Parking charge notice - not sure what to do

[Sniped]

I received a parking charge notice due to being parked in Waitrose for too long. The first letter I received from them was a month after the original date issued as a final reminder. I’ve asked for proof that they issues an earlier notice and they’ve supplied this, however I 100% didn’t receive it. Not sure if it was lost via Royal Mail. It’s unlikely they will have faked this right!? It’s Brittania so a fairly big company.

If I had received it I would have paid the discounted charge straight away, but now they are asking for way more. Do I just suck it up and pay the higher charge or try and fight it? I know according to citizens advice they must issue a notice within 14 days for it to be valid, so honestly I’m suspicious that they are just pushing their luck..

Mail in my area is crap. I got sent a final reminder parking fine - I never got the first. As so much mail goes missing I felt I had no choice but to pay, I did what they said I did but the sign was misleading (driving down a restricted street) I would have appealed if I'd received the first notice.

I'd write to them with a cheque for the discounted amount and say just that.

You didn't receive anything sooner, and they have no evidence they sent it. Therefore you expect to pay the discounted rate and any attempt on their part to claim the rest will be vigorously defended in court. They'll go away.

From their point of view, I imagine many more people claim to have not received notice than those who genuinely haven’t received notice, so I can’t imagine them needing to fake it.

Might also be worth copying in Waitrose. It might be a provider they choose to use, in which case they have some clout. It could also be a landlord arrangement though, in which case they can't do anything. But it can't hurt to copy them in, after all you were shopping there.

As so much mail goes missing I felt I had no choice but to pay

but why is that the driver's fault? These parking companies should send things recorded.

@yellowsuninthesky

I'd write to them with a cheque for the discounted amount and say just that.

You didn't receive anything sooner, and they have no evidence they sent it. Therefore you expect to pay the discounted rate and any attempt on their part to claim the rest will be vigorously defended in court. They'll go away.

OP states they’ve supplied proof of first notice being sent

I don't think it'll wash - under civil procedure rules- it's deemed that you did receive it, they don't need to supply pop but IANAL

• deemed service:

1. First class post (or other service which provides for delivery on the next business day)

The second day after it was posted, left with, delivered to or collected by the relevant service provider provided that day is a business day; or if not, the next business day after that day.

Well when I say they sent proof - they just attached a letter dated the 16th of feb (‘crime’ took place on the 9th of feb).

I think I again will offer to pay the discounted charge and see what they say. But pp is right, they should send it recorded because then people wouldn’t be able to say they hadn’t received it, and they also wouldn’t be able to say they had sent it if they hadn’t!