Valid Parking, Stockport

larsselleth

Hi.
I am looking for some advice. Recently I received a parking ticket. I suppose it was my own fault. I didn't see the sign that said you needed a permit to park there. (I was actually in a police station and had no where to park so I whacked it in this tiny car park). The sign is clearly visable but I was more interested in reporting my missing passport.
I have read the thread (not just this website, others too) from last year on the same company and the same car park. I was wondering if any laws have changed? Every body on the net advises just to ignore every letter. Here are two links to either side of the parking ticket (all details are blocked out)

i45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/larsselleth/side1.jpg
i45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/larsselleth/side2.jpg

Ok, I cant put up the links to the pictures. Which is a shame because I was hoping somebody could look at them for me. Maybe if you PM I can send it to you? (Actually, it may have worked now)

Now, here are my questions.
It says after 28 days they pass the debt onto a debt collecting agency. Do they really do this?
I have spoken to the BPA and they have confirmed that Valid Parking "voluntarily" adhere to their code of practice. Adhering to this code of practice gives them access to my data from the DVLA. However If you look at side 2 I have highlighted "Allow 28 working days for a response" which is in violation of section 14.6 of the BPA code of conduct. BPA state it must be 14 days. So if they do get my information form the DVLA is this not violation of the data protection act?

The parking ticket was not stuck to my window either. I still have it with the paper covering on the back. I believe this is done in the hope that it falls off, I do not realise and have to pay the higher fee of £95.

Their website is brilliant. Check this out on their website Terms and Conditions

"REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY

Once your order is placed you may cancel it within 14 days, on the condition that any goods are returned to us in an unopened and unused condition in the original packaging. No other orders may be cancelled. On any cancelled orders we are unable to refund any carriage costs.

In the event that an appeal is deemed as successful after a payment has already been made a full refund made. The refund will be made to the account by which the credit or debit card payment was made by default. If the customer wishes to be refunded in a different manner then prior notification must be issued.

DELIVERY POLICY

All products will be sent 1st Class post on the day of ordering provided the order is placed before 4pm that day. Delivery costs vary depending on the weight of products ordered."

The website makes it look like some dude is sat in a house, in his string vest eating a cold tin of beans waiting for some schmuck to pay up. Why would you have a picture of an American cheque clearly showing payment in dollars? It just makes me more and more uneasy about paying this greasy, tomato sauce stained string vest wearing conman.

Im waffling now.
Basically, should I just ignore them. If the fine was £30 id pay it. I did wrong by not noticing their signs. But £70?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. This is my first ever fine for anything, EVER!

Yours humbly,

Lars:money:

bubblegoose

Depends on where you parked, sounds like the same car park as mine. The first two bays dont have any signage on them, so if you parked in them, ignore them.

Other than that seek advice.

fb1969

They are a Private Parking Company (PPC) and you should ignore them, but expect some threat-o-gram type letters in the post.

The BPA are similar to a members' club and their "code of practice" isn't worth the paper/webpage it is written on.

larsselleth wrote: »

The website makes it look like some dude is sat in a house, in his string vest eating a cold tin of beans waiting for some schmuck to pay up. Why would you have a picture of an American cheque clearly showing payment in dollars?

You are getting the right picture of PPCs.

larsselleth wrote: »

This is my first ever fine for anything, EVER!

Pleased to say it isn't a fine, so relax.

larsselleth

Ok, ignoring is the case. I have read about people who have paid "Mr Valed" (that is his name) a visit and he told them to ignore the ticket just to avoid a confrontation.
But any info from anybody would keep helping me not to pay up.

The last thing I want is a debt collecting agency but Im pretty certain the chances of this are slim to none. Knowing my luck though....
:eek:

Sir_Roger_deLodger

larsselleth wrote: »

The last thing I want is a debt collecting agency

Why? Don't confuse debt collectors with bailiffs.

larsselleth

I dont want anybody demanding money from me. I argue bills to the last penny but the thought of somebody doing it to me really gets my goat.

