Euro Car Park - scam? 4 June 2010 at 10:43PM in Parking tickets, fines & parking 5 replies 21.3K views

Lexi123

Hi guys,

I parked in a pub car park for about 3 hours, and as I was about to leave, to my dismay, saw a parking ticket on my windscreen. I have used this car park for years, and it has always been free, but until recently they must have installed a new pay and display machine.
After returning to my parked car, I noticed that there was a sign situated behind the entrance explaining you needed to pay and display, which I failed to see as I drove into the car park.

The notice is from "Euro Car Parks", and is a £70 ticket. I was just going to pay it but thought I should check out 'euro car parks' before I paid. After googling the company, the majority of people on different forums suggest to not pay the parking ticket, as it is a scam. Please can you give me any advice on this??

Many thanks!

HO87

Ignore. Its a scam

taffy056

Its a scam, never pay these chancers, they are just trying to get money from you, these invoices have no basis in law.

DaveF327

Like above posters have said, it's not easily enforceable as anyone suing you would have to prove losses. On the other hand, if you weren't using the pub in question, do consider why the landlords considered the introduction of pay and display as necessary.

Coupon-mad

I agree with all the others - ignore it. It's not a fine, it's a scam.

DO NOT PANIC AND DO NOT PAY!

I had a fake ticket like yours from ECP last year. It's the reason I am on here every day advising people of the scam of private parking companies (PPCs). I got 3 letters I think and then nothing, that's it, scam over.

I didn't panic because I already knew from here that these tickets are not to be taken seriously - but I was still a little unnerved by the threats in each letter. I just ignored the letters and filed them away in my handbag, where they still are. I show them to friends if ever the conversation turns to parking/scams or similar stuff where I can tell them never to pay such a ticket!

Here's a thread showing you a preview of the letters that will be sent to the registered keeper:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2214803

Look right now at the letters linked under the Euro Car Parks heading. Read the threats, admire their pretty coloured ink and their use of scary words like 'litigation' and CCJs. Then later on, just laugh at their extortion attempt and play 'snap' as each matching threatogram arrives.

It's just standard letters designed to get as many 'mugs' to pay as they can. Nothing happens if you ignore them. You owe them nowt & it will not affect your credit record as there is no debt.

peter_the_piper

Coupon-mad wrote: »

I agree with all the others - ignore it. It's not a fine, it's a scam.

DO NOT PANIC AND DO NOT PAY!

I had a fake ticket like yours from ECP last year. It's the reason I am on here every day advising people of the scam of private parking companies (PPCs). I got 3 letters I think and then nothing, that's it, scam over.

I didn't panic because I already knew from here that these tickets are not to be taken seriously - but I was still a little unnerved by the threats in each letter. I just ignored the letters and filed them away in my handbag, where they still are. I show them to friends if ever the conversation turns to parking/scams or similar stuff where I can tell them never to pay such a ticket!

Here's a thread showing you a preview of the letters that will be sent to the registered keeper:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2214803

Look right now at the letters linked under the Euro Car Parks heading. Read the threats, admire their pretty coloured ink and their use of scary words like 'litigation' and CCJs. Then later on, just laugh at their extortion attempt and play 'snap' as each matching threatogram arrives.

It's just standard letters designed to get as many 'mugs' to pay as they can. Nothing happens if you ignore them. You owe them nowt & it will not affect your credit record as there is no debt.

Just to add a rider to C-M's post, always pay any P&D charges that the land owner requests for the use of his property, its only fair.