Highview Parking LTD and Debt Collection Plus LTD

harrystenner

Hello all,

My girlfriend recieved a parking ticket in November for parking in a tesco carpark for more than 4 hours. She had just started working for tesco and hadn't been told that she had to park in a staff car park over the road, and was told that when she signed her car in at the security desk this protected her from any parking tickets. However a few weeks later she got a fine through for £40 (I think), she was advised by her manager to send them a letter saying she was not aware of the rules about staff parking and that it was therefore unfair.. she recieved the standard rejection letter saying that the fine was now £80.

After reading other cases we now realise this was a big mistake to admit that she was the one driving. But anyway, we didnt pay and continued to ignore the letters coming through saying that the fine had gone up. They hadnt contacted her for about 2 months when today she recieved a letter from Debt Collection Plus LTD explaining that if she had 7 days to pay £149.99 (gone up a bit!).

We have no itention to pay, but we were wondering whether we might have to as she admitted driving the car? Is there anyway we can contest it after admitting she parked the car there?

Thankyou

ManxRed

I would continue to ignore. They may know who was driving, but in reality they are only entitled to pursue their actual losses suffered as a result of your girlfriend parking where she did, which in a free car park, was zero.

I'm stunned that her employer can't get this overturned - the parking company is their contracted agent - they are liable for the parking company's actions, regardless of what they might tell you.

Coupon-mad

Obviously ignore them still and you won't be 'contesting it' anyway!

It's a scam. Please read more about it, read the sticky thread 'PPC letters & threats' at the top:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/...play.php?f=163

Once you have seen the preview of the letters to expect and ignore, and when you have seen the Watchdog clip on another top thread by Crabman, you WILL be certain about it I am sure.

Of course you can ignore them now, and the question ''can I still ignore them even though I have already ''appealed''? (;)LOL @ 'appealed'...:D) is asked a lot:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?searchid=123386851

That link will only last for a limited time as the question comes up so often the search result will change & no longer work. I just searched the sub-forum for keywords 'already appealed' if you want to repeat the search. Read any result that's NOT about a Council (real) PCN, as they are different.

Ignore them completely from now on. But do read up on the scam and watch the Watchdog clip if you've not seen that already, and get a preview of the letters to come.

Highview just do letters; they do NOT do Court nor clamp or anything. Like most PPCs they rely on their threatograms to scare people and their fake PCN to give the whole scam an appearance of a real parking ticket.

They really are easy to ignore when you can just play snap with each predictable letter, when compared to the pics in the top thread.

HTH

give_them_FA

I appreciate it puts her in an invidious position. However, the buck stops with Tesco, as the parking company are their agents. Not some unstoppable juggernaut over which Tesco have no control.

There is absolutely no chance of the company getting this money- but if the continuing correspondence is causing her distress, she should write to Highview Parking and state that they must cease and desist from making any more unwarranted demands for money with menaces, and that if they and their agents fail to comply then a claim for Damages for Harassment will follow.

Normally we advise to include the landowner in the warning but as she works for them, hold fire on that in this case.... but suing the parking company is a cinch.

Stephen_Leak

I doubt if they even read her letter, and just sent the usual standard reply to the address.

I would suggest joining the relevant trade union and then using the firm's own grievance procedure. I see no difference between harrassment and bullying. A letter or call from Tesco ought to carry more weight. If it doesn't, then that would be a most interesting situation.

It does strike me as a case of "the tail wagging the dog". Who do the PPC thinks owns the car park? But then, if you employ criminals to do your dirty work for you, what do you expect?

ToniAC

Hi everyone

I parked at tesco a few times recently for work, but had been doing it for ages that i thought it was just ok to park there!

Obviously i was about 8 hours, anyone i didnt receive anything for months and now i h ave 2 tickets.

I paid the first one but not the second one after hearing comments.

They said if i dont pay in 14 days it will go up to £80... i was obviously in the wrong as there are signs up saying how long you can stay there....

Thanks!!

vax2002

It is an impersonation of authority scam:
the Characters in the acts of impersonation are:

Parking Authority Company
Debt Collectors
Solicitors advising free legal advice (lies)
More Debt Collectors offering reduced value
The Last act of impersonation
A vanishing act:
when they finally give up and go look for a mug that will pay a scam and fake impersonation of authority parking ticket.
The Law is on your side, Ignore them.

notts_phil

Oh dear that was money down the drain

just ignore, it can go up to any figure they want to name but dont need to pay it...

ManxRed

They are legally entitled to their actual losses incurred (provided they own the car park, but that's another issue again...), which in your case are zero.

They can ask for whatever they like, legally you owe them £0.00.

give_them_FA

Oh dear, learn from your mistake in paying the scroungers the first time, it is unfortunate, but don't repeat it. Do not give them one penny more, ever again. Simply ignore them. And tell all of your colleagues to do the same.

andrew-the-cat

ToniAC wrote: »

Hi everyone

I parked at tesco a few times recently for work, but had been doing it for ages that i thought it was just ok to park there!

Obviously i was about 8 hours, anyone i didnt receive anything for months and now i h ave 2 tickets.

I paid the first one but not the second one after hearing comments.

They said if i dont pay in 14 days it will go up to £80... i was obviously in the wrong as there are signs up saying how long you can stay there....

Thanks!!

Here's something to think about:

Is it a free car park? If so, how do they lose money if you park there for 3 hours instead of 2 since you don't have to pay in the first place?

You mention the charge increases if you don't pay within 14 days. How do they lose more money if it takes you longer to pay?




Just in case you are confused by the answer to any of these questions I'll give you a hint: they don't.

They COULD take you to court, and sue you for their losses. In a free car park they'd have a tough time convincing a court that you caused them £80 of losses by parking for a few hours more than you were 'entitled' to.