Richmond Council to repay 'spy car' fines

tuggy12

A breath of fresh air?

http://news.aol.co.uk/uk-news/story/council-to-repay-spy-car-fines/1924894/?ncid=webmail1

A council is to repay drivers more than £1 million after they were wrongly issued parking tickets by "spy cars", it was announced.

peter_the_piper

I notice they say they will repay the motorist but forget the important bit about the victim having to claim it back, they won't just go back through their records and send them a cheque.
Not legally compelled to do so my eye, AFAIK there are leaving themselves open to all sorts of charges if they don't.

Just spotted this bit "We will write to the registered owner of every vehicle against which a ticket was issued by our camera cars inviting them to apply for a refund." so ignore all above.

Fergie76

But rather than just writing to them inviting to apply for a refund, why not just enclose the cheque?

How much is the Council going to waste on postage, first to send out the letters and then secondly the cheques?

rombo

What silly people. I got this letter from the council saying that I was entitled to a refund of £155. However I had the baliffs turn up whilst I was making an appeal but had to pay £400 otherwise the amount would go up to £650 and then they would enter my house and start removing goods if I did not pay. I was forced to pay this PCN otherwise the cost would have just gone up. I knew that this PCN ISSUED INCORRECTLY as my van had broken down. I moved or rather pushed it to a safe place so that I would not interfere with other vehicles and for all my good intention got a ticket from one of these camera cars. I even went up to the car and explained what had happened but he simply drove away. I have spoken to the council and they have informed me that I have to reclaim the rest of the money from the Baliff.......who....... wait for it.... has gone into liquidation.......End of the day it was the council who gave the nod to this action and benefitted from it so they should pay. Its not my fault yet I am the one out of pocket.....I have seeked legal advice and have been informed that I have a case.....Anyone else in this sitution??????.....Talk to me

Coupon-mad

Not in the same situation but I would say post about this on pepipoo forums for expert advice:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

And if it were me I would be complaining in the strongest terms to Richmond and then the Ombudsman, if no joy. You cannot possibly be left out of pocket due to the Council's erroneous penalty, it is ridiculous and surely an abuse of process if they will not refund the full amount you were screwed for by their agents.

There is a recent thread (this week) on pepipoo where someone complained like mad to a Council for dodgy procedures over a penalty for dropping a cigaratte stub, after several months persistence the person got an apology and £250 compensation from the Council. And that was without even having to involve the Ombudsman and without them even being out of pocket - the compo was all profit!