Parking fine from UKPC (private company - not local authority!)

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  • sarahg1969
    sarahg1969 Posts: 6,694
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    baynln wrote: »
    I would definately dispute it.

    I too have a problem with UKPC when I mistakenly parked in a disable bay which wasn't clearly marked, I have sent countless letters, even one addressed to the Complaints Dept/Manager & they do not even bother to reply. I believe they are a member of the British Parking Association and are approved by the DVLA, so I am going to try that route next. The parking space in question for me was at Tescos & I was only there 10 minuntes! I am therefore considering writing to Tesco because they are a client of UKPC and therefore UKPC may listen to them????

    I would definitely IGNORE it.

    People seem to be getting a little confused about the BPA. It is NOT a regulatory body. It is just a trade association that serves the interests of its members - the parking companies. It has no interest whatsoever in the welfare of consumer.

    And another thing - there is no such thing as DVLA approval for parking companies.

    Just file it away and move on with your life.
  • Hi all,

    I wonder if someone could give me some advice as I too have a UKPC ticket. I knowingly parked in a disabled spot without a disabled badge because I had my wife's 87 year old grandmother with me who needs aid to walk.

    I received a ticket and responded to UKPC nicely explaining the circumstances and received a condescending reply telling me how I have committed a great crime. I have never parked in a disabled bay before and whole heartedley agree that any able bodied person should be fined for doing so.

    My question though is that as i wrote to them personally admitting what I had done have I ruined my chances of my employer writing to them and saying they dont have a case because they dont have to name the driver ?

    Many thanks
  • sarahg1969
    sarahg1969 Posts: 6,694
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    chirpylee wrote: »
    Hi all,

    I wonder if someone could give me some advice as I too have a UKPC ticket. I knowingly parked in a disabled spot without a disabled badge because I had my wife's 87 year old grandmother with me who needs aid to walk.

    I received a ticket and responded to UKPC nicely explaining the circumstances and received a condescending reply telling me how I have committed a great crime. I have never parked in a disabled bay before and whole heartedley agree that any able bodied person should be fined for doing so.

    My question though is that as i wrote to them personally admitting what I had done have I ruined my chances of my employer writing to them and saying they dont have a case because they dont have to name the driver ?

    Many thanks

    If you have contacted them, they now have you hooked and will send more demands for payment. Just ignore them from now on. Your case is no different from dozens of others on here and the parking forum.
  • PaulLuke
    PaulLuke Posts: 619 Forumite
    sarahg1969 wrote: »
    If you have contacted them, they now have you hooked and will send more demands for payment. Just ignore them from now on. Your case is no different from dozens of others on here and the parking forum.

    I assume from your comment that it was a company car. If so you probably want to speak to your employer to make sure they do not pay any 'invoices' they may receive in relation to the heinous crime you have committed.

    Also agree with Sarah's comments re ignoring any further letters. PPCs give out these 'invoices' in the hope that people will pay them for a quiet life. If they go to court, which appears to be extremely unlikely, there are numerous grounds on which their validity can be challenged. By writing to them you have probably lost the 'prove I was the driver ground' but any 'fine' is certainly disproportionate to the cost of any purported breach and can also be challenged under the legislation relating to Unfair Consumer Contracts. There are some good threads on the Pepipoo site re PPCs
  • marleyboy
    marleyboy Posts: 16,698
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    Theres NO EXCUSE for ignorant yet able drivers who assume they can park in a disabled bay, whatever pathetic reasons and excuses are given for doing so.

    If your not disabled - you don't use the bay - its really that simple.

    I think a law should be introduced where such ignorant drivers have their cars towed and crushed, maybe then those incapable of understanding what a disabled bay is used for, would at the very least, grasp the idea of what will (should) happen to their car should they think they are somehow immune.
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  • tbw
    tbw Posts: 5,137 Forumite
    marleyboy wrote: »
    Theres NO EXCUSE for ignorant yet able drivers who assume they can park in a disabled bay, whatever pathetic reasons and excuses are given for doing so.

    If your not disabled - you don't use the bay - its really that simple.

    I think a law should be introduced where such ignorant drivers have their cars towed and crushed, maybe then those incapable of understanding what a disabled bay is used for, would at the very least, grasp the idea of what will (should) happen to their car should they think they are somehow immune.


    There is a difference between being disabled and being registered disabled (and therefore in possession of a valid badge).

    I have parked in supermarket disabled bays on a number of occasions in the past when I had my elderly mother or mother in law with me. Both ladies were well over 90 and both need a walking frame or wheelchair and were very unsteady on their feet if left on their own. Both lived in residential homes and neither had a disabled badge as they did not often go out. If I took them shopping then I ALWAYS parked as near to the entrance as I could and used a wide disabled bay as I could not get them in and out of the car otherwise. I never had any problems - but I always went straight into Customer Services and explained and they always took note of my registration number and alerted the security guard to ensure that I was not penalised.

    More recently, I have done pretty much the same when I have had a client with major learning disabilities in my car. A wide disabled space is needed for exactly the same reasons as with my Mother - and again, Customer Services have always sorted things out for me.

