Ticket from PPC

pogofish

Fangg27 wrote: »

I am worried because this relative will take these letters seriously no matter what I tell her. I'm considering paying just to save her the aggravation.

I hope you can convince them otherwise - Maybe bring them on here and show them all the info about these predators?

Crabman

Fangg27 wrote: »

I am worried because this relative will take these letters seriously no matter what I tell her. I'm considering paying just to save her the aggravation.

How about showing her the letters sent by other PPCs so she hopefully realises that strongly worded letters are part of the scare tactics that PPCs rely on?

You can find them here: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2214803

Fangg27

I will try and convince her. Is it possible for her to reply informing them that she was not the driver and is not willing to provide information of who the driver was?

ckerrd

She must not get involved with them at all.

They will not let go if they think they have an "in"

pogofish

Fangg27 wrote: »

I will try and convince her. Is it possible for her to reply informing them that she was not the driver and is not willing to provide information of who the driver was?

It is but it won't make any difference to a PPC - Once she replies, the PPC will simply claim (falsely) that it is her duty to pay-up and harass her all the more.

Really, the best and quickest way to get these chancers off your back is to ignore them altogether. Don't credit them with any sort of honour, respect of the individual or even the law.

greenface

Fangg27
welcome to mse hope you stay and have a good read on some interesting forums often relevent to you.
I know its hard to believe there are people going around praying on people giving unenforcable tickets and then trying intimerdating tactics to try to get them to cough up money they dont owe but it happens. please ignore any letters you recieve (keep them in a draw until they stop sending) dont contact dont phone post any details tell you relative whats happened and if they get post pass it to you to put into said draw.
there have been over half a dozen people telling you so far to ignore please for a quiet life just Ignore. Thanks and welcome to mse

Fangg27

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'm going to go round to my relatives house tonight to discuss it.

After giving it some thought I was wondering if they did eventually take me to court how much would they realistically be able to claim? It's a private car park and it's the space I rent so how has anybody had a financial loss from my permit falling out of the window? I even offered to show them the permit but they weren't interested.

Crabman

Fangg27 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'm going to go round to my relatives house tonight to discuss it.

After giving it some thought I was wondering if they did eventually take me to court how much would they realistically be able to claim? It's a private car park and it's the space I rent so how has anybody had a financial loss from my permit falling out of the window? I even offered to show them the permit but they weren't interested.

I think you've answered your own question there! This is why PPCs don't bother with court (apart from the odd staged/imaginary court case now and then).

Dublindel

Hope to hear from you tomorrow. Dont decide anything until you have had more advice after talking with her. there are ways around this to protect her from any further harrassment. pm me if you wish

Coupon-mad

Fangg27 wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice guys, i'm going to go round to my relatives house tonight to discuss it.

After giving it some thought I was wondering if they did eventually take me to court how much would they realistically be able to claim? It's a private car park and it's the space I rent so how has anybody had a financial loss from my permit falling out of the window? I even offered to show them the permit but they weren't interested.

Apologies for long reply, I got on my high horse with this one! :rotfl:

They won't take anyone to Court, their business is based on intimidation to try to scare people to just pay them. I see it as similar to a protection racket - along the lines of 'pay us and we'll call off the debt collectors and leave you alone'.

It's a shocking scam and I so hope you won't let your relative believe these letters. They almost certainly WILL send out letters on debt collector headed notepaper, and possibly from a solicitor (as per the scam letters shown on the link already given above).

I repeat, they 99.99% won't take you to Court. But to answer your question there are 2 possibilities they could just about feasibly attempt to 'pin on you':

1. If they took you to Court citing breach of contract, then I believe they would have to show where in the permit contract it states that they can charge for this and how much, and also they would have to demonstrate that the contract was clear and fair (unlikely seeing as you had a valid permit and you displayed it, but THEIR sticky bit failed...).

2. If they took you to Court citing trespass, then I believe they have to show consequential loss and can only claim for that 'loss'. Which would be nothing as you have permission to park there and have already paid for the permit.

You would certainly be able to get help from http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30 to present a robust defence to either scenario, and also to ask the judge to consider whether the amount charged constitutes a penalty = illegal.

Also, you could of course call into question at the Hearing, whether or not the sticky part of the ticket is adequate/fit for purpose, after all the permit is a service you have paid for like any other and it has to do the job - if not = illegal.

And, if they keep sending harassing letters to you or your relative after you have made reasonable representations and/or denied this alleged debt, you could mention to the judge this is against the BPA Code of Practice for the industry, and contravenes the Protection from Harassment Act = illegal.

If you are worried about escalating costs, you could pin them now at a certain ceiling by stating in writing that you deny and dispute the alleged debt and expressly asking them to desist from harassing you and your family. Tell them to take you to Court within, say, 14 days or you will consider the matter closed, any further contact will constitute harassment.

You should write this, rather than your relative, maybe any subsequent letters will hopefully then be directed to you as they may see you as the 'hooked fish'.

You can then cheerfully get on with your life and ignore anything except a Court order after that, knowing that you have acted reasonably and denied the debt BEFORE any other costs can be added. The Court papers won't ever arrive.

If you dispute/deny it as I have said, then the highest amount they could claim (but they'd lose!) would be the ticket charge of £100 plus £30 small claims cost. That's it.