So the general consensus, dont pay and ignore?

Is anybody on here who has actually had a court ordering them to pay x amount from a private parking company?

trisontana

larsselleth wrote: »

I dont want anybody demanding money from me. I argue bills to the last penny but the thought of somebody doing it to me really gets my goat.

So the general consensus, dont pay and ignore?

Is anybody on here who has actually had a court ordering them to pay x amount from a private parking company?

Would you pay a Nigerian scammer if he wanted some money off you. Of course you wouldn't. So why treat these clowns any differently.

Coupon-mad

larsselleth wrote: »

I dont want anybody demanding money from me. I argue bills to the last penny but the thought of somebody doing it to me really gets my goat.

So the general consensus, dont pay and ignore?

Is anybody on here who has actually had a court ordering them to pay x amount from a private parking company?

Almost all PPCs get debt collectors to write to registered keepers. That's all it is though, a mail scam. Debt collectors are pen-pushers issuing templated computerised threatograms. That's it. I think you are confusing them with Court bailiffs? PPCs cannot send the boys round!

It's really not very scary at all. I still have my collection of debt collector letters from 3 years ago when I dared to overstay in a car park when shopping. I keep the letters in my handbag to show friends & colleagues so no-one is daft enough to fall for a PPC scam. I'm just a law-abiding Mum with a responsible job, but who comes here every day to stop anyone being taken in by this legalised protection racket.

Court is almost unheard of with PPCs, an infinitessimal chance! And they invariably lose in those few cases when defended. So yes, the huuuugely overwhelming consensus is to sit tight and ignore it including any debt collector templated rubbish threatening Court, CCJs, to kill your cat or whatever!

Please say you wouldn't just have paid this fake PCN if it had been £30!!:eek:

real1314

That's a really shoddy website - it's not even a proper domain, it's an office-live (MicroSoft iirc) website.

Pathetic really.

With that level of "organisation" I wonder if DVLA should really be dealing with them?
Website has a registered office address, but it's probably just a maildrop. Anyone know if that contravenes any rules/regs?

Whois.com gives this:-

Domain name:
validparking.co.uk

Registrant:
Valid Parking Ltd

Registrant type:
UK Limited Company, (Company number: 6613245)

Registrant's address:
22 Deanery Way
Stockport
SK1 1NA
United Kingdom

Registrar:
1 & 1 Internet AG [Tag = SCHLUND]
URL: http://www.1and1.co.uk or http://registrar.1und1.info

Relevant dates:
Registered on: 12-Jun-2008
Renewal date: 12-Jun-2012
Last updated: 19-Jul-2010

Registration status:
Registered until renewal date.

Name servers:
ns1.!!!!!!!!!!.com
ns2.!!!!!!!!!!.com

WHOIS lookup made at 21:18:32 07-Jun-2011

The address seems to be a unit next to merseyway shopping centre - google earth shows a nail bar or some place called porky's.

BarryW

Tawdry is indeed the word for that site. I like

Q: Is the Parking Charge Notice legally enforceable?

A: Yes. As a member of the BPA Approved Operator Scheme we adhere to a recognised code of conduct. This enables us to gain vehicle keeper details from the DVLA and effectively pursue charges through the County Court system.

A non-sequitur if ever I saw one!

Also

http://validparkingltd.web.!!!!!!!!!!.com/selfissue.aspx

is the do-it yourself kit! The more you dish out the more you can get back! It is PPC world in the raw.

Sirdan

" Yes. As a member of the BPA Approved Operator Scheme we adhere to a recognised code of conduct. This enables us to gain vehicle keeper details from the DVLA and effectively pursue charges through the County Court system."

Ooops sorry Valid you forgot to mention that the LAW is that the driver is liable NOT the keeper so you can NOT effectively pursue jack s**t !!

LOL