Parking Fine - Even though I paid & displayed - HELP

Brooksy6791

Hi,

Can anybody give me some advise please.

I was in town today near Birmingham. I paid and displayed (bought ticket for three hours worth of parking). When I got back to my vehicle there was a paper ticket (checkered style) saying "PENALTY CHARGE NOTICE". The ticket is from a company "City Centre Services - 27 Old Gloucester Street, London WC1N 3XX". It does not say that the ticket is from the council or police. Reason for the ticket is ticked as "Failure to purchase or display a valid ticket".

Ticket says I have to pay £85 within 14 days or £55 if I pay within 7 days. The parking fine was issued 5 minutes after I had purchased the Pay and Display ticket which I find rather odd.

There is nothing really ambiguous with what I did as the pay and display ticket was a non stick one and was on my dashboard just over the speedometer on the flatter part as not to slide off.

I still have my ticket as proof, but to be honest I am very worried.

My husband has told me to keep both tickets and completely ignore them. After reading some of the comments on similar threads on here he may have a point, however I would be very grateful if someone could reassure me.

Many Thanks

Pearly11

Hi Brooksy,

just spotted your cry for help and thought I quickly type an answer, because the knowledgable people in this forum are sometimes very busy, so it might take a while until somebody can answer you. So my first bit of advice to you is: Stay calm! Don't do anything, don't pay, don't contact the company. Somebody will soon pick this up and give you some more qualified advice.

I find the amount a bit much, I never came across a local authority charging this much. So there is a chance that this ticket is from a private car parking company in which case you have no worries whatsoever.

Even if it is from a local authority (which my instinct tells me it isn't for some reason) then you still have the right to appeal this.

So don't worry and stop panicking, there really is no reason for that.

Hope this helps for now.

Pearly

Brooksy6791

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I don't think it is from any council or police authority. It certainly doesn't say so on the Penalty Charge Notice. There isn't even a phone number, but just a London address. Does seem strange especially as I was near Birmingham !

I'll try my best to sleep tonight.

I wish I could just blot these types of things out on my mind but I can't help it !!

Thanks again.

Pearly11

Brooksy6791 wrote: »

Thank you for taking the time to reply.

I don't think it is from any council or police authority. It certainly doesn't say so on the Penalty Charge Notice. There isn't even a phone number, but just a London address. Does seem strange especially as I was near Birmingham !

I'll try my best to sleep tonight.

I wish I could just blot these types of things out on my mind but I can't help it !!

Thanks again.

If you don't think its from any Council or Police Authority then that is good news. Usually a Penalty Charge Notice from any of those would have something printed on both sides of the ticket and informing you of even how to appeal, with allsorts of contacts like telephone no, address and email contact.

It would be very helpful, if you could post the ticket you received into this forum. You can do this either with a scanner or even taken a photo with your mobile phone or digital camera. How to upload the image is explained in one of the sticky threads on the top of this forum here.

Should it turn out that this 'Penalty Charge Notice' (weird name to give if its from a PPC (=Private Parking Company) then you have nothing to worry about at all. All that will then happen is that you receive a bunch of letters and threats and warnings that your credit rating may be affected...but that is all nothing but hot air.

In any case, whether an ticket from a local authority or not, don't fret and for goodness sake don't lose any sleep over it. If you want you can also seek advice in the Fightback forum of pepipoo.

Hope this helps even more ;-)

muckybutt

Is there any name on the ticket ? where exactly were you parked on street or off street ?

If it is found that its a PPC ticket then safe to ignore, if council then DO NOT ignore.

Pearly11

Hi again, just tried to locate City Centre Services under the address they have supplied. From what I could find out the company provides cleaning services. It could be, that they also provide security and parking services.

I think it would be most bizarre if the Birmingham Council would use a London address. So I think you really have no worries here whatsoever. I'm just glad that you asked for help here first, before engaging with the company or (worse) even paying them. You should seek advice with all of these annoying situations, whether from a genuine authority (which PPC's aren't) or not. Believe or not: Us motorists have more power then either genuine authorities or PPC's are willing to admit

muckybutt

Pearly11 wrote: »

I find the amount a bit much, I never came across a local authority charging this much. So there is a chance that this ticket is from a private car parking company in which case you have no worries whatsoever.

Even if it is from a local authority (which my instinct tells me it isn't for some reason) then you still have the right to appeal this.

So don't worry and stop panicking, there really is no reason for that.

Have a look at Leeds £70 or £50 ! I dare say some London Councils charge more ! http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Business/Parking/Street_parking__enforcement_and_fines.aspx

Pearly11

muckybutt wrote: »

Is there any name on the ticket ? where exactly were you parked on street or off street ?

If it is found that its a PPC ticket then safe to ignore, if council then DO NOT ignore.

It's a ticket issued in the Birmingham area, but with a London address. I found out that City Centre Services with this particular address are a company providing cleaning services. So it all points towards a PPC in my opinion.

Pearly11

muckybutt wrote: »

Have a look at Leeds £70 or £50 ! I dare say some London Councils charge more ! http://www.leeds.gov.uk/Business/Parking/Street_parking__enforcement_and_fines.aspx

Really? Flippin' heck! I'm not moving now lol

Brooksy6791

Thanks once again.

I "googled" the name city centre services - penalty charge notice and it took me to the site that you mention pepipoo. I was very surprised to see a photo of the exact same ticket that I have (apart from personal details are blacked out).

forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/index.php/t43884.html

Brooksy6791

sorry but it wouldn't let me put a direct link or photo as I could be a spammer as I haven't enough posts on here yet.