PCN Conundrum - Please Help!!

cwb106

Hi guys,

Firstly, a quick background. Parked in a parking bay in Coventry City Centre where I had never noticed any restrictions, however, I had also never specifically looked so had taken a risk. It turns out between 8am and 6pm the bay is for electric charging only. I left my car for about 15 minutes, on my return I found an Enforcement Officer stood next to my car taking its details. I was annoyed but knew it was my fault. As I got to the car he informed me that the ticket was not yet issued, and that he was willing to let me drive away and take no further action. However, before I did, we had quite a pleasant conversation about where in the city centre would be suitable to host his upcoming engagement party!

A few weeks later, I received a notice through the door, informing me that since I hadn't paid the reduced cost of £35, I was now liable to a charge of £70. I obviously appealed this as I thought I had been lucky that day and found an Enforcement Officer with a heart. And since I had never been issued with a ticket I'd never had the chance to pay the reduced fee and felt somewhat cheated.

I have now been sent another notice, this time for £35, along with a photo of the sign that I had not seen. As well as this, they were kind enough to include a photo of my car, parked in the bay......with a ticket on the windscreen......?!

Ordinarily, I may have written this one off to experience. Maybe someone felt inclined to take it from my windscreen as a weird joke. However, I am finding it very hard to believe that I'm not being scammed, since;

A. When I returned to my car, the officer was there, and no ticket had been placed on my car, and

B. He gave me his word it had not been issued and that I could drive away.

If I had been given a ticket from the off, I would have had no problem in paying it. At the end of the day it was my fault. However, I am absolutely begrudged to pay it as I feel either the council, or the officer were trying to pull a fast one from the start. Has anyone else experienced anything like this or can you offer any sound advice about a plan of action?!

Many thanks

vax2002

Try to host the images + ticket minus personal details and put links, I will examine the signs and bay for compliance, 1 small mistake and the ticket will be overturned.

Is the date on the second notice the same as the first ?

LincolnshireYokel

You dont think he stuck the ticket on another windscreen and took a photo after you had left, by any chance?

Coupon-mad

I reckon he sticks an empty yellow envelope on the car and takes a photo before even starting the ticket.

Or there are TWO PCNs in play here. Did you check the time of the 'other Notice' you mention?

Anyway you should take your query to pepipoo IMHO. They get most people off almost any Council PCN:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

Often on there it's shown that the bay lines or signs for electric vehicles bays are at best confusing and at worst, completely wrong. But each case is different so you need individual advice about yours.

So start a new thread there with a close up photo of all pages of all Notices and letters received (just cover the car reg, PCN numer and your name/address, that's all). And find the bay on Google Street View and link the place in your first post. Or take a photo of he sign and lines of the bay and add that to your post.

HTH, let us know when you win.

cwb106

Thanks for the quick response guys. I've popped it onto pepipoo as suggested:

"I'm a new user so it won't let me post the link!" In pepipoo, it's under the Council Parking Tickets Forum, with the same topic title.

I'm so annoyed by this I'm even approaching the nearby bar and seeing if their CCTV cameras show the bays!

Thanks again for you help, and coupon-mad, I feel you're right with how he might be doing it? A sticker on with a photo before anything else is done. I saw him from a distance and he mustn't have known it was my car until I had my key in the lock of the boot. That whole time he was stood back from the car typing at his machine!

vax2002

You can receive the same advice on here from the same people by posting what is requested
just edit the links with www missing and post them as text.

cwb106

forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=71746

Coupon-mad

cwb106 wrote: »

forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=71746

I have added a comment to bump your thread (I am SchoolRunMum over there):

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=71746

Whenever a thread drops to page 2 on pepipoo and you need more help you should add a reply restating what you need and/or adding further info or pics. People will forget about a case on page 2 as that forum is so busy.

Anyway, their letter makes NO SENSE but I am concerned that you have not actually appealed yet. It seems your letter just said there was no PCN served. That's not an appeal - you MUST draft an urgent appeal and post it there on pepipoo to get some more advice. You have a few days only.