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Original poster

Parking Charge advice please

31 replies

missyB1 · 08/07/2020 14:00

So on 16th June I received notice of a parking charge (from a private parking company) which was apparently given on 20th March! The letter insisted I had ignored two previous letters therefore two late payment charges had been added, bringing the total to £155.00. I had received no notice of any charge until that letter on 16th June. I didn't quibble that the original charge was fair ( i had been five minutes over the hour I paid for on my ticket), so i immediately made a bank transfer for the original charge of £60.00. I emailed them explaining why I had only paid the original charge i.e. I hadn't ignored any letters and therefore couldn't have paid a charge I knew nothing about.
They simply said hard luck pay the whole amount.

Today I received a letter from a debt recovery firm wanting the remaining amount. I contacted them as well (as advised in their letter) and explained what had happened. Again they said Oh shame but pay up.
What to do? Are they likely to take me to court? Are they likely to win? Could this cost me an absolute fortune and bring loads of distress? Should I just pay the thieving bastards? I do wonder how many people they do this to!

OP posts:
MaggieTheFrog · 08/07/2020 14:11

I had a similar thing happen. I was able to call them and appeal via email as I had paid the original penalty. They then dropped the "late" fees (robbing 🤬). It did cause me a lot of anxiety though.

prh47bridge · 08/07/2020 14:14

If the car park operator is a member of the British Parking Association they are supposed to give a grace period of at least 10 minutes after the parking period expires.

Some parking companies are more keen on taking people to court than others. The debt recovery firm may actually be the parking company operating under another name.

Personally I would sit tight and let them take you to court. I think you have a reasonable chance of winning. Even if they win, the most it will cost you is the £95 late payment charges, up to £60 in court fees and a small amount of interest. So no, it can't cost you a fortune.

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 14:14

You were lucky Maggie I've called them and emailed them and they won't budge. I wouldn't mind if it was justified - I always pay bills immediately and I'm not the type to ignore any money I owe.

OP posts:
dontdisturbmenow · 08/07/2020 14:25

Did you ask for copies of these letters they sent but you didn't receive?

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 14:27

I asked for evidence that they had sent the letters but they ignored that request. Shall I ask again- being more specific that I want actual copies?

OP posts:
AlCalavicci · 08/07/2020 14:27

Surely if you have paid the original amount you can not owe any more .
Do you you have proof of payment ( bank statement/ card details etc )

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 14:33

Yes I paid the original charge (£60) but by the time I actually received their letter they had already added two “late payment” charges bringing the total to £155.

OP posts:
KaptainKaveman · 08/07/2020 17:18

They are trying it on. Unless they can prove they sent letters previously they haven't got a case. Chancer bastards.

Elieza · 08/07/2020 17:31

Google them. Are they a member of a professional body? Has anyone posted anything about them previously? Try a search on MN too under their name as something may have been said about them before.

I think they are chancers and it’s highly likely the previous letters were never sent as nobody would presumably be working in their office during lockdown so how could they have franked and posted them from home.

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 20:08

Its such an easy way to scam people isnt it? They are members of a professional parking body I did check. And yes their staff would have been furloughed I imagine, so very little chance any letters were sent. Cheeky fuckers.

OP posts:
Elieza · 08/07/2020 20:11

Write to the body expressing your displeasure?

KaptainKaveman · 08/07/2020 20:18

If it were me I would tell them that without PROOF of these alleged previous letters, they cannot force you to pay. Because they can't, can they? Relax OP they are trying it on.

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 21:06

They are threatening court.

OP posts:
AlCalavicci · 08/07/2020 21:27

Can you remember the date that the incident took place , also you have proof ? if you do/ have and you can find out what the time was that you had to pay it off and proof that you paid it in time then I wouldn't of thought they had a case against you.

Original poster
missyB1 · 08/07/2020 22:00

Hmmm I can’t prove that I didn’t receive their letters. But maybe the onus is on them to prove they sent the letters.

OP posts:
AlCalavicci · 08/07/2020 22:14

I dont know if the onus would be on them but it is certainly worth looking in to .
But if you know the indecent took place on say the 1st of the month and you had 14 days to pay it off and had paid it by the 10th then they don't have a leg to stand on,

KaptainKaveman · 09/07/2020 07:59

But OP, the company CAN prove that they DID send the letters can't they? so unless they can furnish this proof they are lying.

KaptainKaveman · 09/07/2020 08:01

Yes the onus is on them to prove the earlier correspondence exists. Just tell them this, it's a common scam to shaft you for more money.

Original poster
missyB1 · 09/07/2020 08:04

Honestly there should be laws to stop these thieving hits from doing this Angry

OP posts:
Original poster
missyB1 · 09/07/2020 08:05

Thieving gits.

OP posts:
KaptainKaveman · 09/07/2020 08:09

Why don't you write to one of the money/legal pages of the newspapers asking for advice OP? the guardian or similar? or Which? magazine? they can help.

mumoftwodc · 09/07/2020 08:29

There is a Facebook group called 'fight your private parking invoice' who can advise and are very successful.

www.facebook.com/groups/fightyourprivateparkinginvoice/?ref=share

MarieG10 · 09/07/2020 08:39

The best Facebook page is "Private Parking Tickets - Help,and Advice". They will give you free advice. Post up the letter you have received but blank out identifying details. Do not admit to being the driver.

Your first action will be to send a subject access request (SAR) to the company and they will have to send copies of the letters. There are template letters to use on the FB site

Yes..these parking companies are utterly corrupt. The govt has a new code for them but was not implemented due to Covid. An example is that one of the appeals services has directors from the companies on it so there is no impartiality

When it does go,to court they lose most but the reality is that they take few to court ...exception is Parking Eye.

What you will get is loads of Shit letters from debt recovery companies. Ignore them, they have no power at all. What you must respond to though is a "Letter Before Claim" which is a pre court letter but some of the companies are sending fake ones of these as well!!

Sunnydayshereatlast · 09/07/2020 08:42

Google Legal Beagles.. Loads of info there. Request a SAR.... That's a request for all the info they have regarding your registration.. So any previous letters they have sent ... Include a copy of your licence. They are pulling a fast one op.
Ime....

ProfessorSlocombe · 09/07/2020 10:51

Generally in English law, proof of posting is considered proof of receipt.

Just to clarify.