Private Parking Fine, Vehicle Control Services Ltd

Spoofs

I had one of these last Wednesday at Cineworld in Sheffield and have been trying to work out whether I should pay. Vehicle Controll Services LTD. Same deal, pay within 7 days or increase to £120.
I am new to this forum and don't know where the sticky's are, how do I view them?
From all your advice it seems there is pretty solid reasoning behind not paying so on reading the stickys I will take the advice I think but it is still a bit nerve wrecking! I have never had a parking ticket or anything before so I am not sure of the process and am worried about receiving threatening letters etc. I know one person above said they never received any letters but has anyone else been issued with one of these tickets and decided to not pay and then had a really hard time over it? Just want to prepare myself.

Thanks!

w211

Spoofs wrote: »

From all your advice it seems there is pretty solid reasoning behind not paying so on reading the stickys I will take the advice I think but it is still a bit nerve wrecking! I have never had a parking ticket or anything before so I am not sure of the process and am worried about receiving threatening letters etc. I know one person above said they never received any letters but has anyone else been issued with one of these tickets and decided to not pay and then had a really hard time over it? Just want to prepare myself.

Nothing to be nervous about or prepare for anything! Just received a 5th letter from some debt recovery firm, headed "Notice of Intended Litigation", littered with threats of county court proceedings and my ability to get credit in the future.

They can take me to court if they like, they won't get very far, and my credit will only be affected, IF they take me to court, and WIN, and I don't pay. Very unlikely.

Coupon-mad

Spoofs wrote: »

I had one of these last Wednesday at Cineworld in Sheffield and have been trying to work out whether I should pay. Vehicle Controll Services LTD. Same deal, pay within 7 days or increase to £120.
I am new to this forum and don't know where the sticky's are, how do I view them?
From all your advice it seems there is pretty solid reasoning behind not paying so on reading the stickys I will take the advice I think but it is still a bit nerve wrecking! I have never had a parking ticket or anything before so I am not sure of the process and am worried about receiving threatening letters etc. I know one person above said they never received any letters but has anyone else been issued with one of these tickets and decided to not pay and then had a really hard time over it? Just want to prepare myself.

Thanks!

All forums can include permanent sticky advice and it's always on threads 'stuck' at the top of the forum index view.

See my signature, it's better to know which bit to click than for me to give you a link that you don't know where it came from! Once you realise that the top blue (small writing with > inbetween, top of the page) link is the 'trail' back to the main forum you will be able to find your way around any forum.

HTH, try it. One click and you are at the forum index, stickies at the top.

give_them_FA

Spoofs wrote: »

I had one of these last Wednesday at Cineworld in Sheffield and have been trying to work out whether I should pay. Vehicle Controll Services LTD. Same deal, pay within 7 days or increase to £120.
I am new to this forum and don't know where the sticky's are, how do I view them?
From all your advice it seems there is pretty solid reasoning behind not paying so on reading the stickys I will take the advice I think but it is still a bit nerve wrecking! I have never had a parking ticket or anything before so I am not sure of the process and am worried about receiving threatening letters etc. I know one person above said they never received any letters but has anyone else been issued with one of these tickets and decided to not pay and then had a really hard time over it? Just want to prepare myself.

Thanks!

Spoofs, if you haven't found them, the stickies are at the top of the threads list on the forum.

What you have been given is NOT A FINE. It is an ATTEMPTED SCAM. a TRY-ON. It CANNOT be enforced and if you never reply (that means totally IGNORE) all that will happen is that you will receive a few PATHETIC letters threatening you with nonsense they CANNOT and WILL not carry out.

They try to frighten you because that is the only way they will ever steal your money, if you cave in and give it to them.

You can do that if you want, but take it from me as a veteran of putting the finger up to over 80 of these FAKE parking tickets, they are talking total bull.

The amount demanded will go up to £100; then, probably, £150; you will get very scary (ha ha) letters from a debt collector claiming even more; and, finally, the amount demanded will go back down to £ZERO when it dawns on them you are nobody's fool and they realise they are wasting their time trying to SCAM you.

Ignore, but keep all letters. They will constitute unlawful harassment and will be needed as evidence.

vax2002

This is a borderline legality scam that impersonates authority.
What you have is not a fine, they have no legal or lawful position to give you a fine or penalty, it is an invitation to pay an invoice.
If you do decide to pay the average fee to this company is £270
They will send a series of late payment charge letters to follow the payment you make, even if you do not pay late.
So if you dont want to get caught in the middle of a vicious mail scam of threats, I suggest you put some consideration in to following the advice from the parking experts and Ignore them and ignore all the silly letters that follow.
The impersonation of Authority will change characters to impersonate debt collectors, solicitors, bailiffs, snow white and the seven dwarfs, you name it, they fake it !

Spoofs

Thanks for pointing out the stickys. I found this page by googling Vehichle Controll LTD so completely bypassed that page.
Also I really appreciate the advice and info given. I've built up the courage and am going to IGNORE the ticket as suggested and I'll add my progress to the page.

Thanks again all.

vax2002

Just beware of private messages offering to help, they do trawl boards like these.

voycey

Just one thing that helped me out when deciding this: (I received one of these recently aswell)

A CCJ only remains on your credit record if it goes to court, you lose in court AND dont pay the amount in court within 28 days.

I will be ignoring the letters

give_them_FA

Thanks for the feedback. It is good to know people are reading and taking notice. As none of the afore-mentioned three things will happen, you have made the wise decision.

ega05th

I received my first letter from them yesterday, rejecting my appeal!

May frame it and put it on the wall :T

Can't wait to ignore alllllllllllllllll the rest of them