Private parking fines

09075100

Hi,
Back in January I was issued with three parking fines on consequtive days by a private company, BGS services, for parking on a private road. I walked to work those days and so had no reason to go to my car, hence the three tickets. I do not believe it was at all obvious that this was a private road and considering i had only moved into the place i was staying on that road the day before, i hadnt had much chance to find out. There was also a sign saying visitors parking allowed between 7am -9pm, although on closer inspection after i recieved the tickets it did say in very small print "a valid parking permit must be displayed" however it did not specify if this was a permit for visitors, residents, or inside or outside of the specified times. At the time of recieving the tickets i consulted both the local council and the police, both of whom advised me to dispute the tickets (a total of £450) without paying upfront as the ticket requested. I sent a letter to BGS services and untill today had heard nothing back, I assumed they had cancelled the tickets. However this morning 3 letters arrived from Roxburghe debt collectors demanding a total of £591.

I have spoken to BGS services who say the problem is now out of thier hands. I have spoken to Roxburghe who say they have photographic evidence of my car parked on the private road. I do not dispute that i may have been parked on a private road, but that how was i supposed to know! there were no marked bays or other indications, on a road that did allow free parking for the rest of it's length except for where there were very obvious marked bays and clear signs. The part of the road I parked on was not marked.

Advice would be appreciated, should I dispute this further? and what does it mean now that it is with the debt people rather than the parking company?

Many thanks

Britwife

Do you have a parking permit now? How long would it normally take to get a permit?

I would fight it, if you have a lease in your name, then send them a copy, it will have the date that you moved in. Take pictures of where you parked and where the signs are related to your spot and a close up of the sign along with what your wrote above. I would not pay for tickets where you live.

Tixy

Not sure if this might help
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

or you may want to look here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1331507 which is a thread all about parking tickets and might have some experts at dealing with it.

toffe

It's too late for you to do this now but i had a similar case where i got a parking ticket from a private parking firm, i just rang them and said i wasn't driving and therefore did not enter into a contract with them.

A bit later, about 3 or 4 months roxburghe contacted me, i told them the same thing that i wasn't driving and they Demanded i tell them who was driving.
I just replied that unless they could prove a legal obligation on my part i had no desire or intention to assist them in pursuing someone for their own financial gain as this would require an investment of time and expense on my part aswell as possible personal harrassment from the party involved which i wish to avoid.

I received a letter quoting a 110 year old case (yes thats one hundred and ten years old) which was about the sale of cigars (yes those things some people smoke, nothing regarding cars or parking) which they claimed proved a legal obligation.

I replied that this was rubbish and they should stop harrassing me. they went away.

These private parking firms are in the same league as wheel clampers in my book, just a bunch of cowboys looking to make a quick fortune for doing nothing, i'd fight it if i ws you, there is some more info over on the consumer action group forum about challenging these private parking tickets.

bassaph

do not pay the repo man. you will have to wait for the dept to be returned to bgs. although they could take your car. I would transfer vehicle to someone elses name and any other vehicles you own. Also do not answer the door to anyone you do not know or leave premises unsecure even when loading or unlaoding your shopping for instance. either that or ensure your vehicle is not accessable. we used a 20ft 10 ton chain and two cars to prevent the dvla takeing a car wrongfully clamped

DVardysShadow

bassaph wrote: »

do not pay the repo man. you will have to wait for the dept to be returned to bgs. although they could take your car. I would transfer vehicle to someone elses name and any other vehicles you own. Also do not answer the door to anyone you do not know or leave premises unsecure even when loading or unlaoding your shopping for instance. either that or ensure your vehicle is not accessable. we used a 20ft 10 ton chain and two cars to prevent the dvla takeing a car wrongfully clamped

Where do you get the idea they could take the car? They can't without a court order. Remember, this is a private road.

king100

Ignore what the other posts say.

If its a private parking firm then ignore them. They can take any of your possessions as bassaph has stated, they cant take your car. If they do it is theft and then you call the police.

Dont pay them a penny no matter what they say. It wont affect your credit and if anyone turns up at your door just ask for them to get of your property.

If its a parking ticket from the council then it will be an issue but there are ways around it.

bassaph

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Where do you get the idea they could take the car? They can't without a court order. Remember, this is a private road.

Dept collections can take anythink of value as long as they dont damage anything in the process of takeing it. Regardless of where it is. If its beleived to be yours and if you cannot proove you are not the owner they can take

king100

bassaph wrote: »

Dept collections can take anythink of value as long as they dont damage anything in the process of takeing it. Regardless of where it is. If its beleived to be yours and if you cannot proove you are not the owner they can take

No they cant.

Suggest you read this

Debt collectors

Creditors may use a debt collection agency to ask you to pay off the debt.
Debt collectors aren't court officials and don't have the same powers as bailiffs. They can't enter your home or seize your possessions. They can only write, phone, or visit your home to talk to you about the debt and how to pay it back.
Creditors and debt collectors must follow OFT (Office of Fair Trading) debt collection guidance.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/ManagingDebt/DebtsAndArrears/DG_10034289

peter_the_piper

bassaph wrote: »

Dept collections can take anythink of value as long as they dont damage anything in the process of takeing it. Regardless of where it is. If its beleived to be yours and if you cannot proove you are not the owner they can take

Sorry but you are confusing court appointed bailiffs with debt collectors. D/C's have no more power to take anything from you than I have. Bailiffs ,as above and not renamed D/C's are a different matter. Even then they are limited with what they can take.
Roxgburgh are only D/C's and have no powers and rely on intimidation and misinformation to do the work for them.

Coupon-mad

09075100 wrote: »

Hi,
Back in January I was issued with three parking fines on consequtive days by a private company, BGS services, for parking on a private road. I walked to work those days and so had no reason to go to my car, hence the three tickets. I do not believe it was at all obvious that this was a private road and considering i had only moved into the place i was staying on that road the day before, i hadnt had much chance to find out. There was also a sign saying visitors parking allowed between 7am -9pm, although on closer inspection after i recieved the tickets it did say in very small print "a valid parking permit must be displayed" however it did not specify if this was a permit for visitors, residents, or inside or outside of the specified times. At the time of recieving the tickets i consulted both the local council and the police, both of whom advised me to dispute the tickets (a total of £450) without paying upfront as the ticket requested. I sent a letter to BGS services and untill today had heard nothing back, I assumed they had cancelled the tickets. However this morning 3 letters arrived from Roxburghe debt collectors demanding a total of £591.

I have spoken to BGS services who say the problem is now out of thier hands. I have spoken to Roxburghe who say they have photographic evidence of my car parked on the private road. I do not dispute that i may have been parked on a private road, but that how was i supposed to know! there were no marked bays or other indications, on a road that did allow free parking for the rest of it's length except for where there were very obvious marked bays and clear signs. The part of the road I parked on was not marked.

Advice would be appreciated, should I dispute this further? and what does it mean now that it is with the debt people rather than the parking company?

Many thanks

Only read the posts from King100 onwards and please ignore bassaph who has confused bailiffs with debt collectors.

Then just ignore this scam. Never pay a private parking ticket, they can take you to Court but they won't dare because they WILL LOSE. You have wasted enough time on this already and they are hoping you are going to fold and pay them. Don't.

Switch Watchdog on, they are talking about private tickets tonight, right now, and saying that you can bin them. Regular posters here already know that and advise people to ignore private parking tickets every single day of the week.

And check out the first thread on the sub-forum, it shows you what debt collector letters from PPCs look like:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2214803

You'll now know what letters to expect next, and when the scam will end!

HTH