Ticket issued in my own parking space

peter_the_piper

No, but I may be dim, but I can't see why the M/A needs a ppc when its a gated carpark and only residents and approved others can get in. Money maker?

oldone_2

Guys_Dad wrote: »

So back to my original point. In the absence of physical deterrents, such as posts, what other alternative do you suggest for safeguarding residents' allocated parking or are you advising that the parking company's services should be dispensed, with as the pass to gain entry should suffice?

Appointing a PPC that shows common sense, and does not derive their income from the number of tickets issued.
If the same car is parked in the same space displaying a pass day after day, then common sense dictates that the day the pass is not displayed it is due to an error, not illegitimate parking.

Another alternative is for home owners to register cars that they wish to park in their parking space, without the need to show a pass that can be stolen,forgotten, or drop out of sight.

There are so many alternatives that can tried, but they all would reduce the PPC income so of course would never see the light of day.

Spartacus_Mills

Guys_Dad wrote: »

It seems you only read what you want to read and cherry pick. OP wrote
"I park there every evening with my ticket on display and I had to use my pass to get in in the first place".

Now, if it was an attended car park with a resident attendant to open the gates/barrier when she showed her pass, I would have assumed that she would have raised it with the resident attendant at the time.

So I conclude that it was an automatic one. I might be wrong, of course, but if I am right, then presumably any resident could park their own car and then lend their pass to get in to a visitor and then that visitor could park in anyone else's space. I certainly have experience of such a set up.

And I did not dismiss foldable, lockable posts - in fact they are the best choice - but they don't have them installed currently, do they?? They would, of course, come at a cost which someone has to pay for.

Now I don't know why a parking company was appointed. Someone must have instructed them and probably that was initially in the belief that this would ensure that encroachers don't nick the residents' parking spaces. Naive, perhaps, or even a kickback from the parking company to someone in the freeholder's employ.

So back to my original point. In the absence of physical deterrents, such as posts, what other alternative do you suggest for safeguarding residents' allocated parking or are you advising that the parking company's services should be dispensed, with as the pass to gain entry should suffice?

Actually the advice of people like Sarah has saved plenty of people from wasting alot of money on these scammers so I would wind your neck in if I were you, Bub.

This is a money saving website not a website supporting scammers. You may have got lost somewhere.

Guys_Dad

Spartacus_Mills wrote: »

Actually the advice of people like Sarah has saved plenty of people from wasting alot of money on these scammers so I would wind your neck in if I were you, Bub. This is a money saving website not a website supporting scammers. You may have got lost somewhere.

Hold on to your toga, Spartacus.

Where am I supporting scammers? I wrote "So they have a system in place there and ticket those not displaying a permit. She didn't do that at first, so got ticketed. Hopefully she will get off and, if the management company have sway with the parking company, she should."

There is a big difference between this thread and lots of the others - and that is that the OP is parking in her own space and not in some commercial company car park such as McDonald or other shopping areas. So it is right that she should not be charged for parking in her space. But no one else has the right to park there at any time without her ok? With me so far? Good !

You do not actually know the financial basis upon which this parking company has been appointed or the "rules of engagement" agreed with the management company. However, she is a resident in a block/private area that has a management company and she has a lease. No doubt that lease has certain conditions attached to it. And like it or not, the management company have appointed a parking company.

Now if the residents don't like that, they can overturn this by sufficient numbers of them going to the management company and asking for a system that the majority of them want. Not all parking companies are the typical scammers and it may very well be that the particular parking company are not appointed on a "get as many as you can and maximise profits" basis Such companies do exist and, no, I don't work for one but I have previously lived in a block of flats where such a scheme operated, admittedly many years ago. And we were pretty glad that someone kept the carperbaggers out of our spaces.

No I didn't know the circumstances in which this parking company were appointed either and it wasn't till the latest post from the OP that this was slightly clarified. And, yes, she should get the management company to back her in getting the ticket rescinded and, furthermore, if the parking company have been appointed on the more common scammers' basis or maximise profits, work to get it changed for the benefit of the residents.

And we do not know at this stage if the parking company are prepared to refund the money or not. First port of call should be the management company as she is a resident.

Oldone makes some valid alternative suggestions but his main solution overlooks the fact that personnel do change and new attendants will obviously take time to recognise residents' cars. And of course, the parking company will only appoint staff who can memorise "n" cars, their registrations and which spaces they occupy. They won't stay long, though, as they will all be winning one of the trashy day-time ITV memory shows! And, of course, sometimes someone may have a hire car for a day.


So, in answer to the OP's original post "Clearly I'm not going to pay up, and I'll dispute it. But what can I do?"

