Impounding for not paying a ticket...

velour_fog

Hi Guys,
I received a ticket from New Generation Parking, a private parking enforcement company, for parking in a bay that was not my own in my gated residential complex (I sometimes park in next door's bay because it has been empty ever since I moved in).
Anyway, I ignored the ticket and subsequent invoice. I'm a month since their last correspondence.
My concern is that they do state they will clamp/remove any vehicle with unpaid fines found on their site. As their site is also my home I have no choice but to continue parking there, both in my own bay and in visitor bays.
Anybody have any experience of a parking company actually doing this? And successfully defending their actions?
Cheers for any help!

taffy056

That would be illegal, they cannot legally clamp you for an alleged debt, though they could do it as the police just count it as a civil matter and for the most part will not get involved, but it could be bluster from them, if they do clamp you buy yourself an angle grinder and cut the clamp off, its outside your property so running an extension shouldn't be a problem

Clamping on private land by the way is going to be made illegal soon, can't come soon enough imo !

velour_fog

Thanks Taffy!
What you say is what I presumed and, believe me, I'm losing no sleep over the subject. I just wondered if this had happened to many. I came across the following post which appears to show these guys following through.
forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2463873&highlight=

peter_the_piper

If they had done so then its certain the poster would have been back to "tell" us.

velour_fog

peter_the_piper wrote: »

If they had done so then its certain the poster would have been back to "tell" us.

I did wonder if this was a post by NGP, generated to cause concern amongst people like my good self. You would imagine that if they removed your car it would then interest the police? Unless car theft no longer warrants their attention. A friend of mine owes me £10 and also owns quite a nice Audi A3. Perhaps I should issue him with an invoice and then take his car?

velour_fog

Here's another link to a forum post on the same subject. The post in question is six down and by laurenc. Its integrity is questioned by an 11,000 poster at the bottom.
forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=51784

peter_the_piper

Poster has not come back to confirm anything. Its assumed that its a ppc trying to muddy the waters. Until we hear more from them its fair to assume this is correct. Glad to see that you are doing a lot of ground work and have found only this one doubtful post.

mikey72

Why can't they clamp or remove the op for repeatedly parking in his neighbours space? If he kept doing it to me I would be contacting the company myself. Or possibly just buying a cheap clamp and leaving it on.

taffy056

mikey72 wrote: »

Why can't they clamp or remove the op for repeatedly parking in his neighbours space? If he kept doing it to me I would be contacting the company myself. Or possibly just buying a cheap clamp and leaving it on.

Because its illegal to do so, what part of that you don't understand? and for you to clamp someone you have to be registered with the SIA otherwise its illegal also!

And by the way the OP did say the property is empty at the moment, perhaps you missed that also? And by the way this forum is for advice not criticism of people's actions!

mikey72

Probably the bit where you said

"That would be illegal, they cannot legally clamp you for an alleged debt,"

Maybe you just didn't read my question properly, or thought you wrote something else initially.
If you don't write what you mean, don't complain if you get asked what you're on about.

Thanks for your calm response though.

Can I come and park on your drive?

taffy056

mikey72 wrote: »

Probably the bit where you said

"That would be illegal, they cannot legally clamp you for an alleged debt,"

Maybe you just didn't read my question properly, or thought you wrote something else initially.
If you don't write what you mean, don't complain if you get asked what you're on about.

Thanks for your calm response though.

Can I come and park on your drive?

I am confused by your reply, but in answer to your last point, that is a typical answer by the PPC operatives, they always say that but in answer, no you can't because of two things, one my cars are there, and two you will never get up the hill through the foot of snow that is on the road!