Car Parking Partnership at university

pogofish

PPC contracts are nearly, if not always ex gratia, so there is no direct contractural link between any "debt" to a PPC and the Uni/client.

So just ignore away!

Coupon-mad

Clairyt wrote: »

Thank you. It does seem that there is no link between CPP and the University. I wonder if anyone has actually ever heard of someone being denied their degree because of unpaid parking fines?

No but I have read threads where it has been threatened by some idiot jobsworth who knows no better, either a CPP employee or a University employee who isn't top of the food chain.

Really don't worry about it at all, but maybe 'sound out' the SU and/or a law student, out of interest, would be fun to see if they know the truth about these unenforceable invoices?!

Coupon-mad

IanManc wrote: »

That's not true.

I know of people who have been threatened with the witholding of their degree until they paid other debts to the university, specifically the replacement cost of missing library books and unpaid accommodation bills for university residences. The can stop you graduating if you owe any debt to the university.

The issue here is whether this is a debt to the univeristy, and so far every poster has thought that it isn't - including me.

Yep I have read similar threads, on pepipoo and CAG.

And when the student threatens to sue, they get their degree of course. The Uni cannot actually withhold a degree because money is owed unless the t&cs in their 'contract' with the student are very watertight indeed! I have certainly seen it stated though, on forums like this - never ever seen the Uni get away with it when seriously challenged by someone getting help from CAG forums etc.

Generally, even if a Uni t&cs state something along these lines, I suspect a Court might well declare it to be an unfair contract (even if the t&cs include such an assertion, it doesn't make it enforceable of course).

Anyway I think we are all agreeing that CPP are a private bunch of chancers and there's no money owed anyway!

taffy056

IanManc wrote: »

That's not true.

I know of people who have been threatened with the witholding of their degree until they paid other debts to the university, specifically the replacement cost of missing library books and unpaid accommodation bills for university residences. The can stop you graduating if you owe any debt to the university.

The issue here is whether this is a debt to the univeristy, and so far every poster has thought that it isn't - including me.

That is a completely different matter, this is a THIRD party company ! Its akin of the Uni saying we won't give you your degree because you owe HSBC an overdraft. One has no connection with the other at all.

This is a parking company who are trying to act like an authority , and their person there is trying scare people to pay their unenforcible invoices, my answer to him if it was me, if CCP want money from me, take me to a small claims court!

Coupon-mad

It's even more akin to the Uni saying 'we won't give Tom Smith his degree because a parking company allege that his grandad owes them money for when he brought Tom into college one day!' :rotfl:

split_second

if its a city centre campus they are probably trying to discourage shoppers pretending to be students

Clairyt

I really am very grateful for all your answers and you have put my mind at rest. Why do the university use CPP? I don't understand what is in it for them? I guess I originally assumed that any charges would go to the uni in which case I could understand them chasing up unpaid fines but as we are instructed to pay fines directly to CPP then I don't get how they would even know that I owe money?
Theoretically - does this basically mean free parking at Uni?? (Trust me I'm not brave enough to actually put it to the test!!)

taffy056

Most of us on here do not endorse taking the michael, if the £2 goes towards the Uni fair enough its their car park so they have a right to charge, but the parking company try to fix problems that don't exist for the most part, they come into a car park with no problems, but then weeks after they come there are huge problems, people getting invoices for nothing more than a tyre touching a white line, or someone daring to come to a car park twice in a day, then they saying you been there all day!

And so on and so on, that is the reality of these chancers, they scam people out of money they have no right to have.

HO87

The arrangement that CPP has with many universities is the provision of back-office facilities collection/enforcement for what are otherwise self-ticketing operations. Rarely are the hi-viz'ed attendants employed by them but more usually are Uni security staff. This may put a different spin on things I'd venture to suggest though I am concerned that what remains a contractual agreement is being enforced in this way.

One has to ask whether the comment made by the attendant in this case, to the effect that the OP's degree may be withheld if she fails to pay up, is warranted and amounts to a menace? If it is indeed a menace then one has to ask a further question and that is: Is the threat of withholding a degree against a relatively small, unpaid alleged debt a proper means of enforcing it? The hi-viz wearer will probably just be an innocent agent but his supervisers should have thought through these issues.

A clue might lie in the word proportionality. After all a garage proprietor may properly retain a car if the bill for its being serviced is unpaid by its owner. However, apart from the matter of expense a car owner could readily obtain another car but could the OP so readily obtain a replacement degree given the investment of time and her debt to Student Finance England, or whoever?

The OP would do well to discuss this with the advisers at the union or specifically a NUS officer. She might even want to discuss the niceties of s.21 Theft Act 1968 with them, perhaps alluding to the fact that one is not obliged to complain of criminal conduct. After all the proof required in a county court is on the balance of probabilities.

Clairyt

Thank you HO87. I am pretty sure that the high vis guys are uni security - I'm not sure I fully understand you though - does this make a difference? I will speak to NUS and find out where I stand. I have never intentionally parked illegally but for instance when there are no spaces and you don't want to be late it is very tempting to park where there isn't a bay (there is also no sign saying you shouldn't do this). It happens everyday where I am and I can't believe that every student pays their fines. Surely we would have heard by now if Degrees were being withheld bacause of it? We have all heard about degrees being withheld because of library fine etc but surely a third party company is a different matter?

Thanks again