Parking Eye - Crown Wharf Shopping Park, Walsall

[slipalong]

Went shopping while visiting family for the weekend and parked here. Originally missed all the signs but after 30mins we paid with loose change for 2hrs parking. As time started running out we paid for another 2hrs, being asked to enter the number plate both times. In the end, we paid for 4hrs and parked for just under that.

Two weeks later, I received a "fine" (what I now realise is an invoice) for £50, increasing to £80 or then £110 if I failed to pay up within adequate time.

Initially, I wrote to the to appeal (as I thought this was the appropriate term based on the guidance on the back of the invoice). I stated when and where I paid for the parking and that I had paid with loose change so had no proof of purchase. I hadn't kept the tickets from the machine and stated the thought that I should do was unreasonable. I requested that they review CCTV footage from the car park to witness me paying for my parking and asked that they checked in case I mis-keyed my number plate into the pay machine, (although I doubted that even I would do this twice). I did however, provide receipts of my purchase in the shops there and offered further proof of shopping at Crown Wharf.

I finally received a letter stating that my appeal was unsuccessful but I am galled to pay when I legitimately paid for parking at the time! However, I have no proof of purchase and although the advice seems to be "don't respond" and don't use the term "appeal", I've done both of these things and now wonder where I stand if I refuse to pay?

[peter_the_piper]

You stand wherever you like. There is nothing needed more than just ignore them. What you will find is that by appealing you will get a few extra threatening letters as they think they have a hooked fish.

[Coupon-mad]

Just ignore them - it's a scam.

Dunno why one earth people 'appeal' just because a spoof PCN tells them they should. It didn't come from a Council or the Police so why so believing of pseudo-authority? Only in Britain...!

Anyway no harm done really. Ignore all the letters from now on.

[esmerobbo]

As advised ignore them, another example of their fair appeals system.

[The Slithy Tove]

Originally Posted by Coupon-mad

Dunno why one earth people 'appeal' just because a spoof PCN tells them they should.

Simple really. They didn't check out this and similar forums first, they are not aware of the scam, and think they should follow the process.

Mind you, some people check out the forums, and still appeal and panic about the non-consequences, despite the reams of evidence they should simply ignore and move on.

[robredz]

Perhaps another sticky to join those stating the advice just to re-iterate and remove ANY ambiguity, stating "There is NO FAIR APPEAL with a PPC, it is AUTOMATICALLY REFUSED, they will then ramp up the invoice and demand even more in Late Payment Fees!; could go up as people are still questioning the accepted Pack Drill Ignore them Ignore them some more, then some more until they give up and look elsewhere for their beer tokens.

[Oopsadaisy]

Originally Posted by The Slithy Tove

Mind you, some people check out the forums, and still appeal and panic about the non-consequences, despite the reams of evidence they should simply ignore and move on.

Really???? You mean that the 5000 odd-threads on here all saying ignore is not enough to help people????? Surely not, lol!!!!!!!

[vax2002]

Whilst ever he money is still in your possession, you are winning the "appeal" .
These FAKE parking tickets are scams that impersonate authority as closely as possible and they have no more right to fine you than I have to fine you £100 for leaving your back door closed on a warm day.
Ignore them and Ignore all the silly Fake debt collectors letters and fake solicitors letters to go with the fake parking ticket they gave you.
Get ready, here come the letters, one after another, after another, after another, ramping up the fake bill.
Some mugs do actually pay these, they work all week sweating to give their wage to a lazy pie scoffing crook.

[tco03]

Wish i had read this post a few weeks ago, i sent them a cheque in the post.

I had never noticed the change to parking eye it was always a free carpark as far as i knew.

[Inflatable Armadillo]

Originally Posted by tco03

Wish i had read this post a few weeks ago, i sent them a cheque in the post.

I had never noticed the change to parking eye it was always a free carpark as far as i knew.

Just be aware that they might come back for more money! They often claim (more so with Cheques) that you have not paid in time, oh dear, what a shame, so you owe us more money... please send us more!

So, don't fall for it twice and don't worry about falling for it in the first place... around 65% or more people pay up at some point.

Keep your money in your pocket and ignore them, nothing will happen!

