

I am glad I was pointed to the direction of this site as I was all for sending an appeal which I now think would do me more harm than good. Thing is, I was in a hire car and I am worried that if I ignore the fine the hire company (a large national company) will get bother about it and I will also be in trouble with them as I use them regularly. I have been in touch with the someone at the leisure centre who said I should send a copy o fthe fine to the manageress and explain the circumstances and she may be able to get it cancelled. Is it worth doing this or will it alert the parking company and set the ball rolling for them to keep bugging me?

 

The other thing is, I move house this weekend, so they can send letters all they like, I wont get them! My biggest concern is the fallout with the car hire company as I do not really want to burn my bridges with them. Only thing is, this fine is more than the car hire for the weekend cost so I grudge paying it!!!!

 

Any advice would be gratefully received!

[Conniff]

I am not sure if the signage going in was bad or I was too busy trying to find somewhere for the little one to go to the bathroom!

 

I would say that means the signs weren't prominently enough displayed so another 'sod off' reason not to pay.

 

You must tell the hire company as it they get the notice, they will pay it and then charge you.

[Dublindel]

Take responsibility for the invoice from the hire company. Inform ppc. Then its totally IN x6us hands to ignore. The so called contract is between the ppc and the driver

[teenytinkerbell]

I am a bit confused. Surely the car hire company has been informed as CEL have my name and address and can surely only have got them from the car hire company themselves, in which case the car hire company have not paid it? I will contact the the car hire company and let them know that the fine is in dispute but I am not sure if I should contact CEL at all or not, or if I should have the leisuer centre manager attempt to cancel it or not.

[kiptower]

first thing its NOT A FINE ( if you have to contact the hire co DO NOT REFER TO IT AS A FINE )

 

whos name is the V5 in yours or the Hire / lease co

 

as they have your address them they will attempt to convice you its a fine and you owe it, BUT it is no more than a [problem] invoice, so the real advice is to ignore their attempts to [problem] you

 

so unless you hear from the hire company ( most hire companies now relise these are not LEGAL PARKING TICKETS anyway ) nearly all Hire / Lease company contract state you are libel for REAL PARKING TICKETS which are POLICE/COUNCIL issued only and Congestion charges etc.

 

there are losts of posts that explain how these PPC's work the [problem]

[teenytinkerbell]

The car was only a weekend hire so the V5 would be in the name of the company and not me. However, as CEL have my details I would guess that the car hire company are leaving the "Enforcement Notice" well alone. I am going to ignore it. As I said, I am moving house this weekend anyway. If the car hire company needs to contact me regarding it they have my phone numbers. I was gonig to get the leaisure centre manager to try and cancel it but I fear that this will be "entering into communication" and I don't really want to play that game.

[gelmc]

Re: Yeh, you guessed it Civil Enforcement Ltd

 

I was lucky enough to receive one of those charming PCNs from CEL today, written in a mix of bold black and red type with a rather alluring blue background. After perusing this forum and and those on moneysavingexpert, I've arrived at the conclusion that it is best to ignore them, but I do have one slight concern that I would appreciate some feedback about.

 

The situation is as follows - a couple of weekends ago I parked my car in a retail park car park in a suburb on the edges of my city. I met my friend in the car park and we went on to enjoy the morning at a car boot sale, in another town followed by lunch. I was therefore parked in the said car park for at least 5 hours. I was completely oblivious to the fact that the car park contained such signage warning about overstaying a certain parking time limit. In fact, I rarley visit that side of town and only parked there in order to meet my friend who suggested I do so, as she was coming from the opposite direction. Consequently I have no idea what the parking 'restrictions' are at the particular car park and don't know by how much I overstayed the limit.

 

My question is does the advice to ignore still apply in my case?

 

Thanks so much for any advice given, it's gratefully recieved.

[kiptower]

IGNORE

[gelmc]

Ta kiptower,

 

Just as I suspected and wanted to get confirmed. This sort of thing really enrages me and after being shafted with charges by the banks there is no way in hell this mickey mouse company is getting its hands on my brass!

