Warning - apcoa - must see

peter_the_piper

"""It's seems to me the only way we are going to sort this, is for the forum members who dispute the process to deliberately flout the signs, get a demand and let us know how they got along once it hit court. Three MoneySavingExpert test cases should be enough?"""

There have been enough challenges thrown at the ppc's in the past both on here and Papipoo but so far not one ppc has accepted the invitation and chucked a court case their way. This can only lead one to conclude that they all know they will not win so don't do it.

Stigy

I'm surprised actually, that I've not yet been arrested, as I was under the impression that I was being reported to the authorities for impersonating a Police Officer. The Police are obviously still laughing over their tea and doughnuts. It really doesn't matter what I say on this topic, there's always going to be someone that knows better than I do, and in most cases it's Sassy-Kins (obviously there's Driver7 too, who pays £600 TAX & NI YA KNOW!).

I was going to recap all of Sassy-Kins' useful and accurate advice, but thought that the thought police might become offended and close this topic. I actually sent Sassy a PM last week some time asking him why he was misquoting me, but I've yet to receive a reply. It must be that he hasn't seen that he has an unread Private Message, because somebody like Sassy wouldn't ignore a PM, would they?

Anyway, that's enough of that, because this post will only end up deleted, and thus making the last five minutes of my time wasted.

Oh, before I forget, how long before Trading Standards knock at my door? I'm sure I was reported to them, too.

Honestly guys, with the exception of one or two of you, the majority of you are like Lemmings.

taffy056

Yes but out of the 800k tickets issued each year by the PPCs, more than 550k or 70% are not paid, the reason is that people are being lemmings and following advice from forums like this, and people are getting wise to the fact that companies like euro have NEVER ever taken people to court!

Coupon-mad

Messrs_Arthur_and_Terry wrote: »

So what you guys are saying, is that no respondents are having court orders applied against them? No one is being pinged by the magistrates?

The odd CCJ happens when the defendant doesn't turn up (too scared by the threatograms or maybe they've moved house). And I read of OPC actually winning a case in the Summer due to a poor defence and daft judge, but that motorist is appealing against it with pepipoo's help. That's it. And it's not a criminal offence so obviously no magistrates are involved!

Messrs_Arthur_and_Terry wrote: »

I thought the basic tenet and advice was to ignore demands. I previously suggested that to ignore them was perilous. It seems to me that many of those who have ignored the demands have wound up in court as I previously suggested, many have been made to pay penalty fees, spent money on attending court and probably lost wages too.

Just looking at CFS' site alone they list out numerous cases in their favour. I would guess they have been paid?

No, people ignoring do NOT end up in Court except on the very odd occasion. People post on here, CAG and pepipoo every day and ignore tickets, and in the couple of years that I've been a regular on the forums I can count on one hand the people who have ever actually reported real Court papers following.

And most of those few cases that did have real Court papers ended up with the PPC throwing in the towel once they saw the defence. In the rest of the few cases the judge chucked the PPC case out as they couldn't establish a contract ever existed, nor prove they had the right to take someone to Court for parking on land they don't even own, or they cccked up the signage, or couldn't prove the keeper was the driver. Too many hoops for the average PPC knuckle-dragger to jump through.

Do you really believe the 'numerous cases' listed? Wasn't it UKCPS that listed the premiership footballers as having CCJs against them?! If you are Peter Haswell - which you have not denied - then you'd know that?!

Messrs_Arthur_and_Terry wrote: »

It's seems to me the only way we are going to sought this, is for the forum members who dispute the process to deliberately flout the signs, get a demand and let us know how they got along once it hit court. Three MoneySavingExpert test cases should be enough?

Been there, done that already, no Court case from the PPCs. People on pepipoo have collected tickets, myself included, and the same old threatograms arrive then that's it. They simply don't chance their arm with Court because it's a civil claim and they'll lose. Do read what Patrick Troy said to Lynn Featherstone and to Parliament about unenforceable tickets, he's right.

So if you are Peter Haswell from UKCPS how about nominating a car park where UKCPS do their worst, and we'll round up some pepipooers to deliberately park over a line or in a mother & child bay.

You issue the tickets and we'll watch and admire you skilfully win the resulting Court cases (not).

Just tell us the car park and we'll find some willing people local enough to take up the Peternet challenge!

Stigy

taffy056 wrote: »

Yes but out of the 800k tickets issued each year by the PPCs, more than 550k or 70% are not paid, the reason is that people are being lemmings and following advice from forums like this, and people are getting wise to the fact that companies like euro have NEVER ever taken people to court!

