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Advice on parking ticket, please

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Can someone advise me, please, whether or not it may be worth my while appealing about a parking ticket I've just had or whether to just bite the bullet and pay up.

I visited a retail park that I've never visited before, and the ones I've visited before have free parking, so I wasn't expecting there to be a 2 hour parking restriction. It was not until I got back to my car that I noticed I'd got a ticket issued by a private company called Excel Parking Services Ltd. I hadn't noticed a sign on entering the car park, but when I found the ticket on my car, I had a look around and saw a notice in an elevated position stating the 2 hour parking restriction. Apart from the fact that it's in an elevated position the sign does not stand out as a parking sign. There are no large obvious signs at driver's height as you enter the car park, and only the elevated ones in the car park.

The ticket states a £60 charge if paid within 14 days, reduced to £40 if paid within 7 days. If payment hasn't been received within 14 days there's an additional £40 charge plus costs incurred through debt recovery and/or court enforcement.

Many thanks in advance.



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Comments

  • torontoboy45
    torontoboy45 Posts: 1,064 Forumite
    excel are well-known on this board and fit the profile of all PPC's.

    read the stickies above. this is an attempt to extort your money. don't fall for it.
  • 10_66
    10_66 Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 2 March 2012 at 1:18PM
    Have just had another "do not ignore this notice" letter which says that if it's not paid within 14 days it may lead to a warrant being issued to bailiffs etc and of their intent to issue Court Proceedings. I thought I'd read in one of the articles about this company that they can't send bailiffs in as you're not actually in debt to them as it's not an upaid bill, but a parking charge. Can anyone confirm this for me, please? I must admit I'm a bit nervous about holding my ground with this one now, but if I know they can't send bailiffs, I'm prepared to stick it out, on principle. Incidentally, considering they must issue quite a few of these letters, you'd think they'd know how to spell the word bailiff, they've spelt it as baliff (unless that's what they call their version of them :eek:).



    .
  • They can't send bailiffs. Only a court can do that, and even they would only do it if PE took you to court, won and then you didn't pay up within the month. Oh look there's Elvis in the chip shop across the road.

    This is a scam that impersonates authority. They try to give you the impression that they can do these things but they can't.
  • 10_66
    10_66 Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    They can't send bailiffs. Only a court can do that, and even they would only do it if PE took you to court, won and then you didn't pay up within the month. Oh look there's Elvis in the chip shop across the road.

    This is a scam that impersonates authority. They try to give you the impression that they can do these things but they can't.

    Thank you for taking the time to reply. I feel much better about it now :).
  • 10_66 wrote: »
    Thank you for taking the time to reply. I feel much better about it now :).

    No problem. Come back here if you get more of their toilet roll and you feel like you need some more reassurance.
  • vax2002
    vax2002 Posts: 7,187 Forumite
    take note of the IMPERSONATES AUTHORITY advice.
    Calm down, ignore everything, look more closely at the letters, they do not add up, use words such as MAY, COULD.
    The whole show is fake.
    Ignore them and they will send more fake letters impersonating other types of authority and then vanish to look for a mug who does fall for the scam.

    The Only action you should take, is to return what you bought for a refund, once you have your refund ask to see the manager and make sure they know why you have brought the goods back and when they say, oh the car park is not our fault, just say yes it ruddy well is !
    Hi, we’ve had to remove your signature. If you’re not sure why please read the forum rules or email the forum team if you’re still unsure - MSE ForumTeam
  • give_them_FA
    give_them_FA Posts: 2,998 Forumite
    You have to remember that these people are more full of sh-it than your local sewage farm. They are on the fringe of legality, their claims are completely unenforceable so they cannot and don't, go anywhere near a county court. The reason they rely on lurid threats is precisely because they have no legal means of enforcement available to them.

    And yes these letters are written by ignorant people who can't spell bailiff. Doesn't that tell you anything?

    Ignore them. When you get bored doing that, ignore them some more.

    They eventually realise they are wasting their time and money trying to scam you and clear off, never to be heard from again.

    Guaranteed.
  • Shout63
    Shout63 Posts: 6 Forumite
    Got a parking ticket from UKPC because i didn't display a ticket in my car, ticket machine was out of order when i went into lidl Aylesbury but, spookily working when i cam out 15 mins later. I have appealed and been told on this occasion the charge stands as " i should have been displaying a ticket". I have appealed and asked them to look at my original appeal which states that the ticket machine was out of order, i have also found a witness. Any advice? The website tells me i could face a penalty of £300+ if i don't pay up.
  • 10_66
    10_66 Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    vax2002 wrote: »
    take note of the IMPERSONATES AUTHORITY advice.
    Calm down, ignore everything, look more closely at the letters, they do not add up, use words such as MAY, COULD.
    The whole show is fake.
    Ignore them and they will send more fake letters impersonating other types of authority and then vanish to look for a mug who does fall for the scam.

    The Only action you should take, is to return what you bought for a refund, once you have your refund ask to see the manager and make sure they know why you have brought the goods back and when they say, oh the car park is not our fault, just say yes it ruddy well is !

    I had wondered at the time whether or not to speak to the manager of the shop I'd visited to let them know that I felt they should have signs up as you enter the shop alerting you to the time restriction, but thought he/she might think I was a bit OTT. Think I might do so now.
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