Watchdog Videos

taffy056

the first post has now been updated with the 5th video about Excel

taffy056

Okay I have now updated the thread with a youtube version of the Sixth video from Watchdog, this one is a little different as they did 3 different pieces on the programme and I had to merge them together, otherwise you'd be watching other things on there. Its not prefect but there you go, the link is below if you wish to share it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0BleTTraDo

Guys_Dad

Bump - for the benefit of newbies.

Mods, why don't you sticky this? Maybe someone might want to report this post to the mods to bring this to their attention????

taffy056

I have suggested it a number of times, it's up to them but it would help people make a decision on what private parking is, we can post until we are blue in the face, it doesn't beat the BBC and Watchdog as just everybody knows them.

Coupon-mad

Bumping this again for newbies' information.

rolyb

Another bump for newcomers.

nigelbb

If the "offence" was in England or Wales the advice nowadays as some PPCs are getting more litigious is that if the PPC is a member of the BPA AOS that you do challenge & then take the option of the "independent" appeal body POPLA. A well presented defence at POPLA is all but guaranteed a win because the PPCs ignore the law & even the rules they themselves thought up in the BPA Code of Practice plus they won't produce the contracts with the landowners that actually allow them to pursue people for unpaid parking charges (possibly because they don't exist or they have clauses that the PPCs or landowners don't want revealed).

There are still some tin pot PPCs who are not members of the BPA who can be ignored & the situation is unchanged in Scotland & Norther Ireland.

Stroma

Thing is in more than 99% of ignored invoices the advice stays the same, as they cannot issue claims on the 35% odd that ignore, it would mean they'd have to issue almost 650k claims, which is not going to happen.

nigelbb

Stroma wrote: »

Thing is in more than 99% of ignored invoices the advice stays the same, as they cannot issue claims on the 35% odd that ignore, it would mean they'd have to issue almost 650k claims, which is not going to happen.

Sorry, but I think that is the wrong advice. Now that there is POPLA as an "independent" appeals process it is possible to stop this harassment going any further. We are hearing reports of people getting court papers a year or more after the "offence" not to mention the worry & hassle of being chased by debt collectors. Surely it's far better to stop the whole process in its tracks? A carefully worded appeal to POPLA is all but guaranteed to win once a couple of crucial questions are asked that the PPC will refuse to answer & thus the case will be won by default. They will refuse to answer any question on their right to levy parking charges or provide details of the contract with the landowner that gives them the right to levy charges &/or pursue the "offenders" in court. This is either because they don't have any such right & their threats are just bluster or that the contracts have clauses that are embarrassing to the landowner e.g. they get a backhander on each charge or that the PPC is expressly forbidden to take the driver to court.

A real danger is that some take the "Ignore" advice too literally & wind up ignoring court papers & get a judgement against them by default. We have seen quite a few of these here & on PePiPoo. It's far better to hit them hard at POPLA & put an end to the business.