Parking "Charge" from TPS

js843242

Hi

I overstayed by 10 minutes over the 2 hour limit in the (empty) car park of a Budgens supermarket. A couple of weeks later, I get a "charge" of £40, which increases to £70 if not paid within 14 days. After having read lots of things on the internet, I ignored it. I got another letter saying that I now owe £70, and now another one saying I now owe £110.

When I took the decision to ignore the £40, I was like "hell yeah, they can't force me to do anything", but in the back of my mind I knew I could just always pay the £40. Now it's up to £110, which honestly is a bit much for me. I know that they'll send me all kinds of letters saying that my credit rating will be hit (untrue) and they'll take me to court (very unlikely). But, even the worry at the back of my mind is starting to become not worth the original £40 I avoided. Also, I found these two links on this very forum (I can't find the original post now).

(Agh, won't let me post links. If you want to see, paste "Glasgow driver hit with £5k parking fine" and "Parking penalty just, judge rules" into Google and hit the top link in each case)

So, if I decide to give up (sorry) and pay them the £40, does anyone know if they'll leave me alone? Or will they chase the £110 and I'll not have solved the problem? And also, does anyone have any other advice/reassurance for ways of dealing with this?

Thanks for any help.

societys_child

They will accept your £40 . . . then keep coming back for more . . . and more

Edit: Just checked the two 2008 links, the cases weren't defended properly AND judges are more informed now.

Just ignore, unless you receive signed court papers (very very very very very very unlikely)

turniphead_2

these people are merciless. do some quick thinking in real time and decide what you want to do. personally i think you are lumbered with the £110 fine. sorry.

societys_child

turniphead wrote: »

these people are merciless. do some quick thinking in real time and decide what you want to do. personally i think you are lumbered with the £110 fine. sorry.

Nonsense . . .

pogofish

js843242 wrote: »

So, if I decide to give up (sorry) and pay them the £40, does anyone know if they'll leave me alone?

Don't pay them a penny!

They will keep coming at you for more but you don't owe them anything to begin with. After all, what exactly is their loss from using a free car park?

Check the sticky at the top of this forum so you will be ready for their next entirely meaningless demand.

pogofish

turniphead wrote: »

these people are merciless. do some quick thinking in real time and decide what you want to do. personally i think you are lumbered with the £110 fine. sorry.

Utter rubbish!

TPS are well known scammers here.

js843242

Thanks everyone. Could anyone comment specifically on the "links" I provided in my post? Because they're the only new information I've had since I got the original £40 fine, and they really worry me.

Just seen your edit societys child, thanks.

societys_child

The Mike Perkins AKA "Perky" who claimed the "landmark hearing" (your second link) is well known on here and posts under various aliases.

Note: If you receive any private messages, do not reply, the scammers have been known to offer to "help".
They're just fishing for info.

taffy056

You are getting your knickers in a twist here, those two cases are from 4 years ago, a hell of a lot has happened since then , here are few who went to court and won. But trust us this very seldom goes there, you are talking a handful out of almost 2m invoices a year issued. The second case is widely recognised as a stooge to get a judgement. The one with 38 invoices really had it coming, this was a very well sign posted car park, how could he say that he missed them 38 times in a row ?

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1458879_motorist-wins-18-month-ticket-battle-after-judge-agrees-stockport-parking-signs-were-too-small
http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/community/your-letters/excel_let_the_courts_decide_1_3822738
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-542355/Judge-quashes-300-parking-fine--set-frighten-intimidate-driver.html

AltheHibby

Js,

I want you to do 50 lines: "It's an invoice not a fine".

Seriously, please ignore this scam and stop worrying. They are no more legitimate than the e-mails I used to get from Nigeria to "My dear christian Broother", looking for "an honest man" to help them smuggle £millions out of the country.

Coupon-mad

js843242 wrote: »

Hi

So, if I decide to give up (sorry) and pay them the £40, does anyone know if they'll leave me alone? Or will they chase the £110 and I'll not have solved the problem? And also, does anyone have any other advice/reassurance for ways of dealing with this?

Thanks for any help.

Don't even think about it!

You are in the middle of a mail scam that's all. If you had a series of phishing emails asking for more and more money to 'collect' your winnings from the Nigerian Lottery would you give in after the sixth email and ask them if you could pay the original amount? Nope, you would still recognise it as a scam and delete each email no matter what it said. Just you should ignore the well-known letters you are getting; nothing has changed!

You should be playing PPC snap with each letter by now as they are pretty much all shown in pictures in our top thread 'PPC letters & threats'. It's easy to ignore these letters when you know what will come next from their list of letter templates. And watch the Watchdog clip in the same top thread.

'Nuff said.

And same advice to this clueless newbie:

turniphead wrote: »

these people are merciless. do some quick thinking in real time and decide what you want to do. personally i think you are lumbered with the £110 fine. sorry.

To avoid confusion and possible expense for others, please only post advice on this important board when you know what you are talking about. You just need to read the top 'sticky' and watch the Watchdog clip - that's what the sticky threads are for - to inform newbies. There is NO FINE.