Parking Charge Notice - PCN

lubylwu

I have just received a PCN for an alleged offence on 30 Sept 2006 but it only states PCN issue time. I don't remember exceeding the time limit (2 hours free parking) as I always make a careful note of my arrival time. This PCN does not state "arrival" time - can I challenge this notice as they want £100 within 7 days.

Can anyone help please, I've never had a parking ticket before.

jobbingmusician

I'm not an expert on parking tickets either, but 2 issues spring to mind.

1. Is this a private contractor? It seems an awful long time ago for a local authority to contact you now.

2. I have received a few tickets in my time, and challenged one of them. Eventually ended up in court (only to find that the parking people had withdrawn their case, but that's another story). While I was there I listened to quite a few other cases, and most people seemed to be winning. Moral of the story - if you stand your ground you are likely to win. Go back and take a photo of the parking venue, if its not inconvenient for you. Write to them saying you noted your arrival time and did NOT exceed the 2 hour period - I reckon either you will find you are mistaken about the 2 hour free period, or (much more likely) they will drop their case when challenged.

Good luck!

lubylwu

Tks for your help. It is Excel Parking who have issued the PCN. Are they allowed to take that long to issue a notice. No ticket was put on my windscreen on the date in question, so can they issue a PCN after more than 3 months ?

jobbingmusician

I did a bit of Googling for you, and came up with thsi link.

Not the company in question, but does have some useful stories and links.

Write back to them with a copy of your diary showing the note of the parking time, pointing out to them that they have not issued a start time, and let us know what happens next. This does sound like a try on. By the way, if you look on Excel's website you will see that they pay their attendants minimum wage - draw your own conclusions.

Cumbrian_Male

I thought that Parking Charge Notices (PCN) had to have both a date of issue and a date of offence. Take a look on PePiPoo in the parking section of the forum.

lubylwu

PCN does show issue date at top as 10.1.07 and then lower down PCN Issue date states 30.9.06 and PCN Issue time as 13.53 which is presumably the time I left the car park - but nowhere does it state time I entered the car park, so I've only got their word that I was longer than the 2 hours allowed.

Have done a bit more investigating and it seems there is a camera as you enter and leave the car park which takes note of your registration No. Also rang one of the stores to say as I was shopping there what can I do. They have had other similar calls this morning, and have said they will vouch for me shopping in their store - don't know how that will help, but nevertheless it was good of them to offer that.

My main concern is they do not state how long I was there - I'm convinced if I was over the 2 hours it would only be a matter of minutes, and that was probably the time it took to get out of the car park and past that ******* camera.

Ho hey ho, c'est la vie. But if anyone knows if they have to state how long the car was actually parked for on the PCN that would be helpful.

Thanks to all, at least I don't feel on my own.

hollydays

See if excel subscribe to the voluntary code of practice for private car parking enforcement.You are also entitled to ask them to send you both photos(if this is their system) if you contest it.They should display your arrival time by that code of practice.£100 is an awful lot of money though.

lubylwu

The following is taken from their website - I'm not quite sure how to interpret that statement !

"Our Central Ticket Office obtains vehicle keeper information from the DVLA and adheres to the DVLA's Voluntary Code of Practice on the release and use of information to enforce parking restrictions on private property."

Does that mean DVLA Voluntary Code of Practice regarding obtaining name of vehicle keeper ?

hollydays

The voluntary code of practice is listed on the DVLC site somewhere,but i always find it really hard to find.If you have a look i will also try and find it.It lists things they must do.I am pretty sure stating time you parked is one of them HOwever-i once approached a company re breaches of the code-they said yes but its voluntary(ie so what if we have breached it!)

Edit- oh i see what you mean-looks a bit ambiguos-but there are laws relating to disclosure and a voluntary code relating to their procedures.I would say this means they subscribe to the voluntary code re their behaviour as the other stuff is mandatory.

hollydays

i have just found my copy it says..notices giving the full details of the parking contravention....should be placed in a prominent position on the windscreen.Also says
enquiries must include details of the incident giving rise tothe claim-date,time and full vehicle details,to include registration mark,mode; and colour.Any relevant evidence-including photographic details should also be included if available.
i personally found they addressed the ticket to the owner,rather than the driver,which could be 2 different people.

lubylwu

Not convinced Excel subscribe to voluntary code of practice - seem to be a law unto themselves looking at some other stuff on the web where people have challenged them.

Never realised Big Brother was watching my every move in and out of car parks - please everyone take note that cameras can record you in an out of car parks they don't need attendants these days, and no ticket on the windscreen, just a nasty surprise a few months after the event.

Sorry if I'm going on, but I'm not going to pay without a fight. Surely they have to give me the full timing of the situation, and £100 is an awful lot, especially as I feel in my own mind I am innocent. Well they do say innocent until proven guilty, and they haven't proved anything to me yet. Will be emailing them soon but thought I'd like to get a few facts right before I go in all guns blazin!