[Ruthy_P]

I have read alot of threads regarding Parking eye and them being Scams and to ignore the letters, how are you so sure its a scam and they never go to court or send in the bailiffs.
Their letter states they are a memeber of the bpa association.
please help!!

[Coupon-mad]

The BPA is just a members club. Full of PPCs like Parking Eye. So why do you think that makes them legit, it's just an old boys' network, not a regulator or anything?

It's not just Parking Eye, all PPCs are effectively just running a protection racket-style con by mimicking real PCNs and pretending their invoices are fines. They are NOT, no private company has the authroity to fine anyone.

Companies cannot send in the bailiffs just because they allege you owe them money! There's a small matter of having to win in Court first.

Like some PPCs, Parking Eye have had the odd punt in Court but don't be put off by the single recent win they reckon they had (which seems to have clearly been a set-up situation).

Other than that, they are just like any PPC and YES, PPCs' business model is designed to mislead and confuse people into thinking they have to pay as they think they have got a parking ticket. And then they follow that piece of rubbish with more misleading documents in the form of the threatograms shown in our top thread 'PPC letters, what to expect'

What part of those intimidating, misleading letters, saying for example that they can just 'get a CCJ and remove goods' doesn't look like a mail scam to you?

[bromsgrovebarry]

The BPA is the Guild of Scammers. Now stop worrying, we have all faced down these meaningless threats and lived to tell the tale.

[Mark 38]

I have just been sent a demand for a parking fine! I know I paid but I do not have proof of bying the ticket. Should I just ignore this letter?

[esmerobbo]

Originally Posted by Mark 38

I have just been sent a demand for a parking fine! I know I paid but I do not have proof of bying the ticket. Should I just ignore this letter?

Yes!.........

[pogofish]

Yes, just ignore it and check the letter chain sticky so you are prepared for what will come next.

Oh and it is not a fine!

[taffy056]

Originally Posted by Mark 38

I have just been sent a demand for a parking fine! I know I paid but I do not have proof of bying the ticket. Should I just ignore this letter?

Before you ignore, who has issued you with this ticket, parking eye or other parking company, or a council?

[Oopsadaisy]

Originally Posted by Mark 38

I have just been sent a demand for a parking fine! I know I paid but I do not have proof of bying the ticket. Should I just ignore this letter?

RTFS, or failing that...

If it's council....go to pepipoo and seek advice [should be able to appeal it successfully].

If it's a PPC... then ignore.

[jaspercat911]

I too have had a fine from parking at the Crown Wharf in Walsall, i have had 2 letters form them and am waiting for the next one to come!! My family keep saying to pay it, I wont park on there now, but when i was walking past the other day there is a big board stating you will be fined if you do not comply to their rules (which worried me)!!!

Im not burying my head in the sand but it takes me alot longer to earn £50 (well its actually £80 now) than them!!

[Coupon-mad]

Originally Posted by Oopsadaisy

RTFS, or failing that...

If it's council....go to pepipoo and seek advice [should be able to appeal it successfully].

If it's a PPC... then ignore.

Just to translate for jaspercat911 and Mark38, when Oopsadaisy says RTFS he means 'please read the stickies'!!

The sticky info threads at the top of the forum board which had archived this random old thread you have stumbled upon and bumped. Find the forum index view of current live threads by clicking on the right-hand end of the breadcrumb trail link in small blue writing near the top of this page. It starts 'Home>forums>...'

All the letters used by these PPCs are shown in the top sticky thread 'PPC letters, what to expect'.

Did you miss that thread? You newbies seem to still think you actually have a real fine here.

Did you also miss the other sticky by Crabman, 'welcome, please read before posting'?! That has a must-see clip of Watchdog with an experienced Solicitor's clear opinion on what to do with a bogus PCN like the one you have there.

As others have said, just ignore the whole thing. It's like a series of phishing emails only this is a mail scam.

Please spread the word about PPC protection rackets with fake PCNs, just like we do (we are here because we've ignored one ourselves & detest this scam).

Just because retailers and cinemas, landlords and hospitals have been hoodwinked into allowing these scammers into their car parks (because, just like a protection racket, it's offered free and often actually earns the retailer a cut of the income from uninformed victims) doesn't mean it's any more legitimate.

Watch that Watchdog video now. Read any threads on this sub board under the stickies; you will see the word 'ignore' used every time it's a private (fake) PCN.