(a) I am NOT advising paying this at all.
(b) I am suggesting that she sees her management company first of all to get them to help if they are willing and to find out a bit more about the parking company's basis of contract and why they are there in the first place.
(c) Not all parking companies are bad guys - we have a guy on our car company park who stops unauthorised vehicles nicking our spaces and he works for a parking company, but their appointment is on our terms, not theirs. Any problems are dealt with by our Facilities Management.
(d) I agree that it is a money saving site, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water if the parking company is found out to be above board and is actually doing a good job.
(e) if they are acting against the best interests of the residents, then the management company should be instructed to alter the basis of appointment or to dismiss them if they are not required and it is the management company who are the primary offenders.

Enfieldian

peter_the_piper wrote: »

No, but I may be dim, but I can't see why the M/A needs a ppc when its a gated carpark and only residents and approved others can get in. Money maker?

I had a similar experience a while ago in Uxbridge, even though the gate was key fob entry only.

There was a problem with residents parking more than one vehicle in bays when they were only allocated one with each lease.

One guy appeared to be using the car park as his own used car lot.

Each resident had to apply for a permit when when they moved in, which was specific to one car.

There were something like 14 spaces between 30 flats so it was manic. Oh, there were also 6 "disabled" spots but no disabled drivers, however anyone parking in one of these would invariably get a "ticket".

I think I got about 30 "tickets" during the couple of years that I lived there. Never paid a single on eand never heard anything more about them.

Alx*27

There is a big difference between this thread and lots of the others - and that is that the OP is parking in her own space and not in some commercial company car park such as McDonald or other shopping areas. So it is right that she should not be charged for parking in her space.

But it would be right to charge in McDonalds? You advocate slapping people with fake fines for all sorts of unenforceable reasons?

(c) Not all parking companies are bad guys - we have a guy on our car company park who stops unauthorised vehicles nicking our spaces and he works for a parking company, but their appointment is on our terms, not theirs. Any problems are dealt with by our Facilities Management.
(d) I agree that it is a money saving site, but don't throw the baby out with the bath water if the parking company is found out to be above board and is actually doing a good job.

Which would infer the gentleman and his 'above board' parking company never issues threatening invoices dressed up as fines, followed up with outrageous and unlawful paperwork.

But in that instance, said parking co. would have gone bust a long time ago.

Parking companies don't solve parking problems because to do so would be cutting off their own revenue stream.

Guys_Dad

But in that instance, said parking co. would have gone bust a long time ago.

Parking companies don't solve parking problems because to do so would be cutting off their own revenue stream.

It all depends upon the basis upon which they were awarded the contract.

But put all that to one side for a moment. There is one fundamental issue that should have been mentioned before and is rather important.

In most of the posts in this section, MSE members have been advised to ignore the parking company and not to enter into correspondence for 2 different main reasons

(a) identification of the driver needs to be established by them
(b) no contract existed between driver and parking company.

In this case, I don't think OP would claim (a). Which brings up (b).

Now MSE members other than OP have not seen the lease t&c that the freeholder/managment company and the OP have both signed and that, of course, is a contract. And the parking company can claim to be agents of the management company.

No MSE member, therefore, other than OP is able to know whether or not there are any clauses relating to parking conditions or if the lease refers to any general conditions that may, from time to time, be added at the discretion of the management company. If there are such clauses, then does that not give a different picture to the run of the mill parking post on here?

In the absence of such knowledge, are the various posters who may have taken issue with my previous comments still as cavalier and 100% sure that she has nothing to worry about and does anyone disagree that she should not check her lease and talk to the landlord to solicit their help in an appeal?

Much better to approach them in an "I'm sorry about this" manner than to take the "I own this parking space and I am aggrieved" route because, of course, OP does not own the land - she has a long term lease from the freeholder and the freeholder sets the rules that leaseholders sign to agree to. That is the crucial difference.

Berkshiregirl

Thanks for all the comments guys. Just to let you know there is no mention of a parking company and/or obligation to show a permit when parking in the space - I've gone over the lease twice since Thursday night. I agree I haven't seen the agreement between the management company and the parking inspectors, but I can't see a legal obligation to display my ticket.

I'm going to follow the advice given so far and approach the management company directly to lodge a complaint and seek assurance that the ticket will not lead to court action. I will not be contacting UKPC unless it's to send them a copy of any written confirmation from the management company that there will be no action taken.

WickedWolfie

Berkshiregirl

Also have a look in your lease about who appoints the management company and how they can be dismissed if less than helpful and tenants are unhappy.....wonderful leverage in my experience.....

Guys_Dad

Berkshiregirl wrote: »

Thanks for all the comments guys. Just to let you know there is no mention of a parking company and/or obligation to show a permit when parking in the space - I've gone over the lease twice since Thursday night. I agree I haven't seen the agreement between the management company and the parking inspectors, but I can't see a legal obligation to display my ticket.

I'm going to follow the advice given so far and approach the management company directly to lodge a complaint and seek assurance that the ticket will not lead to court action. I will not be contacting UKPC unless it's to send them a copy of any written confirmation from the management company that there will be no action taken.

Right approach. Good luck. But if the management company won't back you, remind them that they are supposed to act in your interest and stir up the residents.

All the best.