Fine from private parking company asking for full card details

tomslominski

Hi. I've recently received a fine from a private parking company based in Coventry called Predator Security UK Ltd. I admit that it is my fault for not buying a ticket, but I still expected it to be around £30 like most council controlled parking tickets cost. I am prepared to pay it, however I'm worried as the company is asking me to provide full debit/credit card details either over the phone or through the post, which is crazyness, as with them they could do anything they want with my card. I've got one card on which I only keep small amounts of money on, and I could pay with that, however I'm still worried that they'd take more than they need to take etc. Can I file a complaint with someone? I've only got about 10 days left to pay it before it rises to £100.

malkyh

Just ignore it. You do not have to pay a private company. It's not a fine.

Ignore all letters they send as they will try to bully you into paying but they have no authority to get your money.

Take a read through this forum for all the same stories to ease your mind.

esmerobbo

Don't pay them anything except maybe the parking charge due! They are entitled to what is owing nothing else!

Plus you wont or should not hear anything from them as they are not BPA AOS members, so should not be able to get your details from DVLA.

Half_way

STOP!!! what was the cost of the ticket that you forgot to buy?

if you havent already guessed it, thats the amount that you owe them as a full and final settlement. Private companys can NOT issue fines or penaltys, if they pursue you for more then technicaly its harrasmanet, and the shoe is on the other foot so to speak as you can sue them for harrasment.

to start the process, ( and get them off your back) you could fire off a letter like this
"please find enclosed a cheque for £0.X as a full and final settlement for the parking charge at car park X, i now consider this matter closed, and any further threats with excessive charges will be taken as harrasment, and i may consider taking legal action against you via the small claims court if you send anyhting other than a letter acknowldging the matter is closed, together with an apology for your administration error stating that i could owe you £100 as i am sure that you are aware that private companys can not issue penalty charges or fines, of which that amount clearly is.
Lots of love, all the ebst etc etc, tomslominski"

and a similar one to the land owners/whoever contracted the parking company as they are jointly liable for the actions of their agents. you need to go for whoever contracted them as you may be able to help in getting the company removed form the car park.

esmerobbo

lawabidingcitizen1 wrote: »

Please .

Clicky Spam ! :cool:

Half_way

lawabidingcitizen1 wrote: »

Please be careful with this advice. Some private parking companies do take people to court and when they win the court costs can be added onto the fine itself. It can end up costing you thousands. I seems that people giving advice on this forum don't want to tell you that, but it is a risk that you should consider.

however if your one of the very few where the above does happen, and the case is defended ( ie you turn up/lodge an appeal) the parking companys generaly loose, in fact this can end up costing the parking companys thousands, likewise you can also pursue the parking company and the landowner for harrasment.

Reading through this it could be game over for private parking companys and there hollow threats. https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3964225

peter_the_piper

lawabidingcitizen1 wrote: »

Please be careful with this advice. Some private parking companies do take people to court and when they win the court costs can be added onto the fine itself. It can end up costing you thousands. I seems that people giving advice on this forum don't want to tell you that, but it is a risk that you should consider.

What a load of spherical objects from someone who's only aim is to con people into paying, guess who they work for?

esmerobbo

For a parking company to "Operate within industry guidelines" and obtain keeper details they would have to be within the body which regulates (they do for the DVLA but not for the public) the industry and upholds the conditions to enable them to act in anyway. So allowing them to receive RK details. This company is not!

Half_way

lawabidingcitizen1 wrote: »

It seems that the interests of this poster are in fact in costing the PPCs thousands rather than in giving you the correct advice. As evidenced by the fact that they now admit that ignoring the ticket can result in a court case.

Also, when the parking company in question has operated within industry guidlines, they win

anyone can form a group, lets call it the British Pancake Associaion (BPA) and lets say for instance that this goup forms its own guidelines, doesnt mean to say that the are legaly enforcable.
I am not interested in fleecing anyone, be it a PPC or another individual, however one way to defaet the PPC menace would be to turn them into a headache for those who take up their services on their land.

lawabidingcitizen1

esmerobbo wrote: »

For a parking company to "Operate within industry guidelines" and obtain keeper details they would have to be within the body which regulates (they do for the DVLA but not for the public) the industry and upholds the conditions to enable them to act in anyway. So allowing them to receive RK details. This company is not!

Fair point. Probably worth taking your chances with this one as you will quite likely win the court case.

Lone_Ranger_2

lawabidingcitizen1 wrote: »

Fair point. Probably worth taking your chances with this one as you will quite likely win the court case.

So just out of interest which ones do you think the PPCs will win ?