How do I know if the Parking fine comes from a Private company?

FenianMark

I recently recieved 2 unfair tickets from a company called 'Tower Hamlets Homes'.

After reading the guide I have decided its best to ignore the correspondance IF they count as a private company.

The problem is that on their website they

state:

Tower Hamlets Homes manages housing services for Tower Hamlets Council.
Tower Hamlets Homes is a trading name of Tower Hamlets Homes Limited, a not for profit company limited by guarantee controlled by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Registered in England 06249790. VAT Registration No 912 4819 30


So should I treat them as a private company or not?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Inflatable_Armadillo

FenianMark wrote: »

I recently recieved 2 unfair tickets from a company called 'Tower Hamlets Homes'.

After reading the guide I have decided its best to ignore the correspondance IF they count as a private company.

The problem is that on their website they

state:

Tower Hamlets Homes manages housing services for Tower Hamlets Council.
Tower Hamlets Homes is a trading name of Tower Hamlets Homes Limited, a not for profit company limited by guarantee controlled by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Registered in England 06249790. VAT Registration No 912 4819 30


So should I treat them as a private company or not?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

The easiest way to tell is look at whom payment is to be made! Do you send your payment to Tower Hamlets Council or to Tower Hamlets Homes? It is only the council that can issue you with a penalty and I doubt that their housing association company can do this and in effect this makes this ticket a private one... but I think we need to be sure.

Also, does the 'ticket' say Penalty Charge Notice or Parking Charge Notice at the top (or if not, what does it say)? Council's can use the term Penalty Charge Notice but everyone else cannot (well, the Police can). However, you can often see the term Penalty used incorrectly, so that could be a red herring!

I think you should post up a copy of your 'ticket', so we can give you definitive advice.

Inflatable_Armadillo

As a newbie you can post links, so just miss off the http:// and we can cut and paste the link into our browsers.

FenianMark

It says 'Civil Parking Notice (CPN)' at the top.

It says to make cheques payable to 'NSL ltd'

or you can pay online at thhparking
dot org dot uk

Sounds like its a private company??

Thanks for your help with this!

HO87

NSL Ltd is the so-called enforcement arm that was once part of NCP that was hived off a few years ago, so that solves one aspect of the situation. NSL do have a decriminalised enforcement section that provide civil enforcement officers for what is, effectively, council duties. The fact that this ticket states that payment is to be made to NSL, a private company rather than to the LB of Tower Hamlets (which is where the money would got if it was a DCE ticket) and is called a "civil parking notice" strongly suggests that this is just another PPC variation.

To be certain read through it again and see if it makes reference to the Traffic Management Act 2004 but standby to ignore.

AlexisV

Yep, ignore it.

FenianMark

What does DCE and PPE mean?

Ive read through the whole thing and it doesnt mention the Traffic Management Act 2004

It says:

The following parking contravention was being committed: Code 85B
85B Any Vehicle parked in a visitors bay not displaying a valid scratch-card or public service permit



I was displaying the permit, but stupidly put it upside down on the dash board (though anyone could tell it was a real ticket from the back)

Inflatable_Armadillo

As HO87 posts, double check that it makes no reference to Traffic Management Act 2004 and if not I am with HO87 & Alexis... it is a PPC ticket because you are making payment to a private company and it is headed up as a Civil Parking Notice and does not use the word Penalty.

Ignore it is then!

Inflatable_Armadillo

DCE - Decriminalised Civil Enforcement (a genuine Penalty issued by a council)

PPC - Private Parking Company (exactly what NSL are)

Some private companies (& NSL are one of them) do contract their services to local authorities and therefore act as Civil Enforcement Officers (CEO's) for councils under the Traffic Management act... however, the penalty is ALWAYS paid directly to the council and the 'ticket' will be a genuine Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) which will make reference to the Traffic Management Act 2004.

So, what you have is an invitation to pay them an invoice which they have no power to enforce and are unable to do so in court in most cases.

It is a clear ignore this one, so sit back and relax and do not contact them.

Inflatable_Armadillo

FenianMark wrote: »

I was displaying the permit, but stupidly put it upside down on the dash board (though anyone could tell it was a real ticket from the back)

...and of course, this comes right out of the classic PPC tactic's for issuing 'tickets' book!

FenianMark

Nice one then, Ill just ignore them. Thanks for your help!