Gemini Parking Solutions - HELP PLEASE!

QueenMorsh

Hi

I have seen a few posts on here regarding private car charging companies and wanted to get your advice as I am a bit of a pushover when it comes to things like this.

On Saturday I had lunch in a Harvester and didn't realise there was a ticket machine in the car park and I had to pay. There were adequate signs up and a pay and display machine, but being in a rush and in my own world I just rushed straight by, and didn't realise I had to pay for a ticket until I came out and saw I received a parking penalty.

The company is called Gemini Parking Solutions and they have charged me £85 but the cost will be reduced to £65 if I pay within 2 weeks.

With regards to the posts on here, I can see that on the ticket they should have provided a registered address, but all over the ticket and on their website there is only a P.O Box address available. I can also see that lots of people have said this company are run by Cowboys and I should ignore the ticket. Also, I checked on Companies House and they were listed as a registered company but now it says they've been dissolved.

Everyone is basically telling me to just ignore the ticket and it'll go away as they are chancers, but I am wary because I genuinely didn't buy a ticket. I just don't want the fees to rise and rise and in the end they DO take me to court becuase I owe them so much.

I also called the local council and they have nothing to do with this company - I know that apparantly if the ticket is not enforced by the council or the police there is technically nothing they can do, but i'm just worried that other people have been lucky and I am the one that will get take to court and end up owing them thousands?

Any advice would be appreciated, I am quite worried about this but don't want to pay - £65 is a bit steep considering the ticket is only £1 - I would gladly give them the £1 back as a genuine mistake!

Another thing thats making me wonder is that I have checked out their website and they do seem quite genuine?

Thank you

trisontana

Very simple, you just ignore them. Technically you owe them the price of that P&D ticket and not that stupid amount they are claiming. Because of that they would never take it to court because it would be deemed an unfair penalty which does not reflect the actual loss they have suffered.

Stephen_Leak

OK, whilst we don't condone not paying and ignorance is no defence, it's hardly the crime of the century. It's certainly a lesser one than the Pirate Parking Company (PPC) are committing.

All you owe is what the car park owner has lost. That's £1.00. Demanding any more is an unlawful "fine" or "penalty". Only local authorities and the police can do so. A PPC can no more impose a legally enforcable fine or penalty than you or I can. Therefore, they can also no more take you to court than any other blackmailer can.

Personally, I'd send just one letter each to the car park owner and PPC. Enclose a cheque for the £1.00 in "full and final settlement" with the letter to the PPC. This gives you the moral high ground.

Also tell them both to "cease and desist, or you will sue them under Section 3 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997." Explain to the car park owner that they are "jointly and severally liable" with their agents, the PPC.

Then, when the PPC sends their next poison pen letter, sue them both for harassment. It's almost criminally easy to do. We can tell you how.

The LBA is the first vital step. You do have give them a warning.

This course of action should result in the car park owner thinking twice about using a PPC. The big national firms, like Harvester and the retail parks and supermarkets are the "soft underbelly" of this monster.

give_them_FA

Yes, take on board what Stephen says.

Easiest option, ignore and wait for them to go away.

Or advanced, look at striking back- if so send Harvester that cheque for the missing £1.

Maybe accompanied by a letter not only saying it's in full and final settlement, but you won't be using their services again. Charging you to park so that you can patronise them? Infernal cheek.

However, whatever you do, don't pay. You've done your homework and found the cowboys may not even exist any more, so it may be even more of a scam than it usually is!

HO87

QueenMorsh wrote: »

With regards to the posts on here, I can see that on the ticket they should have provided a registered address, but all over the ticket and on their website there is only a P.O Box address available. I can also see that lots of people have said this company are run by Cowboys and I should ignore the ticket. Also, I checked on Companies House and they were listed as a registered company but now it says they've been dissolved.

Gemini Parking Solutions (UK) Ltd were dissolved in June 2011 but Gemini Parking Solutions Ltd continue to operate. Both companies shared the same registered office in Billet Road, Walthamstow. It is Gemini Parking Solutions Ltd who are members of the BPA Approved Operator Scheme.

Ryan Jackson, boss-man at Gemini also runs Skyline Roofing Services (UK) Ltd and purports to have worked at L.A. Fitness before taking over at Gemini. Clearly a multi-talented individual.

They used to have offices above an MoT centre at 147-149 Beehive Lane, Wanstead but I can't confirm whether they are still there. All of the other addresses are either PO boxes, accountants or registered offices.

Orford

If this operates like my local Harvester where Gemini run the car park, you don't even owe the parking charge, since if you eat/drink at the pub the parking charge is deducted from your bill.

QueenMorsh

Thanks for all your help on this. I must admit that I don't entirely understand all the legality of this, but from what I can work out I am best to just hold tight and hope that they don't keep raising the charges over and over again.

The sign on the side of the restaurant says if I take my ticket stub in the Harvester will give me the money back that way, so they don't deduct it from the bill but you can get it back.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, this time next year I could be in jail

trisontana

They can raise the amount to £25,000 if they want, but it doesn't mean you have to pay. Just keep ignoring this bunch of chancers.

Why do you think that you might end up in jail? They are not the police or the council, but just a private company with the same powers to demand money of people as you or me. You are taking them much too seriously.

ManxRed

For a moment there I thought that you legally owed them £1. But, as it turns out, you legally owe them nothing whatsoever.

Continue to ignore their empty threats, and do not contact them. This wouldn't last five minutes in a court and they know it.

Coupon-mad

QueenMorsh wrote: »

Thanks for all your help on this. I must admit that I don't entirely understand all the legality of this, but from what I can work out I am best to just hold tight and hope that they don't keep raising the charges over and over again.

The sign on the side of the restaurant says if I take my ticket stub in the Harvester will give me the money back that way, so they don't deduct it from the bill but you can get it back.

Keep your fingers crossed for me, this time next year I could be in jail

Keep our fingers crossed? Jail? You are joking surely?

And as for ''just hold tight and hope that they don't keep raising the charges over and over again.'' YES, but they will send letters and they will pretend that the amount has increased again and again. That's what the scam is about, scary letters to the registered keeper of the car.

Please now take a moment to read the top thread 'PPC letters & threats' for a preview of the letters you will receive, so you are ready for them and don't panic every timey ou see a debt collector or 'alleged solicitor' letter heading!

If unsure how to see the top thread please see my signature as you are just one click away from the whole forum index view, sticky thread at the top. Look at the letters you will get and look at the Watchdog clip, it's an easily-enough understood scam. And very easy to ignore when you know what to expect.

give_them_FA

QueenMorsh wrote: »

Keep your fingers crossed for me, this time next year I could be in jail

Absolute rubbish!

As soon as they hear your story, any jury will find that your killing the Gemini Parking Board of Directors was justifiable homicide.

You will become a national hero!