My PCN advice on the situation please

Mac77

I'll keep this short as I'm on the iPod doing this.

I took my missus out to the cinema at cineworld in Sheffield and we arrived at about 8.10pm ish, after looking for a parking space for the best part of 20 mins I decided to put my vehicle on the kerb leaving plenty of room for access around my vehicle. I have visited this place many times and usually always end up putting my vehicle on the car park kerb as there are usually no spaces, believe me I have no problem in walking across a car park but there were no spaces that I could see.

May I add this is a free car park, I was a paying customer using the facilities, others cars/vans were dotted around the place.

There are no signs on entry advising you on the situation and the signs that are there are 12-15 ft up on lamp posts, not something you look out for when driving around a packed car park full of families and couples.

Anyway I got back from the film and had a PCN on my windscreen, I read it to find I was being asked for £80 or £120 if I failed to pay within 7 days from a company call vehicle control services ltd.

I have done a bit of research on the net and feel I should ignore it but I'm also worried about the possibility of attending court and losing a days wage and also have a hefty fine and costs on top

I'm not looking forward to the hassle of demanding letters and calls but I can live with that for a couple of months.

I suppose I'm just asking if they have a leg to stand on if it did go all the way, and do my actions really justify a £80-£120 charge.

I will not be returning to the cinema there again in the near future, which is a shame. It really spoilt a good night

Any questions please feel free to ask

Thank you in advance

Mac77

Driver8

It is a private parking ticket, just utterly totally ignore it. It can not be simpler.

If you had researched the PPC's enough you wouldn't need to answer your own question.

Relax, chill and laugh when the crap comes through your door and think, well, it's costing them not me.

It is a SCAM.

Mac77

I understand its a scam, I'd just not come across the same situation with the same company as what has happened to me, and wanted a little reassurance

They have CCTV and access to the dvla database, I don't really have much evidence in my corner other than there was no where available for us.

I'm not worried, more astonished at what I have learnt over the last 48 hrs. 2 of the lads at work had PCNs and paid them, they have told me to do the same and knew nothing of the info I have researched.

Driver8

Mac77 wrote: »

I understand its a scam, I'd just not come across the same situation with the same company as what has happened to me, and wanted a little reassurance

They have CCTV and access to the dvla database, I don't really have much evidence in my corner other than there was no where available for us.

I'm not worried, more astonished at what I have learnt over the last 48 hrs. 2 of the lads at work had PCNs and paid them, they have told me to do the same and knew nothing of the info I have researched.

YOU can do it and your friends can do it, in fact anyone can send out private tickets. Just buy a kit off ebay and away you go.

People have got to learn that a load of quasi legal looking crap coming through their letter box to totally utterly ignore it. They are sent out by ORDINARY CITIZENS who should be taken out and shot but i digress, they are utterly, totally powerless. Ignore them.

They have no more powers than you or i.

HO87

Ah yes, a local company. Didn't think they believed in carping on their own doorstep but there you go. They've just moved offices to a shiny new block at 2, Europa Court, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield S9 1XE which they share with their bigger parent company Excel Parking Service Ltd. Both companies are run by the inimitable Mr Renshaw- Smith who also sits on the board of the esteemed British Parking Association.

patman99

If you think DVLA are wrong to sell your info to these people, then sign the petition HERE and help bring this practice to a stop.

Please feel free to email a link to the petition to everyone you know.

Coupon-mad

Mac77 wrote: »

I understand its a scam, I'd just not come across the same situation with the same company as what has happened to me, and wanted a little reassurance

VCS have been mentioned on here a lot, wait for this search and read on:

letmeGooglethatforyou (MSE search)

Mac77 wrote: »

They have CCTV and access to the dvla database, I don't really have much evidence in my corner other than there was no where available for us.

CCTV shows a car, not the driver - and even if it did show the driver that person does not have their name and address tattooed on their head do they? The driver is not necessarily the registered keeper, which is the only address the scammers can get from the DVLA. It doesn't make their attempt to extort money from you any more legitimate just because they get info from the DVLA like most other scumbag PPCs. They have no authority to fine anyone and just pay £2.50 a pop for the keeper's address.

Mac77 wrote: »

I'm not worried, more astonished at what I have learnt over the last 48 hrs. 2 of the lads at work had PCNs and paid them, they have told me to do the same and knew nothing of the info I have researched.

Sorry but those lads at work have more money than sense - would they send money to Nigerian phishing emailer too 'because it looked legit'? It amazes me that people can pay a scam bogus 'fine' like this without querying/Googling it. Even worse that they told you to pay the scammers! :mad:

You have perhaps found some of our info already but have a good look at the current threads on this parking board and show those daft lads at work what you found (sorry but anyone who pays a fake PCN must need their head examining, IMHO if they have internet access there is NO excuse for being so flippin' credulous!). Almost every thread tells you to ignore fake PCNs from ANY private company:

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

A Watchdog link is there in the top few threads, copies of the letter chains in pictures so you can play 'snap', everything is there permanently at the top.

Please, please email your colleagues the Watchdog paper aeroplane clip to educate them on this scam.