MET Parking Services (Mcdonalds)

jetl3on · 5 December 2011 at 10:42AM

Just some info thought might be useful, as others have helped me.
Pulled into Payne Road McDonalds, E3 at 4.20am, stayed until 06.30pm and recieved a parking charge for staying beyond the 90min free time using ANPR. At first glance, it the PCN looks remarkably like it is from the MET Police, including yellow border, so the less informed will immediately pay up without question i imagine.

Went back to McD to take a look as I dont recall seeing a sign, but there were, due to various cars moving about and the lack of lighting, I didnt spot them at the time.

The AOS and BPA code of conduct states that signs must be highly visible, easy to see and read. These were not very well illuminated, quite small and placed at seated eye level, so if a vehicle of a certain height is parked next to them, it cannot be seen. Plus the pictures I took of the sign at the entrance, it was facing the wrong way, so technically they are breaking the rules they have sworn to abide by.

I have appealed on these grounds and will post a response on receipt.

Thanks

Sirdan · 5 December 2011 at 10:50AM

jetl3on wrote: »

just some info thought might be useful, as others have helped me.
Pulled into payne road mcdonalds, e3 at 4.20am, stayed until 06.30pm and recieved a parking charge for staying beyond the 90min free time using anpr. At first glance, it the pcn looks remarkably like it is from the met police, including yellow border, so the less informed will immediately pay up without question i imagine.

Went back to mcd to take a look as i dont recall seeing a sign, but there were, due to various cars moving about and the lack of lighting, i didnt spot them at the time.

The aos and bpa code of conduct states that signs must be highly visible, easy to see and read. These were not very well illuminated, quite small and placed at seated eye level, so if a vehicle of a certain height is parked next to them, it cannot be seen. Plus the pictures i took of the sign at the entrance, it was facing the wrong way, so technically they are breaking the rules they have sworn to abide by.

I have appealed on these grounds and will post a response on receipt.

Thanks

appeal rejected !

jetl3on · 5 December 2011 at 11:00AM

Sirdan wrote: »

appeal rejected !

Hmmm, I have read people say ignore them, but not read a case where ignoring them actually worked.
They will probably reject as you suggested, but has anyone actually dealt with MET, not replied and never heard anything back?

Jetleon

pogofish · 5 December 2011 at 11:05AM

There must be hundreds of threads here from people who have dealt with MET!

The main reason they don't come back is after taking advice and following through the letter chain, is that nothing else ever happens.

See the full MET/Debt Recovery Plus scam letter chain here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2214803

Now please stop taking them seriously and tell everyone you know about the scam.

bondy_lad · 5 December 2011 at 11:33AM

jetl3on wrote: »

Hmmm, I have read people say ignore them, but not read a case where ignoring them actually worked.
They will probably reject as you suggested, but has anyone actually dealt with MET, not replied and never heard anything back?

Jetleon

are you having a laugh????? NOT READ A CASE WHERE IGNORING ACTUALLY WORKED,,,,i would be very carefull that folk on here may think you are actually someone else,,,just read the threads on here,,absolutely no where will you find better sound,correct,,first class advice,,,now ime off to find a case WHERE IGNORING ACTUALLY LOST,but it may take me forever.

esmerobbo · 5 December 2011 at 11:51AM

How can you prove ignoring them works except to look around and see how many have ignored them, and have never posted back saying I have received a claim!
Unless MET wrote to you and said thanks for ignoring us we can now confirm that we were trying to scam you but we now realise you are not going to fall for it. So we will endeavour to go pester the next potential victim.

Look who's letter Tim Cary makes his aeroplane from!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAIcdi9niHA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2010/10/parking_tickets.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2010/04/mcdonalds_parking.html

Inflatable_Armadillo · 5 December 2011 at 1:42PM

jetl3on wrote: »

Just some info thought might be useful, as others have helped me.
Pulled into Payne Road McDonalds, E3 at 4.20am, stayed until 06.30pm and recieved a parking charge for staying beyond the 90min free time using ANPR. At first glance, it the PCN looks remarkably like it is from the MET Police, including yellow border, so the less informed will immediately pay up without question i imagine.

Went back to McD to take a look as I dont recall seeing a sign, but there were, due to various cars moving about and the lack of lighting, I didnt spot them at the time.

The AOS and BPA code of conduct states that signs must be highly visible, easy to see and read. These were not very well illuminated, quite small and placed at seated eye level, so if a vehicle of a certain height is parked next to them, it cannot be seen. Plus the pictures I took of the sign at the entrance, it was facing the wrong way, so technically they are breaking the rules they have sworn to abide by.