The problem is, and I've seen it at this forum before, certain members keep using the same "just ignore them" line, and not solely for PPCs either. This could prove costly for the member seeking the advice in the long run, could it not?

You seem very bold in saying that companies like Euro have NEVER taken anybody to court...Is that factual? I'm sure they probably issue alot of 'invoices'.

Driver8

PRIVATE PARKING TICKETS - DON'T PAY!
IT IS NOT A FINE! YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING ILLEGAL!

This is an information page for the thousands of people who receive "tickets" from private companies in the UK ever day at supermarkets, retail parks, and in any other privately-owned carpark.

We are NOT encouraging anybody to openly flout parking restrictions on private land, or to refuse to pay reasonable charges for parking. Landowners have a right to make reasonable charges for the use of their land.

For advice specific to your case, you should visit the forums at http://forums.pepipoo.com or http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences.

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

1. What you should know about these companies

It is important to remember that private parking companies (or PPCs as they are often called) have NO OFFICIAL POWERS - that's right, none at all! They give out their "tickets" on the basis that you have seen the signs in their car park and that you have therefore agreed to a contract obliging you to pay a certain sum of money.


2. What happens to people who don't pay?

In 99.9% of cases, absolutely NOTHING! The company pays the DVLA £2.50 to get your address, and then sends lots of threatening letters. In the main, these letters can be safely IGNORED. The only way the company can actually force you to pay is by taking you to the small claims court, which costs them even more money. And they are by no means guaranteed to win! And they practically never do.

The two main reasons for this (among others) are the following:

- Only the person DRIVING the car could ever have agreed to any such parking contract. The company can only get the Registered Keeper's address from the DVLA: you don't have to tell them who was driving.

-Many of these charges are so extortionately high that they constitute a penalty, which is unenforceable in a consumer contract.


3. Can they affect my credit rating?

NO! The only way your credit rating could be affected by ignoring private parking companies is if you were taken to court, lost, and then still refused to pay. But they will not take you to court.


IN SHORT

The vast majority of the time, you can safely IGNORE tickets from private parking companies, they are not official fines.

The vast majority of the time, you can safely IGNORE the threatening letters, including those from debt collection agencies.

You DO NOT have to pay a penny of your hard-earned money to these companies. Remember that the chances of being taken to court are very slim indeed.

DO NOT IGNORE COURT PAPERS!
If you receive real court papers from a private parking company (very rare) then you should go to http://forums.pepipoo.com or http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences for help defending the claim. Do not be afraid to sign up and ask questions regarding any paperwork you are not sure about.

Don’t believe the above? Watch a solicitor on Watchdog advising you what to do with the scam invoices.

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

THEY ARE NOT FINES

Only the Police, Courts or Council’s can fine you. NOT a private company, please remember that.

That's going on a few dozen cars again today, the word is getting out there. The PPC's are really getting wound up now because they know they are losing fnaar fnaar :rotfl:

esmerobbo

Stigy wrote: »

The problem is, and I've seen it at this forum before, certain members keep using the same "just ignore them" line, and not solely for PPCs either. This could prove costly for the member seeking the advice in the long run, could it not?

You seem very bold in saying that companies like Euro have NEVER taken anybody to court...Is that factual? I'm sure they probably issue alot of 'invoices'.

Les Knight business director Euro.


" admits it has not taken legal action against non paying drivers, and that any future action is likely to be difficult because of the legal uncertainty, as motorists become aware of the situation. It may reduce compliance with tickets"

http://davidmarq.com/uploaderv6_1/files/1/Times2.jpg

Third paragraph from last.

peter_the_piper

Stigy wrote: »

The problem is, and I've seen it at this forum before, certain members keep using the same "just ignore them" line, and not solely for PPCs either. This could prove costly for the member seeking the advice in the long run, could it not?

You seem very bold in saying that companies like Euro have NEVER taken anybody to court...Is that factual? I'm sure they probably issue alot of 'invoices'.

Elaborate please the "Just ignore them" comment if you can as we take great pains to do the opposite for PROPER tickets. The comment about Euro was from their own blurb somewhere.

daveyjp

"Combined Parking Solutions (CPS) versus Stephen Thomas, of Chadwick Street."

Sure sign we have a PPC visitor

Someone (in this case Thomas) lied in Court and lost - quelle surprise.

peter_the_piper

daveyjp wrote: »

"Combined Parking Solutions (CPS) versus Stephen Thomas, of Chadwick Street."

Sure sign we have a PPC visitor

Someone (in this case Thomas) lied in Court and lost - quelle surprise.

Was that a reply to my post? I was trying to get him to show where we had said ignore Them to anyone other than a ppc (in this context)