The Tannery Sheffield parking fine

tetleygail

I have received a fine for parking in the adjacent car park to The Tannery when moving my daughter into uni halls.
The car park had signs saying it cost £4 to park but despite three tours around the site could find no ability to pay - no machines no people etc.
One hour later returned to my car to find a ticket - so someone was about.
I have explained this to the company (UKCPS) charging me £100 but they keep repeating that it was private land and I refused to pay the £4 charge at the time of the 'offense'.
Anyone had this happen?
Surely they have an obligation to provide ability to pay and if not do not have the right to then 'fine' you!
Help please?

peter_the_piper

Typical of a private parking company. Totally ignore them. They will send a few threatening letters etc but never go further.

trisontana

Any posts that deal with UKCPS come with the usual "health warning" stating that you should be very careful about what you post on here regarding the identity of the driver. A certain employee of UKCPS is known to monitor these forums. Also be very wary of any private messages you receive . It might be him.

RENEGADE_2

Following on from the above advice, do not worry yourself about who drove or what happened - the facts are simple: private parking companies neither have the right nor the power to enforce their demands. Legally a landowner can push to recover losses from your action (here it is £4) and this he needs to do in a county court. Nobody will sue you for that. Any nonsense from the private parking company that you owe a stupid amount for "breaching the terms on display" can be discarded. If they believe you owe them an amount beyond actual losses, let them take you to court. But then who's you? Registered keeper? How do they know? The driver is bound by the contract and the keeper is not obliged to even enter into discussion with them - not even when keeper and driver are one and the same. Don't panic when letters from "debt collectors" arrive because it's the same old song - if one citizen claims you owe him money, let him take you to court first. Any attemts to pester you for these unlawful demands are extra-judicial and therefore constitute harassment. Keep your head high and neither pay nor speak to them.

Coupon-mad

tetleygail wrote: »

I have received a fine for parking in the adjacent car park to The Tannery when moving my daughter into uni halls.
The car park had signs saying it cost £4 to park but despite three tours around the site could find no ability to pay - no machines no people etc.
One hour later returned to my car to find a ticket - so someone was about.
I have explained this to the company (UKCPS) charging me £100 but they keep repeating that it was private land and I refused to pay the £4 charge at the time of the 'offense'.
Anyone had this happen?
Surely they have an obligation to provide ability to pay and if not do not have the right to then 'fine' you!
Help please?

What made you take them so seriously, I am curious to understand? Fake PCNs are a fairly well-known scam covered by Watchdog at least 3 times in the last year alone. And Martin Lewis published articles about it in some nationals (see my signature).

This was not a parking fine and UKCPS are not the Police or local authority so you should have just ignored it. Start doing so now - EVERY LETTER.

Have you somehow missed reading the 'sticky' threads at the top of the board? Read 'welcome, please read before posting' and 'PPC letters, what to expect'. Make sure you watch the Watchdog clip on one of those stickies:

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

Bottom line = this is a scam. They NEVER had any authority to FINE you!

Ignore the letters, DO NOT 'APPEAL' AGAIN (LOL!! as if they are going to let people off paying their scam invoices! think about it...). Just read the forum stickies I mentioned then read any other private parking co (PPC) thread that catches your eye on the link to the whole forum view - you will see a pattern with the advice given every single day on here.

It's just a game of playing snap with each scary letter that matches our sticky info. Been there, done that myself.

Oh, and welcome to MSE, you just dodged a SCAM. :T