Euro car parks

ann1234

Got a ticket off them a bit ago this was in a free car park at a retail park, and I overstayed. I just ignored them as I had looked on here, and knew not to pay.

I was expecting the letters to come as in the chain letter thing shown on this site, but they've gone straight to threatening with debt collectors not court! It says "Failure to pay the outstanding amount within the time specified will result in Euro Car Parks forwarding the outstanding amount to a debt collection agency. Further Charges will apply".

They have also been kind enough to give me 28 days to pay, do you think this is just them changing there tack to keep costs down going straight down debt collection route?

By the way I'm never paying although my husband says they'll come and take my car off me:D!

anewman

Debt collectors have no powers and are no more entitled to your money than I am, unlike Bailiffs who are appointed by a court. They cannot take the car off you, and any threats to do so would in itself be a crime (not that anyone would be bothered to take any action about it). The Debt Collectors associated with PPC's are nearly always exactly the same people, just at another desk in the office. Compare the addresses. Advice to ignore still stands until court papers are issued. As ECP are highly unlikely to do court that won't happen.

Driver8

ECP don't like me in Huddersfield, especially when you hand their attendant chimps one of these printed off what's written below. they tend to go a bit mental.............


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.

Coupon-mad

ann1234 wrote: »

Got a ticket off them a bit ago this was in a free car park at a retail park, and I overstayed. I just ignored them as I had looked on here, and knew not to pay.

I was expecting the letters to come as in the chain letter thing shown on this site, but they've gone straight to threatening with debt collectors not court! It says "Failure to pay the outstanding amount within the time specified will result in Euro Car Parks forwarding the outstanding amount to a debt collection agency. Further Charges will apply".

!

I don't know where you've been looking but the link to the Euro letter-chain does include that first letter from Euro themselves. This is the link given on our sticky thread, did you not click on it or something:

http://www.violetmount.com/scam.jpg

When I got my Euro Car Parks bogus ticket 18 months ago they never used Brinx, so that letter may not come at all. They sent the first Euro letter (like the one you've got) then two letters from Control Account exactly as shown.

Control Account are just debt collectors. Debt Collectors are nobodies.

sassy_one

Simple advice is often the best, therefore I be quick and advise,

Ignore and forget.

Nothing will happen!

tgon

sassy-one wrote: »

Ignore and forget. Nothing will happen!

All true! I took this advice 12 months ago and the letters faded away to nothing.

ann1234

Thanks for the reassurance, I didn't follow the chain link properly:o, I thought you got threatened with court first and then the debt collectors.

I've been reading and re reading all posts about ppcs on internet to convince myself. I think the thing is everyone is scared that they'll be made an example of and that is what these companies are relying on.

tgon

ann1234 wrote: »

Thanks for the reassurance, I didn't follow the chain link properly:o, I thought you got threatened with court first and then the debt collectors.

I've been reading and re reading all posts about ppcs on internet to convince myself. I think the thing is everyone is scared that they'll be made an example of and that is what these companies are relying on.

The is no basis in law here for our legal system to single anyone out and make an example of them. This is not a legal issue. The onus to prove that the driver at the time was also the vehicles registered keeper is on the parking company. It is simply not worth their cost and effort. The letters will recede and then stop. Try to relax about it. :cool2:

AlexisV

husband says they'll come and take my car off me

How an earth could an ordinary private limited company come round and steal your car?????

ann1234

AlexisV wrote: »

How an earth could an ordinary private limited company come round and steal your car?????

He was laughing when he said it, trying to wind me up!

torontoboy45

ah yes: euro car parks - the worlds' favourite ppc (well mine anyway). my first 'demand' was for £70 (pay within 7 days), the 2nd was for £90 (28 days).

I am so hoping this gets to court. bring it on, monkeys. my defence is ready and waiting.