    You are obviously taking a big risk if there are signs saying you must display a disabled badge but so far as supermarkets are concerned I feel that the disabled spaces should be reserved for customers who do have any disability which affects their mobility. These customers will not necessarily have a disabled badge as they may only rarely get out of their house - and they may be very much more disabled that some disabled badge holders!

    It is discriminatory to penalise these people - some common sense needs to be applied here.

    Obviously the situation is different in Council car parks but the supermarkets can easily sort this out.
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  • BillTrac
    BillTrac Posts: 1,869
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    Hapless wrote: »
    If the sign says disabled badges must be shown then the reply was not irrelevant.
    I am fed up with people abusing blue badge parking bays in public and private car parks!
    Don't park in disabled bays if you do not have a legal blue badge...simple enough for you sarahg1969???????

    Not the point. Although my wife is a blue badge holder there is nothing legal inthe "parking invoices"these scumbags stick on cars in private car parks. They are as bad as the lowlifes who park wherever they like, disabled space or not

    Good for you sarahg1969

    Luckily Portsmouth has started to enforce disabled bay parking on their roads and car parks. No blue badge then you get a ticket, BUT that is not the rule for private car parks
  • marleyboy
    marleyboy Posts: 16,698
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    tbw wrote: »
    There is a difference between being disabled and being registered disabled (and therefore in possession of a valid badge).

    I have parked in supermarket disabled bays on a number of occasions in the past when I had my elderly mother or mother in law with me. Both ladies were well over 90 and both need a walking frame or wheelchair and were very unsteady on their feet if left on their own. Both lived in residential homes and neither had a disabled badge as they did not often go out. If I took them shopping then I ALWAYS parked as near to the entrance as I could and used a wide disabled bay as I could not get them in and out of the car otherwise. I never had any problems - but I always went straight into Customer Services and explained and they always took note of my registration number and alerted the security guard to ensure that I was not penalised.

    More recently, I have done pretty much the same when I have had a client with major learning disabilities in my car. A wide disabled space is needed for exactly the same reasons as with my Mother - and again, Customer Services have always sorted things out for me.

    You are obviously taking a big risk if there are signs saying you must display a disabled badge but so far as supermarkets are concerned I feel that the disabled spaces should be reserved for customers who do have any disability which affects their mobility. These customers will not necessarily have a disabled badge as they may only rarely get out of their house - and they may be very much more disabled that some disabled badge holders!

    It is discriminatory to penalise these people - some common sense needs to be applied here.

    Obviously the situation is different in Council car parks but the supermarkets can easily sort this out.

    To repeat myself
    If your not disabled - you don't use the bay - its really that simple.
    If people are MORE disabled than those with a badge, apply for one. Else its just weak excuses by perfectly ABLE people to use, "I'm dyslexic so I am entitled","My mothers next door neighbours friend is disabled, so I am entitled" No Badge=No Right its as simple as that.

    Its why it states on the sign "BADGE HOLDERS ONLY"
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  • tbw
    tbw Posts: 5,137 Forumite
    marleyboy wrote: »
    To repeat myself If people are MORE disabled than those with a badge, apply for one. Else its just weak excuses by perfectly ABLE people to use, "I'm dyslexic so I am entitled","My mothers next door neighbours friend is disabled, so I am entitled" No Badge=No Right its as simple as that.

    Its why it states on the sign "BADGE HOLDERS ONLY"

    I have not made an 'excuse' as to why I've used the disabled bays on a few occasions - I have given what is a valid REASON!

    There is no reason to apply for a disabled badge for very occasional need - it makes a mockery of the scheme. These badges are required for people who need access on a regular, daily basis and for whom their cars are a lifeline. I object to those people who see a disabled badge as a permit to park - whether or not they actually have the disabled person in the car with them or not! Frequently, I see cars parked in disabled spaces ,complete with a badge, and the disabled person is left sitting in the car while their driver jumps out and trots off to do their shopping! (At least they do have the disabled person in the car). Other people park and literally jump out and RUSH off into the supermarket - nobody left in the car and, if it is their own badge on the car, then a miracle must have happened cos they can run faster than I can! Both of those instances constitute a much higher level of abuse than anything I might have done - or the OP who was pregnant (not that I accept that EITHER of us abused the system).

    I repeat - Council parking is a different matter but supermarket parking is designed to facilitate shopping. People who clearly have mobility problems have every right to use a disabled parking space. They ARE disabled - they just choose not to abuse the system by applying for a badge which they really do not need given their very occasional need for the concession. Its a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

    I will continue to do what I have always done ie park in a disabled space if I have a disabled person with me and then speak to Customer Services so that they can organise things for me. Its a common sense thing to do and it works.
    ELITE 5:2
    # 42
    11st2lbs down to 9st2lbs - another 5lbs gone due to alcohol abuse (head down toilet syndrome)
  • roddydogs
    roddydogs Posts: 7,478
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    What a great idea--you dont need a badge to park in a Disabled Bay thanks for that!
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