Town and City Parking yet again...

robellam

Morning All,
I received one of these letters from TCP over the weekend, and like most of you clever lot I thought "this looks like total b******s".

Not only did I never have a ticket put on my vehicle, but the letter doesn't tell me what the offence is supposed to have been.

One interesting point to make, I spoke to someone at the shopping centre who confirmed that TCP are the company that they contract their parking enforcement to. When I had a bit of a rant about the letter they said they'd had a few people complain. So why the hell are they still allowing these clowns to operate on their land? I'm going to strongly make the point that they'll be losing me as a customer and I'll be telling everyone I know not to shop there anymore until TCP are removed.

For clarity I'm 99% sure that there was nothing wrong with my parking that day, but from reading this site it appears that even if there was, there's nothing they can do about it.

I know the advice is Ignore, ignore, ignore, but is there anything to be said for sending them a strongly worded letter telling them that I know what their game is and threatening them with a harrassment case if they continue?

By the way, looks like they've ditched the "Penalty Charge" wording and are now using "Parking Charge Notice".

Cheers,
Rob

trisontana

robellam wrote: »

By the way, looks like they've ditched the "Penalty Charge" wording and are now using "Parking Charge Notice".

Cheers,
Rob

Was that on the paperwork or on the signage?

Yes, just ignore them. It's not worth the time or money writing to them.

esmerobbo

Write to the shop though telling them you will be shopping elsewhere until they get shot of TCP.

robellam

Nice quick resolution to this one..

I spoke to the owners of the land (Milton Keynes Food Centre) and got them to speak to TCP.
TCP claimed that I had parked over the white lines (no idea if this is true or not) but admitted to my contact that they had no evidence of this. The nice lady at MK Food Centre therefore instructed them to rip up my ticket. She then called me back and told me that I shouldn't hear from them again.
I imagine most shopping centres would rather do this (especially if you are polite to them) than lose customers.

This approach might be worth a try for all those that are a bit nervous about the "ignore ignore ignore" tactic.

esmerobbo

robellam wrote: »

Nice quick resolution to this one..

I spoke to the owners of the land (Milton Keynes Food Centre) and got them to speak to TCP.
TCP claimed that I had parked over the white lines (no idea if this is true or not) but admitted to my contact that they had no evidence of this. The nice lady at MK Food Centre therefore instructed them to rip up my ticket. She then called me back and told me that I shouldn't hear from them again.
I imagine most shopping centres would rather do this (especially if you are polite to them) than lose customers.

This approach might be worth a try for all those that are a bit nervous about the "ignore ignore ignore" tactic.

Its always worth a try for two reasons, stops the crap through the door, and hopefully the shops will get fed up of dealing with these and get rid.

However don't be surprised if its not the end. We have known PPC's to tell the odd porky or several!

nobodysfool

Judging by their web site (the staff section) they have got a lot of mouths to feed no wonder they are trying to screw money out of ASDA's customers. On their website ASDA is on their client list so whatever ASDA try to say (or rather not say) the ultimate responsibility for what goes on in their car parks is ASDA's and T & C parking are their agents. One wonders why ASDA don't employ staff directly to deal with parking - probably because they prefer not to have the aggro and can pass the buck on.
Do remember folks you can vote with your feet and shop elsewhere which is what I intend to do. I have also told ASDA they cannot shirk their responsibility and if I get any harrassment action will be taken against them and their agents.
There car parks are on private property and whilst they can try and enforce Disabled Bays and Mothers and Child Bays in reality this has to be voluntary or they employ parking attendants to direct people where to park. They cannot enforce fines only allege civil debts. They do not issue Disabled Badges and those issued by the authorities are for use on the highway and not private property.
Not that any of this matters in my case I was given a duff notice with a false allegation.
ASDA staff slap their !!!!!! in their ads and Town and City slap on the notices.

torontoboy45

A LOYAL AND DEVOTED SERVANT.

my day off today and mrs.toronto has - as usual - got lots for me to get on with.

'don't forget the groceries', she said. 'Christ', I think. 'ram a broomstick up my butt and I'll sweep up as I'm rushing around'.

anyway, down to asda. a slightly distraught woman is at customer services, where she's been told that 'parking tickets are nothing to do with us'. same old, same old.

so I flash all 4 teeth of my winning smile and tell her what most here would expect me to tell her.

she didn't seem all that convinced until I pointed to the ticket and asked her to draw the distinction between 'penalty' and 'parking'. that was enough. more than enough.

ticket monkey is standing just 20 paces from us. with the speed of a rat/drainpipe/up she's all over him, demanding to know what legal authority TCP holds and how she's not gonna pay. not now. not ever. a feisty mare and no mistake.

monkey has seen us talking.

monkey recognises me.

monkey doesn't like me.

when he's not starring alongside johnny vegas in the PG tips adverts monkey dreams of being an all-action cop, like jack regan in 'the sweeney' or 'bergerac'. for now, though, all he can do is mince around the car park, annoying motorists.

monkey follows me to my car, booming - all foghorn leghorn - that I've 'just cost that woman a lot of money cos' we'll take her to court' and 'the law is on our side'.

I asked him to be quick and call a doctor because 'my sides are splitting'. I really couldn't be
a r s e d to get into a ruck with this clown and drove off.

I did wonder, though, how anyone could be so assiduous in his duty, so passionate about his 'work' and so sure in his belief that he isn't just a scammer's runner when TCP probably pay minimum wage and charge him for his 'uniform'.

my first (hostile) encounter with a PPC monkey.

anyone else?

Oopsadaisy

Yeah, I got chatting to a couple in a carpark and they didn't have a clue about the situation.

When I explained it to them they were genuinely surprised.

angel_islington

I tried to help a female couple (no assumptions ) a couple of months ago who had a fake ticket. They weren't even the slightest bit interested in listening to me! They were customers in the small store where I work. Obviously got more money than sense.

thetriggerhappypwner

For the benefit of everyone here, Town & City Parking (bribing goons) no longer have A. A. Hutton (fake solicitors, and extortionist minions) acting for them.

No more threats from these goons thank God...