Excel Parking Private "Fine" - should i reply to their "response"

James_N

I received a £60 "fine" for parking in a car park used by several shops
It IS all just bluff and bluster from these firms, isn't it? My wife is desparate to pay them.

Thanks

Meepster

I wouldn't bother wasting a stamp on them...

LeeSouthEast

mwilletts wrote: »

I wouldn't bother wasting a stamp on them...

Send it without and make them pay to receive it.

James_N

Can I amplify this by saying that my OH is SURE she's heard of two cases that invoved private "fines" where the carparking firm WON a case in court and landed the bloke involved in one instance with £5000 fines and expenses.

sarahg1969

There have been the occasional wins for the parking companies, of course. These are cases where no defence has been entered, or the case has not been defended properly. But no one was "fined". The parking companies would have been awarded damages and costs. And, if I recall correctly, they were for several hundreds, and not thousands, of pounds.

Excel themselves have had a complete spanking in Mansfied County Court (google Victoria Hetherington-Jakeman), and, as far as I know, don't do Court any more.

Follow all the advice, and continue to ignore.

And no, there is no law that says the RK has to be aware of the whereabouts of his vehicle at all times. They are trying to scam you for money, though, so they'll tell you anything.

bargepole

James_N wrote: »

My wife is desparate to pay them.

Why?? Does she think Simon Renshaw-Smith needs another magnum of champagne to swig on his yacht?

James_N

bargepole wrote: »

Why?? Does she think Simon Renshaw-Smith needs another magnum of champagne to swig on his yacht?

you'll fully understand that some people "don't want bother" in their lives. And who take the "easy" way out.

There are lots of people like my wife and (I think) lots of potential Victor Meldrews like me who don't like taking crap lying down. My wife wouldn't have bothered to complain to two separate insurance companies about endowment policies. I'm the one who took them on (thanks to all those people who wrote guidance on here and elsewhere). That is the main reason why injustices continue - because most people won't take them on. In a perfect world everyone would know what was what and be prepared to say so. Until then, there are forums like this.

James_N

Still being chased by these people. It occured to me to take another tack ( i may open a separate thread concerning the commercial aspects of !!!!ing off your customers [Lidl / Homebase / Tesco spring to my mind]).

In checking through my credit card receipts we have a +£70 spend in Lidl for a few minutes before the departure time on this so-called PCN. There are several shops in this area. We are, for instance, renovating at home, and I know time was probably spent in Homebase, and in at least one other shop before buying stuff in Lidl as above. It's certainly not hard to spend over an hour in Homebase if you are weighing up a critcal and expensive purchase or improvement. Add to that a whirl in a shoe-shop or a clothes shop (coming up to the new school year - shoes especially are needed in my family. Then add a separate food spend. This can all add up to well over the arbitary 2 / 3 hours they "give" you. Note also it's not a sliding scale - if you pay to park on exit from a car-park (NCP for instance), you pay for time used - so can overstay if the fancy takes you or you get delayed. Here it's 120 minutes free - add one minute get a £100 charge.

What commercial stance would Homebase, Lidl, Brantano etc take with a disgrunteled customer, with well-proven spends in that company over a long time, who is being in effect penalised to shop with them? I feel a letter coming on - but would it do any good?

bargepole

James_N wrote: »

... What commercial stance would Homebase, Lidl, Brantano etc take with a disgrunteled customer, with well-proven spends in that company over a long time, who is being in effect penalised to shop with them? I feel a letter coming on - but would it do any good?

The usual response is something along the lines of "We only rent the shop space from the retail park, and car parking issues are the responsibility of the managing agents, you'll have to take it up with them."

27col

If enough people decide to take their business away from these ludicrous retail parks and also tell the shops concerned the reason why they are doing so. I am sure that the shops will soon change their tune and do something about the charges. Whatever they say to the contrary about it being all down to the management agents. As soon as their turnover is affected they will make it their business to do something about the complaints
I am a great believer in the power of the boycott and if more people thought the same I am sure we could exercise great power over the commercial decisions of the big chains. Especially where parking is concerned. I am not a believer in overstaying my welcome but there do seem to be a huge group of people who are being affected adversely. At least, all those who pay due to ignorance.

Debt_Free_Chick

I've raised this point on a different thread but ...... there is little point in complaining to the stores and/or boycotting them if they are simply tenants. Most of the retail parks, in particular, are owned by massive institutional investors, such as insurance companies - Aviva & Standard Life spring immediately to mind.

Having said that, I find the whole idea of a commercial LL wanting to "fine" or charge the customers of their customers for using a car park to ..... erm .... park on, really quite bizarre.

I strongly suspect that this is a pure moneyspinning scam whereby Excel and their like agree to "police" the parking and pass a percentage of profit back to the LL. The LL does nothing, other than to wait for a cheque from Excel now and then .....

I particularly like the irony of the ticket levied on me, whilst I parked at the train station in order to use the train!!!!! LOL

Pointless .... utterly pointless ...