UKPC Parking "fine" at Merry Hill today

eddiebid29

UKPC went parking fine crazy at Merry Hill shopping centre today, of course with the sale came the chaos of the car parks and all routes in to Merry Hill. Cars literally had no where to go and so parked anywhere and everywhere (without causing any obstruction)
I was one of the many drivers that returned to find a ticket from UKPC on their car.
Of course I came home and googled them and all advice seems to point to ignoring the fine and any subsequent letters?

Is this right?
Hs anyone ever had the debt collectors visit or been taken to court?

peter_the_piper

Yes.
No
No
Ignore.

robredz

Follow many of the other threads on here, do not contact them, ignore, they have done court, but only when contacted I believe. others will be along later with better advice imho

bromsgrovebarry

Yes the critical thing is not to contact. Expect silly threats and all sorts of ruses to make you think that you are being taken to court. If anything worries you, please post again for reassurance but do not reveal anything that could allow someone to work out your identity. Private parking contractors spy on forums like this in the hope of finding out information.

torontoboy45

and be clear in yr mind that this is not a 'fine' - it's a 'charge' that's ignoreable.

debt collectors are powerless; they're not bailiffs.

out of the millions of 'charges' issued over the yrs only a handful of cases have reached court, with the vast majority of these being dismissed.

relax.

Coupon-mad

Read other threads on the board here:

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

There are 2 sticky threads at the top by Crabman, read them! Follow links (including Watchdog youtube link) and look at the lovely scanned pics of the letters you will just need to ignore - and simply laugh when each matching threatogram arrives.

Then if you like, read other people's threads like yours, at least read page one so you;ll have seen the current threads from the last day or two. The pages run into hundreds as this is a very common (generic) scam by PPCs, passing their fake invoices off as real PCNs.

That's all. They will go away, you have not received a fine but they pretend you have. There is no effect on your Credit rating and UKPC don't do Court, just threats. Don't waste a stamp on them, don't honour their rubbish with a reply.

BUT - how about a strong written complaint to the retailers on site saying you won't be giving them your business in future if this is how they treat paying customers? And how about a letter to your local paper about it, pointing out what you have found out so as to stop other local victims from falling for this generic (naming no names) PPC industry scam? Send the paper this Guardian link, with correct advice from a Solicitor that these bogus PCNs are safe to ignore, so the paper doesn't report it wrong:

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

Happy 2011!

backfoot

Merry Hill is a no charge parking area but are supposedly controlled by PPC's to prevent so called parking type infringements. Merry Hill gets ridiculously busy at Xmas and the sales,with difficult access and exit to and from the sprawling complex.

I hate the place with a vengeance.

You can imagine,that the PPC with the contract,have waited patiently for these times to pounce like vultures on the frustrated and unwitting customers. Any minor infringement will do to peddle their nasty little scheme. They will gain a few wins given the worry and concern they will create.

Hopefully,others will google the internet and spot this and other threads and simply ignore the ethically challenged Operators.:)

bromsgrovebarry

PPCs in these situation exist to prey on customers and are allowed to do so by sharing their ill-gotten gains with landlords or site managers. Retailers facing increasing competition from the internet need to know that irresponsible PPCs are a threat to their trade. The combined efforts of retailers and forums like this will finish greedy PPCs.

ALJ01

we went today and some cars got them and some didnt but all parked in undesignated area's all because merry hill car parks were completely full and at bursting point, after reading this it has made up my mind that i wont be paying it and will just ignore all correspondence

muckybutt

ALJ01 wrote: »

we went today and some cars got them and some didnt but all parked in undesignated area's all because merry hill car parks were completely full and at bursting point, after reading this it has made up my mind that i wont be paying it and will just ignore all correspondence

:T YAY :T another convert :T

hungryhorace

hi i had fine for parking at merryhill taking my mom christmas shoping ,we were parked by bhs on a bay marked with a disabled badge on the floor as mom has badge i parked there, ther ewas a small sign saying h20 customer parking but did not say only parking for h20 customers so i parked dissplaying the badge and got a fine, have appealed told them i'vetook photos of badge on floor but they said still got to pay, emailed merryhill but not heared anything they should be made toblock out badge on floor and state only for h20 customers,don't know if i should pay now i've appeled or just ignor it any help please .