[crem]

The car hire company may have given the PPC your details, but in the absence of you paying the scamvoice, they may decide they will have more success hounding the hire co. in the hope that they will get annoyed with all the junk mail and "pay it on your behalf", then recharge you.

 

I would write to the hire co. and inform them that the "invoice is in dispute" and, as it is not a legally enforcable council or police fine, under no circumstances should they pay.

 

As a further precausion, if you paid for the hire car on your credit or debit card, I would ring up the card provider and tell them your card has been "damaged" (sat on / put in the washer / eaten by the dog / all of the above ) and they will issue a new card with new number.

[AcidC4]

I had the same issue when i had a hired car you have nothing to worry about.

[lamma]

it depends, some hire companies jump on the bandwagon. you have to prevent that happening.

[Redwoodsteve]

To put everyone at ease. I had a letter from CEL in Oct 2007 demanding payment for overstaying on a car park. I found this site, read the advice, ignored ALL the letters from CEL & then Newlyn and eventually they stopped writing. It REALLY is that simple.

[trust1363]

Hi

 

That's good to hear. Roughly how long is the process from beginning to end - 6 months?

 

 

JT

[Redwoodsteve]

The last letter I had was approx. 4 months after the initial CEL letter.

[trust1363]

Thanks this is useful information.

 

JT

[lordbargain]

Hi there

 

Another newbie with one of these 'Parking Contravention' things from Civil Enforcement Limited (car in an empty supermarket car park for three hours on a Sunday evening).

 

I rang them today and left my contact details before I headed online to research their practices. The overwhelming advice seems to be to ignore the notices, but if I have left them my name and phone number does that advice change?

 

Cheers

[Bruce Martyn]

Expect a load of spam phone calls from these folks, when they call just politely, but firmly, tell them to put all their concerns in writing - don't respond or give them any other info.

 

Then just ignore them.

[lordbargain]

OK. Thanks for your help.

 

I just wish I'd come online and researched first!

 

Any other advice on dealing with these people?

[Conniff]

Hi there

 

Another newbie with one of these 'Parking Contravention' things from Civil Enforcement Limited (car in an empty supermarket car park for three hours on a Sunday evening).

 

I rang them today and left my contact details before I headed online to research their practices. The overwhelming advice seems to be to ignore the notices, but if I have left them my name and phone number does that advice change?

 

Cheers

 

All you've done is save them the cost of getting your details from the DVLA. Other than that the advice is the same.

[Dublindel]

View will still have to get your address so thankfully it will still cost them

[lordbargain]

So ignore every call and letter I get from here on in (even if they do get increasingly threatening), and eventually they'll give up?

[letshelp]

So ignore every call and letter I get from here on in

 

Yes

 

(even if they do get increasingly threatening)

 

Especially so

 

, and eventually they'll give up?

 

Yes

 

regards

[jrichards]

Hello everyone,

 

Last time i posted soemthing was 8th april, reagrding getting a cessastion of correspondence.

 

See below:

Well i got a response back from these F****** jokers!

They sent me a 'Cessation of Correspondance' basically meaning they are not going to be writing to me, rergarding this matter anymore...pay or else!!!

They put at the end of the letter..they will pass this over to a debt collector!!!

Whats now guys??

 

...Well i have recived a letter from Newlyn to recover the debt and t has gone up to £238:?...How the fu*k did that happen, when every letter was saying at the end, it would remain at £75.

 

What do i do now, do i carry on ignoring?

[jrichards]

Hi redwoodsteve,

 

I received my first letter from newlyn on friday...must admit i did panic!

 

did you feel a bit apprehensive when you recived it, as they have passed it on to next stage?

 

How ling has it been now, since you have heard from newlyn...

 

Baliffs wont rock-up 18mths down the line regarding this fine and demand instant payment!!!!

 

 

To put everyone at ease. I had a letter from CEL in Oct 2007 demanding payment for overstaying on a car park. I found this site, read the advice, ignored ALL the letters from CEL & then Newlyn and eventually they stopped writing. It REALLY is that simple.

 

I have my photographic evidence also.