My own fault, but wondered what you think?

gwen80

Hi

I've never posted on this part of the forum before so please go easy on me I visited a McDonald's with a friend of mine last week (she cycled there) and she assured me that parking was free (she's local, I'm not). Now I should have double checked, but I didn't. Then I received a parking fine of £100 (or £50 if I pay by 9th September). They've obviously used CCTV at the carpark as they've got my number plate and the time I parked there and the time I left. I was in McDonald's the whole time, we were catching up over lunch, then got a coffee afterwards. It just seems rather sneaky to send you a ticket later having used CCTV, but I realise it was my own fault. What do others think?

Thanks

Gwen

taffy056

First off its not a fine, just an unenforceable invoice designed to scam you out of money, please just ignore their pleas for your money, also ignore the bogus letters from solicitors and debt collectors, they will not take you to ocurt as there is no loss to them in a free car park.

Just ignore completely

also watch this video on you tube, it applies to all private parking companies, its from the BBC Watchdog

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

taffy056

By the way the same applies even if you need to pay for parking, only a council or the police can fine you for parking incorrectly

stuartms

only the police and council can enforce parking tickets. I got one from the big M got loads of thretening letters for months ignore them they do go away. If your unsure google the names on the letter heads of the letters you recieve, (I got 27), you will see they are bogus, (not even the big M), dont reply. Treat it like a game after 12 months of not hearing about mine posted all there letters back to them thanking them for the game asking if they could afford the post we could play again.

bromsgrovebarry

As other have told you, you owe this scum nothing. The 'fine' is not enforeceable and relies on scaring you into paying. I cannot see why you are blaming yourself for using the facilties of a car park whilst being a paying customer. Ignore threatening letters that will follow but if you get worried, come back on here for support. Most of us have faced down these scammers and we all know that the company backs down after a few scary letters.

gwen80

Thanks for the info. I've viewed the CCTV pictures online and I really don't see how they can prove I was driving.

I thought I'd be shot down in flames because I didn't look at the notices and just trusted my friend. We weren't planning on staying that long, but when we'd finished eating it was throwing it down outside, so we decided to get a coffee and hope the rain eased a bit before my friend set off on her bike.

I'll ignore the letter then. I'm just a bit worried about debt collectors etc coming round. I'm a female and I live alone, I really don't want that. I have enough problems with nasty people at the door with my neighbours, without bailiffs turning up aswell.

Thanks

Gwen

anewman

They can only send court appointed bailiffs if they take you to court and win. If they send debt collectors (some companies may erroneously and illegally call them bailiffs) then you can legally tell them to go away and call the police on them if they don't.

fb1969

Next time you think of going for a McDonalds, just remember that they are happy to allow these tactics to be used against their customers.

Think twice and spend your money elsewhere.

Coupon-mad

gwen80 wrote: »

I'll ignore the letter then. I'm just a bit worried about debt collectors etc coming round. I'm a female and I live alone, I really don't want that. I have enough problems with nasty people at the door with my neighbours, without bailiffs turning up aswell.

Gwen

Don't muddle up bailiffs and debt collectors. Bailiffs will NOT call (not without you losing in a SMall Claims Court case, that in fact is never going to happen. If it did, the PPC would never win).

Debt Collectors will write to you (big wow!). They don't 'come round' in any case I have read about as regards private parking company bogus parking tickets, although their letters might suggest they 'may do'. Just as their letters say they 'may' start legal action and lots of other idle threats. But you owe nothing, this is not a real fine - did you watch that Watchdog programme linked by taffy056 above?

So - just expect letters, it's quite funny when you know it's a con and you read their lies & then file it!

This is such a common scam that almost everyone on this board has had at least one private parking ticket and ignored it (mine was over a year ago and the driver was allegedly there for four hours in a two hour private car park!). There is no risk in ignoring everything in the absence of sealed, genuine Court papers, which won't come.

You can see a preview of the Debt Collector (powerless) letters to ignore, in the sticky 'PPC letter/threats, what to expect' near the top of this board. Look at the pics now, you can see what will come next and it will stop you panicking when you read their threats:

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

Plus you'll see by the number of current threads (of which there are pages and pages!) on that link, just how common this scam is. This thread is one of hundreds on this board! Read some threads on the link above, then look back pages and pages and pages - except for the odd Police or Council ticket and clamping case - all of those threads are from people like you.

All the same, all ignored, doesn't matter who the PPC is. Nothing will happen. NEVER pay a private parking ticket. Think no more of it apart from to spread the word.

:T

HTH

AlexisV

gwen80 wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I've viewed the CCTV pictures online and I really don't see how they can prove I was driving.

I thought I'd be shot down in flames because I didn't look at the notices and just trusted my friend. We weren't planning on staying that long, but when we'd finished eating it was throwing it down outside, so we decided to get a coffee and hope the rain eased a bit before my friend set off on her bike.

I'll ignore the letter then. I'm just a bit worried about debt collectors etc coming round. I'm a female and I live alone, I really don't want that. I have enough problems with nasty people at the door with my neighbours, without bailiffs turning up aswell.

Thanks

Gwen

Nobody will come round. It's a mail based scam.

gwen80

Hi

I've now received a reminder of my parking charge, which is now £100 as I didn't pay by the first deadline. They've said they'll apply an administration charge if it's not paid within 14 days. Now I know it's a scam, I'm not paying so I'll just brace myself for some more letters.

Thanks

Gwen