Private Parking Tickets discussion

sachaX

Hi guys, I had a letter today saying I went over the alloted time by 15mins and need to pay £45 before 19/10/09... Before finding this site I emailed them the following as I was delayed from leaving the car park cos a lorry got stuck....
Dear whom this may concern,

I have today received a letter stating I exceeded the free parking duration at Lidl, 5/10/09 and am to be fined.

I wish to appeal the charge, as I did return to my car within the allotted time, however no one within the car park could exit for 20mins as a lorry had entered the car park and struggled to get out again. Whilst the lorry was trying to exit, other cars came in, and the whole car park became grid locked and the whole of St Osyth road outside the car park was also at a stand still. Hence why I was late departing the car park. This will also be on the CCTV, as my movements were.

As I had no control over what time I was able to exit the car park due to Lidl's lorry I wish to appeal this charge as I returned to my car with time to spare and was delayed due to no fault of my own.
I hope to hear from you shortly.

Regards

Sacha ********
078************

Now I have read lots of advice from everyone saying ignore it I am worried. I don't want to pay the fine cos it wasnt my fault, but now I have contacted them, I have accepted liability and receipt of the letter havent I...

Has anyone got any advice. And has anyone else ignored it and it worked out ok. Ive read mssgs from ppl saying theyve had baliff threats... it sounds bloody scary for a parking ticket!!

oldone_2

sachaX wrote: »

Now I have read lots of advice from everyone saying ignore it I am worried. I don't want to pay the fine cos it wasnt my fault, but now I have contacted them, I have accepted liability and receipt of the letter havent I...

Has anyone got any advice. And has anyone else ignored it and it worked out ok. Ive read mssgs from ppl saying theyve had baliff threats... it sounds bloody scary for a parking ticket!!

First it is not a fine, but an invoice.Only the police and courts can fine you. Secondly, even though you have contacted them, you next course of action is to ignore anything and everything they send you.
Balliffs will only be sent if it goes to court, if you lose (unlikely from what you say), and if you don't pay within 30 days.

You should be aware that letters from PPC's, their appointed debt collectors, and ersatz solicitors are carefully designed to imply they have a legal basis, and frighten you into paying.

Read other posts in this section, and elsewhere on the internet. You will find that the vast majority will leave you alone if you continually ignore them.

sachaX

Thanks. I can't believe these companies exist!
Ok I will ignore them. It is bloody scary though!
Don't u get black marks on ur credit report though if debt agencies are involved?

trisontana

sachaX wrote: »

Thanks. I can't believe these companies exist!
Ok I will ignore them. It is bloody scary though!
Don't u get black marks on ur credit report though if debt agencies are involved?

The only time a debt agency will get involved is in the very unlikely event that the case goes to court, the judgement goes against you, you refuse the pay the money ordered by the judge and a CCJ is issued. But that will never happen.

sachaX

trisontana wrote: »

The only time a debt agency will get involved is in the very unlikely event that the case goes to court, the judgement goes against you, you refuse the pay the money ordered by the judge and a CCJ is issued. But that will never happen.

When u say never...
Its a CCJ.. thats a big deal for a parking fine!!

Sput2001

ballla wrote: »

Hi, I have read all the posts around private parking tickets but I just need a bit of advice on what will happen next. I am finding all this a bit scary.

Basically, my ticket fell off the window on the hottest day of the year! I appealed (I hadn’t seen this website then) and included a copy of my ticket. Surprise surprise my appeal was denied. I then saw this website and have been ignoring any correspondence since. I have just received a letter from a company called Roxburghe Debt collectors asking for £140 or they will instruct solicitors to take me to court. My question is, if I have a ticket and this went to court am I right in thinking the court can only award loss of earnings to the parking company i.e. zilch because I bought a ticket. Also, I know I have effectively admitted it was me in the car by appealing at first, but one of the letters they sent has an incorrect car registration number. Will this have a bearing on anything? Thanks!

Roxburghe crop up on a regular basis in cases like this, and I understand that they don't bother actually going to court, largely because whatever sum the court deems reasonable for you to pay them (if any at all) won't be worth their while going to court for.

trisontana

sachaX wrote: »

When u say never...
Its a CCJ.. thats a big deal for a parking fine!!

For a start it's not a fine, it's an invoice.

The CCJ would only be issued if you defaulted on the payment ordered by the judge. But that would never happen, because it would never get to court. This is because the parking company knows it would never win the case. So stop worrying and ignore any correspondence from them

oldone_2

The clue is in the initials CCJ i.e County Court Judgement. Not PPCJ (Private Parking Company Judgement) or DCJ (debt collector judgement), but one issued by a judge in a County Court.

harry68_2

I now have letters from a bailiff and solicitor. When will they give up?

trisontana

harry68 wrote: »

I now have letters from a bailiff and solicitor. When will they give up?

It won't be a bailiff, it will be a debt collector. An entirely different animal with no powers to enter your home, seize property or blacken your credit record. Just ignore.