IMPORTANT: Please make sure your posts do not contain any personally identifiable information (both your own and that of others). When uploading images, please take care that you have redacted all personal information including number plates, reference numbers and QR codes (which may reveal vehicle information when scanned).
We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Penalty charge in own residence car park

Dear all

I am a tenant and our residents car park is controlled by UKPC. I have been issued with a penalty notice. This happened while we were away on a holiday for 4 weeks. The reasons were that the parking permit had been changed to a new model while we were away-No correspondence was sent to us about this.

On our return we enquired with the management company and came to know that the new permits were posted to our landlord. It so happens that our estate agent had not passed these on to us (some lazy assistant of his had just not bothered).

We wrote to UKPC asking them to cancel the penalty as it was not our fault. We were not aware of the changes whatsoever. Our estate agent had sent a supporting e-mail confirming the mistake from their side. We had forwarded our travel itenary as an evidence.

UKPCs reply- standard letter of refusal to consider the circumstances saying 'no valid permit was displayed at the time of the notice'. We are required to pay a sum of £75.

This is unfair- can someone please advice on what else can we do.

Comments

  • trisontana
    trisontana Posts: 9,472 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Standard advice. Just ignore. You don't owe them a penny, and it will never get to court.
    What part of "A whop bop-a-lu a whop bam boo" don't you understand?
  • Oopsadaisy
    Oopsadaisy Posts: 1,818 Forumite
    Try having a look at the 4th sticky on this board, it's entitled.....

    Sticky: ● Welcome - Help & Information *PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING*
    Crabman

    Explains it all....
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why then you're as thick and stupid as the moderators on here - MSE ForumTeam
  • AlexisV
    AlexisV Posts: 1,890 Forumite
    Ignore them. It's not a penalty, it's an unenforceable invoice.

    They're powerless. You could throw your permit in the bin and collect a ticket every day of the year if you wanted.

    They're running a scam - how many time do you think they do themselves out of cash by allowing 'appeals'?
  • DaveF327
    DaveF327 Posts: 1,160 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Consensus above is to ignore, however for extra peace of mind, hold on to all that evidence and correspondence you've accrued.

    On the flimsiest of chances they take you to a small claims court, the aces you hold up your sleeve will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step as you walk into that courtroom with your head held high. Most PPCs who start court action usually chicken out of paying the hearing fee once you file your defence in writing.

    Stand your ground and let them prove their losses. You don't owe them a penny.
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 139,928 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 21 May 2010 at 5:15PM
    Here's the whole parking board:

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

    ...almost all current threads are about these parasites that call themselves private parking companies. Have a read of some threads and you'll see that everyone is told to ignore these fake tickets and the letters that follow. Oh, and a legal expert on Watchdog the other week gave the same advice, he made a fake parking ticket into a paper aeroplane:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAIcdi9niHA

    And as well as reading this sticky thread mentioned by Oopsadaisy above:

    Sticky: ● Welcome - Help & Information *PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING*
    Crabman

    ...also read especially the first thread on the board 'PPC letters, what to expect' also by Crabman:

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

    You need to know what sort of misleading 'CCJ/Court' threatening letters are going to be sent to the registered keeper - otherwise you could panic when you get them. Once you've read the first 'what to expect' thread and seen the example letter scans, you can then relax and see that it's a standard computer-issued letter-chain of threats, nothing more.

    UKPC do send quite a lot of letters so do look at the UKPC links on that thread. But they don't 'do' Court.

    MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL - DO NOT PAY THE SCAMMERS!
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of this/any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • patman99
    patman99 Posts: 8,532 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker Photogenic
    If it looks similar to a ticket issued by the local council or Police, then the issuer will have committed a criminal offence under Section 40, S/S D of the Administration of Justice Act 1971, so get your own back by reporting it to the local Cop shop.
    Never Knowingly Understood.

    Member #1 of £1,000 challenge - £13.74/ £1000 (that's 1.374%)

    3-6 month EF £0/£3600 (that's 0 days worth)

  • Oopsadaisy
    Oopsadaisy Posts: 1,818 Forumite
    And the cops will rush out, blues and twos full blaze and do er,...nothing.
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why then you're as thick and stupid as the moderators on here - MSE ForumTeam
  • anewman
    anewman Posts: 9,200 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Oopsadaisy wrote: »
    And the cops will rush out, blues and twos full blaze and do er,...nothing.
    Or go get some donuts and a coffee then sit in the car deciding which random car to pull over :)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.6K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.7K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.7K Life & Family
  • 252K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.