Private parking ticket.. help please

festivehen

A few weeks ago I went to the Airport Pub car park at Manchester Airport to watch the planes taking off at the end of the runway. After parking and buying a valid ticket and displayed it in the window we went and bought lunch and sat in the pub garden watching the planes for a couple of hours. When we came out we found a parking charge notice stuck to our car window with a £60 ticket inside from Excel Parking. Shocked at this I opened the car door only to find the ticket had blown off/dropped into the door jamb when we had closed it. I sent the ticket to them explaining what had happened but they wrote back saying it was my responsibility to make sure the ticket was displayed correctly and I still have to pay. I used their "appeals" procedure and appealed to them adding that it was a very windy day plus the large planes were making it tornadolike winds but today they wrote back to me and said that I have not given them any new evidence for them to address and I still have to pay. I need some advice please...can they legally make me pay even though I bought a ticket and sent them the evidence? Please help I only have until the 10th or the charge goes up to £100.:eek:

trisontana

From now on do not contact them again and ignore any correspondence from them. You have not broken any law or committed any offence. Please read all the other private parking threads on here for any reassurance you need.

biscuitdunker

It's unfortunate that you contacted them at all, because there is no appeals process and they are basically cowboys running a mail scam. I hope you photocopied the ticket before you sent it to them? Not that it's likely they will take you to court, since they hardly ever do because they rarely ever win.

Coupon-mad

It's not a real fine if it's from a private parking company.

Certainly DO NOT PAY IT. You haven't committed any offence and don't have to explain yourself nor take any action at all. Appeals are always turned down, they are a private company and want to make money, they aren't going to allow appeals now are they? That's just a pretence so they look as though they might be following 'some' of the BPA Code of Practice.

Read this sticky, the bit about private parking charge notices:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...html?t=1363571

Then if you need convincing further that you must IGNORE this scam ticket and all the scary letters which will follow (then they'll stop!), read all the other threads on this sub-board (just click on 'parking fines, tickets & parking' above (a blue link just underneath the orange BANKING SAVING tab, top of this page).

If you are really concerned that your previous letters have made it obvious to them that you were the driver, then you could consider sending them a final 'put up or shut up' letter. Along the lines of 'apply for Court within the next 10 days or do not contact me about this matter further. As the registered keeper of the vehicle, I deny and dispute any alleged contract and/or debt absolutely, and will consider any further contact from you or your agents about this matter to be harassment'.

By doing that, theoretically it stops them being able to get Debt Collectors to send you letters (as I believe they cannot act if a debt has been clearly disputed). But in practice I expect you'll still get the usual crappy letters over the coming months anyway.

So it's your call. Ignore or tell them to 'bring it on'. But DON'T PAY!!!

Then just relax and spend your money on Xmas pressies instead. :T

bromsgrovebarry

Don't worry about Excel, the last time they tried to take someone to court was nine months ago and they got a bloody nose. Never heard anything about their appeal though. How ironic!

Coblcris

They do not make an appeal, which is unsurprising.

festivehen

Great info folks thanks, I will ignore it now. Fingers crossed. Will keep you informed. many thnks.