TPS Parking charge

worried_parker · 14 January 2012 at 5:55PM

I parked today on a retail park managed by TPS. It is a free park for shoppers and I needed to go to Halfords. However, I went off site to other shops before doing so. On return to my car to off load bags I found a PCN on my window. My understanding was that so long as you visited a shop you could park for 2 hours. Apparently not and it seems someone is now employed to watch people coming and going. In my panic I did not go to Halfords. I do not mind paying for parking but the disproportionate amount of the fine (£50 if paid within 14 days) does not match the time I was parked for.

I have read lots on this site but am still unsure what to do. I don't want to pay but should I send a letter explaining my mistake or just ignore it. I cannot afford to pay this and would appreciate some advice.

funkycoldribena · 14 January 2012 at 5:58PM

Ignore it.Do not contact them.End of.

vax2002 · 14 January 2012 at 6:02PM

Your letter will be seen as an appeal, all appeals are rejected.
All you will achieve is to save them £2.50 in DVLA fees
The law states they can sue you for any actual loss, which is zero
Anything else is a penalty and private companies can not charge penalties.
They are using dodgy flaky law that you entered a contract, however they can not prove who you are.
They need YOU to tell them.
In response they will buy the private data of the registered keeper from dvla and send silly letters and fake debt collectors and solicitors letters.
This does not prove who the driver was and even if they can there is not a lot they can do but use threats.
I would treat this no differently than any other flyer left on your windscreen, ignore it.
This is a scam that impersonates authority, most are fooled, that still does not make it a scam.
The hard bit is learning what IGNORE means and how to do it.

whatmichaelsays · 14 January 2012 at 6:26PM

worried_parker wrote: »

I don't want to pay but should I send a letter explaining my mistake or just ignore it. I cannot afford to pay this and would appreciate some advice.

No. What you need to remember here is that there is no such thing as an appeal process. Think about it, why would a private company want to waive £50? They wouldn't, and "fairness" doesn't come into it.

All you can do is act within the law and under the law, the onus is on them to prove (amongst other things) that:

You willingly entered contract (ie, you were the driver)
That after entering into a contract, you breached it
The losses that they incurred are reflective of the amount they are seeking (ie, that are a result of you parking there, the land owner incurred expenses or losses of £50 that they wouldn't otherwise has incurred)

By writing to them to explain your situation, you are running the risk of divulging any information that may assist their claim (you have already admitted to being the driver in this post).

Don't be intimidated by threats of extra charges, solicitors, debt collectors, CCJs and court proceedings. They're all empty threats that have no basis in law.

bromsgrovebarry · 14 January 2012 at 6:34PM

I have read lots on this site but am still unsure what to do. I don't want to pay but should I send a letter explaining my mistake or just ignore it. I cannot afford to pay this and would appreciate some advice.[/QUOTE]

If you have reads lots on this site you should be in no doubt what to do. Ignore. its really that simple.