parking charge notice

Jono180185

I need advice here -

Yesterday - 8th Aug, 3pm - I drove into a superstore car park, fully intending to use the store which I did although nothing was purchased. However, I am embarrassed to admit that upon arriving I had the sudden urge to use the lavatory. This may sound like a typical excuse to park anywhere - but in my case an overactive bladder/bowel is a genuine and common aspect of Asperger's Syndrome, which I was diagnosed with when I was 14 - this can be proven!
Just across the road from the superstore where I had parked there was a supermarket so I instinctively dashed across the road to the supermarket to use the facilities. I was gone literally for a matter of minutes and I did not shop there.

I immediately returned to the superstore afterwards - as I walked through the car park to the entrance I glanced across at my car and do not recall seeing anything attached to the windscreen.
I entered the superstore and was in there for at least half and hour. Upon returning to my car I found that a parking charge notice was stuck to my windscreen. Apparently it was against the terms and conditions - which certainly weren't presented in a way that I could see or notice them - that I leave my car in the superstore car park and go elsewhere!

Now - I have been informed that if this ticket has been presented to me by a private company - which it looks like it has - and not the council then it's possible that I may be able to avoid paying the fine! Due to my Asperger's I am far from proficient when it comes to financial problems so I really need help here.
It may also be worth mentioning that Asperger's Syndrome also affects communication skills. This may include the way that certain "terms and conditions" are presented to me (assuming they were to begin with) and could explain why this particular violation was mistakenly overlooked by me under these circumstances!

I have been driving for less than a year and this is my first and only parking charge notice!

What do I do?
J

HappyMJ

What to do? Ignore them. If you appeal to them it will fail so don't waste your effort.

Jono180185

That's risky isn't it?

SodG24

Definitely a private invoice so just ignore them.

We like to name and shame here so who is the PPC ?

Jono180185

VP Parking Solutions Ltd

peter_the_piper

2.5 million tickets issued, 45 chased to court, less than 25 won by ppc, so the odds are as good as the lottery.

SodG24

Jono180185 wrote: »

VP Parking Solutions Ltd

Not risky at all then. You'll get a few threatening letters and that will be it.

AltheHibby

Jono,

Mrs theHibby has had 3 of these and nothing has happened other than our recycling bin filling up a bit more quickly.

Chill.

bondy_lad

relax,you have recieved a FAKE parking ticket,its an imitation of the real thing, but in reality nothing more than loo paper,you say this is your first parking charge notice,who cares if you have had a million, they are FAKE, simply ignore all letters you recieve on or on behalf of these clowns,nothing can/will happen to you,,only a PENALTY charge notice is genuine, you do not have this, worry not, come here for reassurance as often as you like, do not contact/reply to these rogues in any way shape or form,, as its a SCAM,,relax now, jobs a good un eh.

Coupon-mad

Jono180185 wrote: »

I need advice here -

...I have been driving for less than a year and this is my first and only parking charge notice!

What do I do?
J

LOL! As others have said, this is not a real parking ticket, it's a rubbish piece of paper impersonating one. Same with any private 'ticket'.

My lovely 18 year old niece knows all about the fake PCN scam from me and she has collected more than me! She's laughed at four from Parking Eye and a couple from other PPCs as well; I think one of them was VP Parking Solutions too. She knows that only the Police or Council (or rarely, a Train Operator) can issue a real Parking Penalty ticket - and even then the Council ones are very easy to appeal in most cases!

I have only laughed at two fake PCNs myself, so I have some catching up to do with my niece!

They are like phishing emails, think of the letters that way = SCAM. You took a scam seriously at first but no harm done and glad someone put you right! Read up on the forum to learn about this. Glad you came here.

A 'Parking Charge Notice' is NOT a real PCN but a fake one.

Just ignore it.

No private parking company (PPC) can actually issue a real fine or penalty on private land, retail car parks etc. Nor can they affect your credit rating nor send a bailiff round without the small matter of winning a Small Claim in Court first! And that won't happen.

The most that will happen is even more junk mail letters that you can ignore, over the coming months. The registered keeper gets the letters, so if that's not you then educate them about this well-known scam and show them the links & info we are giving you here.

Please read on...

We have so much info on here to help newbies understand and be ready for the letters. See my signature if you aren't used to forums - just one click from here & you see all current threads here, most of which are about the 'fake PCN' scam.

Second from the top, click on 'PPC letters & threats'.

1. Watch the Watchdog clip on there, and then

2. scroll down to the pics of your fave PPC's threatograms, then

3. Play a nice game of snap with each matching templated threatogram, then

4. If you like legal stuff and want to understand why PPCs are very unlikely to win any small claim now, read the links on this CAG thread.

5. Tell your friends & family, colleagues, strangers, everyone! about the fake PCN scam so they never pay one.

Jono180185

I have returned to where I parked yesterday and had a look around. There are VP signs EVERYWHERE giving the rules and the possible fee.

How can it be fake? You're not making any sense!