Parking Charge Notice VCS/Excel

katy_cockburn

thank you - but who or what is 'give them FA' ?

The_Slithy_Tove

katy_cockburn wrote: »

I have got a fine for my car when I wasn't even driving it!

First things first, this IS NOT A FINE. You need to be absolutely clear on this. A fine can only be imposed by the Police, Local Authority or TfL. A Parking Charge Notice from a private parking company (PPC) (which I presumet this is) comes from none of these, and therefore has no statutory basis. The PPC tries to make out it has some sort of authority, whereas it does not. It cannot fine you. It can present you with an invitation to pay (which it has), and you can ignore it - end of.

katy_cockburn wrote: »

but Martin's site suggests reporting them for harassment to their 'governing boidy' whiuch - according to Watchdog is in their pocket.

Indeed, which is why it is pointless complaining to the BPA. Just don't bother. As I said, the real way to "complain" about them, and get your own back is through the courts with a harrassment suit. Hit them where it hurts - in their pocket and in the local press.

The_Slithy_Tove

katy_cockburn wrote: »

thank you - but who or what is 'give them FA' ?

A regular on these forums, who often suggests the approach of suing for harrassment. Browse just about any thread (including this one), and you'll find him.

katy_cockburn

Thank you - all this support is lovely. The fine was applied to my car when someone else - with my total permission and full insurance - was driving it.
I will stay strong - I'm usually rather good at that but this is grinding me down!

katy_cockburn

surely that would cost me more than simply handing over the cash to the thieves?

give_them_FA

Katy- it goes like this.

As you weren't driving, there is NO CASE that they can bring against you. It is NOT like the council who can pursue the car owner... or the Police who can demand to know who was driving....

They have NO POWERS AT ALL. It is a private company, not any form of authority.

But they keep in business by PRETENDING. They pretend they have these powers, and they rely on the fact that a lot of decent honest people like yourself will believe what they say. Because you have contacted them, they believe that they have you hooked and if they put pressure on you (= tell you lies and half-truths) they will browbeat you into coughing up money which you don't owe them and never did owe them.

It's important to realise that this is how they work- they do it to everyone.

The purpose of the exercise is not to improve or manage parking, it is to make money.

Luckily, because their demands have no legal foundation, you are actually in a stronger position than they would have you believe.

Although it's part of the standard procedure to threaten you with court, this does not actually happen.

So all you actually need to do to get them off your back is nothing at all. By responding you only encourage them to put more pressure on you because it sends the message you are taking their FAKE ticket seriously.

So, just ignore them completely from here on in. No letters, no e mails, no telephone.

If you have advised them you weren't the driver they should have ceased all communication with you.

Yes indeed, in law their continuing harassment of you is illegal and you can sue them. Whether you want to do so is up to you; it's been done before and isn't too difficult.

But whatever you decide to do, just ignore them and do not worry.

If they had any LEGITIMATE way of collecting from you they wouldn't be resorting to bullying and harassment, would they? Think about it!

Edit, and in view of your comment that it would cost you more to sue- it won't. The maximum you outlay is about £50 which they will give you back when they pay.

ManxRed

Katy,

Its not a fine, its an invoice to pay a charge which is due in respect of breaching a contract formed between the driver and the parking company.

Two things:

1. You weren't the driver. So you haven't formed a contract with the parking company. So you can't possibly have breached it. So you don't owe them anything.

2. For breach of contract, the aggrieved party can only pursue the other party for actual losses incurred, which in this case is nothing.

So in summary, someone, who isn't you, owes the parking company £0.

When its put this way, it doesn't sound quite as scary does it? Don't pay it, legally you owe them nothing at all.

cona674

Hi, This all seems very official and scary but that's exactly what they want you to think! In their letters they give you more and more chances to pay and keep extending the 'deadline' by two weeks every time... If their so sure that they can take me to court and win, why haven't they?

I know it's all very scary in the beginning (I was a real worrier, a really bad one!) but once you receive your first letter, then your second letter you will realise that you are receiving their standard stream of rubbish which they send to every one... The sticky thread containing the letter chains has been very useful to me and I'm sure it will be to you

You'll start to notice their pitiful attempts to look official with their big red boxes and their black/yellow striped borders on their letters but eventually you'll be able to laugh at them and eventually they will get bored of sending you their rubbish and they will move onto the next person!

The way I look at it is that it's essentially the same as me sending you a letter CLAIMING that you owe me £30 or whatever the 'charge' is... I can make it look as official as I want but it never will be

Also, don't cave into any ridiculous attempts from them to find out who the driver was... You have no legal obligation to disclose that information to these parasites

katy_cockburn

thank you! I was just worried that I'd end up in court and that although I KNOW I am telling the truth I have very little hard evidence to support that claim.

give_them_FA

As I said Katy- it isn't for you to prove you WEREN'T the driver- it is for them to prove you WERE.

No evidence = no case as it isn't Peter Hasbeen here!