I have appealed on these grounds and will post a response on receipt.

Thanks

You have fallen for part of the 'authority' part of the scam, despite you noticing that they attempt to fake a real PCN, because you have appealed, the appeal process is fake... how do you think appealing to a private limited profit making company, who gave you the fine in the first place to generate those profits, is going to work out? We know, you will get the standard "your appeal has been considered and rejected letter"... there is only one letter, they don't have your appeal has been successful letter, because the never send one.

The BPA is the guild of scammers, the directors of the BPA are all owners and directors of PPC's, so again this is nothing more than a trade organisation, who primary purposes to further enhance the illusion of respectability and fake authority that PPC's have the legal authority to issue you with a penalty. They don't, you have nothing more than a speculative invoice and you should decline their kind offer by ignoring them... if you engage with them further they will keep at you longer because you might cave in and pay at some point further down the line.

In your case, you were in a free car park, which they invited you to park in. They charged you nothing and the fact you stayed for longer than they would like you to stay, they have lost, in the eyes of the law of contract, which they attempt to rely on... nothing! So, you owe them... nothing!

99.99% of people who ignore them get nothing more than lots of loo paper and a few phone calls. However, the 70% of people who pay up in the end are the ones we are most concerned about... don't be one of them!

Coupon-mad · 5 December 2011 at 2:48PM

jetl3on wrote: »

Hmmm, I have read people say ignore them, but not read a case where ignoring them actually worked.
They will probably reject as you suggested, but has anyone actually dealt with MET, not replied and never heard anything back?

Jetleon

Another poster said that recently and we were amazed that you say you haven't read such a thread, because it works all the time on every thread on here (with the exception of Smith v Parking Eye where they took a punt, took him to Court and lost last week

). Any other thread is an example of people ignoring a fake PCN and nothing else happening. MET never do Court BTW - I suspect it's just not part of their modus operandi.

Most of us on here have ignored fake PCNs and threatograms and nowt happened - it's mentioned in some posters' signatures. I can personally vouch for ignoring PPC fake PCNs myself, as I had a PPC ticket 3 years ago and laughed at it. I still carry the threatogram letters in my handbag to show friends & colleagues if the subject of 'parking tickets' (fake or real) comes up. Oh yes, and nothing happened and I would laugh if I got another one!

I hope you have now watched the Watchdog video already linked above, where the example held by the solicitor Tim Cary was a MET ticket issued in a McDonalds car park. Nothing has changed since then.

I found this recent example on pepipoo confirming the 'ignore a fake PCN' strategy works. A poster just came back after a year to confirm he had heard nothing more:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=55391

For more reassurance try clicking on a very old page of the forum, bottom right of this index view:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

I just clicked on the last page and found the same advice being given in 2008. And the person did not report any repercussions of course because there are none. Any thread would be worth a look but it's only once in a blue moon that someone comes back and says 'oh yeah you were right, nothing happened except the letters'.

I did also find a poll from a year ago:

http://forum.moneysavingexpert.com/s...php?p=39084520

It's confirming exactly what you are asking. There are lots of threads like that but we've long forgotten about them over the years.

Oh, and has already been said 'your appeal has been carefully considered by I regret to inform you that the (fake) PCN still stands'. Confirmation of that will arrive among your Christmas post shortly but don't let it bother you.

HTH

jetl3on · 5 December 2011 at 3:51PM

Fair point, I get the picture. I only thought to visit this site after posting my appeal, so I will await the inevitable rejection.

Thank you for the feedback.

Inflatable_Armadillo · 5 December 2011 at 7:36PM

jetl3on wrote: »

Fair point, I get the picture. I only thought to visit this site after posting my appeal, so I will await the inevitable rejection.

Thank you for the feedback.

Sometimes we regulars can come across as harsh when posting, we are not having a go at you and would ask you to remember that this is a convincing scam, and 7 out of 10 people fall for it and many of us have done the same as you, and doubled checked to be given this advice

You are sorted now though, just join the ignore club and get on with your life... but make sure you spread the word far and wide about PPC's to your friends... and if they need validation, send them here!

Welcome to the 30%!

Kite2010 · 5 December 2011 at 9:26PM

I hope there is a good reason for spending 14 hours parked in a McDonalds car-park.

Ignore Met Parking, the landowner has suffered no damages

MET Parking Services (Mcdonalds)

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