APCOA tickets issue

brinders

Hi all

Ok, here's where I am...

I have had 2 tickets from parking in 2 different stations as below.

1 - August last year parked in Didcot station, which has 2 car parks on the site. I paid by the Ringo phone service, but selected the wrong one of the 2 car parks, and also forgot to do it until later in the afternoon.
I did write to them appealing, got a reply blowing me out. Then wrote back to them again, offering to pay the difference in price between the 2 car parks, but no reply.

2 - April this year parked in Kemble station. Again, forgot to pay (using Ringo again) until mid-morning, meaning I paid less than I should have. Wrote appealing the ticket, but no reply.

For both cases, I have been contacted by Roxburghe to collect the "debt", and now being told by them that if I don't pay I will be being referred to a solicitor (somebody White I think). Apparently APCOA won't now talk to me as they have passed it over, and Roxburghe can't change a decision.

What's my position here?

Thanks

Sir_Roger_deLodger

Roxburghe and Graham White are the same people. They are toothless and have never ever taken anyone to court. Don't worry about it, they will give up when they realise you are not a mug.

If you paid by phone APCOA have your card details, and may decide to help themselves. Cancel your card before they do.

Appealing, as you have discovered, is a waste of time. Ignore them.

Coupon-mad

There's a whole thread telling you about the APCOA car park tickets scam, including Roxburghe and Graham White letters issued to people on here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1583539

That thread was only posted on again yesterday by someone who'd paid for the wrong car park (it seems they make it unclear, set a trap if you like). It's a con and nothing will happen to you. Don't even think about paying them!

You only have to Google 'Roxburghe parking' and you'll find loads of info. THEY send the GW letters and sometimes ring up pretending to be Graham White (GW), just ignore the whole scam, there is no real Solicitor involved and no Court cases pursued.

You'll see examples of the letters they send at the top of this very board, pics of every letter other posters have scanned in so far. All have ignored them, no-one is ever taken to Court as they rely on their threats convincing a certain % of victims to be mug enough to pay them.

HTH

brinders

Hi all

Been on hols and want to pick back up on this.

Have now had the Graham White letter for one of these. Have discussed it with other half and she (understandably) wants to get it sorted. Part of the reason for this is that many years ago I had a CCJ for a minor amount, and we don't want to risk getting another one, and the affects this can have on mortgages etc.

So, a couple of things. Firstly, I have somewhere on one of the forum threads that if you talk to Roxburghe and tell them that you "deny the debt" (think that was the term used) they have to refer it back to APCOA and it stays (or is back) in their hands.

Secondly, and more importantly. Is there anyone who is legally qualified on this forum who could provide such comments advice. I appreciate the comments I've had from those who've provided them, but want the reassurance of a qualified person to tell me the same thing. i've also heard of some organisation or other where you can take disputes about parking companies..

Any further help welcome. I am also contacting the CAB.

Thanks

Brinders

Coupon-mad

Forget the CAB completely, they have no clue what to advise and seem to think that a PPC being members of the BPA (a members club!) gives some credence to a bogus parking ticket! They have been complained about, some of their clueless advisers actually tell people to pay! Absolutely shocking advice, like telling someone to send money by Western Union to Nigeria in order to collect their lottery winnings in response to a phishing email!

Legally qualified person, we can do that, how about Solicitor Tim Cary, quoted here by the Guardian telling a person with a PPC ticket to ignore:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2010/sep/04/parking-ticket-private-property

QUOTE
"It might have been better if your reader had simply ignored all correspondence from CE. They stand no chance of succeeding with any claim if they cannot prove who was driving at the time of the alleged contravention of their parking rules. The registered keeper is not liable for any private parking claims and has no legal obligation to confirm the identity of the driver."
The onus is clearly on CE to prove you were driving, to prove their signs were clearly displayed and to prove the fine is reasonable – until they do so, you are within your rights to ignore them.
QUOTE

And here's Tim Cary (same Solicitor) in person telling Anne Robinson what he would do if his mother ever got a PPC ticket:

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

And here's a thread on pepipoo forums telling you about Roxburghe PRETENDING to be a Solicitor called Graham White (there are so many complaints in with the SRA about that 'solicitor' that the file cannot add any more cases, apparently):

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=52809

Deny the debt if it makes you feel better to call off Roxburghe's pathetic letter-chain. That just means write a letter not saying who was driving, but telling them to cease and desist from ALL contact because you 'expressly deny' any debt to the parking company. State that any further contact will constitute harassment (a criminal offence) and that you will report them if they do not now return the file to the originator.

Nothing else will happen. A debt collector is powerless, they are not bailiffs. They will give up soon anyway but the above should shut them up. If not then do report them:

http://www.nationaldebtline.co.uk/england_...e=03_harassment

PROMISE US YOU WON'T PAY WILL YOU??????? THIS IS A SCAM!

HTH

Hadeon

brinders wrote: »

Secondly, and more importantly. Is there anyone who is legally qualified on this forum who could provide such comments advice. I appreciate the comments I've had from those who've provided them, but want the reassurance of a qualified person to tell me the same thing. i've also heard of some organisation or other where you can take disputes about parking companies..

Any further help welcome. I am also contacting the CAB.

Thanks

Brinders

In that case my advice is go and see a solicitor

peter_the_piper

Best of luck with the CAB, they just trot out the incorrect advice to pay, anyone would think they were sponsored by the BPA.

Sir_Roger_deLodger

brinders wrote: »

Have now had the Graham White letter for one of these. Have discussed it with other half and she (understandably) wants to get it sorted. Part of the reason for this is that many years ago I had a CCJ for a minor amount, and we don't want to risk getting another one, and the affects this can have on mortgages etc.

If you once had a CCJ you will know that there needs to be a court case first. They cannot just "issue" a CCJ.
These people have never been known to go to court, it is all just idle threats.
Most of the regular posters on here have successfully ignored this scam, I have been waiting for court papers from Mr. Sobell for years.
Don't bother with CAB, they are known to give bad advice regarding PPC invoices. Click on the links provided by Coupon Mad above, it is all good advice.

kwaks

Coupon Mad is spot on with her advice and I swear she keeps those links as favorites (all spot on and correct though).

Ignore it all the way and read about all the successful cases on here and on pepipoo.

brinders

hi all

further update.

Had a 2nd Graham White letter today, headed "Final Warning".

Basically, it says pay now, or we will refer in 7 days. Saying "If you do not wish to incur the consequences of Court Action, you must pay the amount claimed immediately. If you cannot pay the full amount, or you have a valid defence to this claim, you should call this office".

So, do I still ignore? Or call them and tell them that I made a payment, albeit a wrong one?

As I've said before, I had a CCJ many years ago, and don't want that hassle again - especially now I'm a home owner.

Thanks for any advice.

backfoot

Please read the advice previously given to you. Nothing has changed.;)