Car Parking Partnership - University Hospital Coventry

Mandymeow

I recently got a Civil Parking Notice when parked on a designated red route at the University Hospital Coventry. Its on a bit of road where people park all day every day as you dont have to pay there and the security guys usually turn a blind eye - its outside the womens and childrens units, so a lot of people parking there are visiting their kids, including me as my baby is in the Neonatal unit there. Parking there does not really cause an obstruction, nor is it blocking the route for ambulances as the road is wide.

I only parked there as I am spending a fortune in the car park every day - there are no concessions for parents of premature babies - and the majority of the time people don't get ticketed there. Just the one day I managed to find a space it happened!! The fine is 50pounds, or 25 if i pay within 14days. I have read on a few forums that you can get away with not paying, Is this true?? I dont want to get in trouble, and am selling my car soon, so should I ignore it or pay it?

ManxRed

I would ignore it.

The legal situation is that the landowner is entitled to recoup from the driver any actual losses they have incurred as a result of the driver's parking. It sounds to me that they have lost absolutely nothing as a result.

Stephen_Leak

Firstly, we all wish your baby a full and speedy recovery.

Only councils, the police, some train operators and Transport for London can issue legally enforceable fines or penalties. A private ticketing company can't. What they issue are “speculative invoices”.

All the car park owner can claim from a driver in damages for an alleged breach of a contract is what they’ve lost as a result. If it’s in a free car park or the driver paid, this is £0.00. Demanding more has been judged to be unreasonable and, therefore, an unfair contract penalty under the terms of The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1997. See Dunlop Pneumatic Tyre Co. Ltd. vs. New Garage & Motor Co. Ltd., House of Lords, 1914 and countless cases since.

There are also now landmark court cases, VCS Parking Control vs. Ronald Ibbotson, S!!!!horpe, 2012, HM Revenue & Customs vs. VCS Parking Control, Lower Tax Tribunal, 2012 and VCS Parking Control vs. HM Revenue & Customs (Appeal), Upper Tax Tribunal, 2012. In these cases, the judges ruled that only the car park owner can charge for parking and take alleged offenders to court. The Upper Tax Tribunal is equivalent to the High Court and, therefore, its judgements set legal precedents.

Don’t appeal to the private ticketing company. They always reject them. What’s in it for them to let anyone off?

The private ticketing company, then a debt collector and then a solicitor will send you a series of letters. The debt collector and solicitor are usually the same people, but using different headed paper. These letters will threaten you with every kind of financial and legal unpleasantness imaginable to try and intimidate you into paying.

Continue to ignore everything you get from them. Eventually, they’ll run out of empty threats and stop throwing good money after bad.

taffy056

Yes I concur with ManxRed, ignore them as only a council or the police can issue penalties which this clearly is.

Though some NHS trusts do try their hand at the small claims on occasion, never heard of Coventry doing that though.

Mandymeow

Thanks very much for your replies, you've been very helpful. Its shocking how these companies get away with it, they must be making a fortune! Especially at that hospital, its huge and theres loads of parking spaces (but still not enough, some days i drive in circles for half an hour looking for a space!)

I really appreciate this advice, its saved me money that I will unfortunately have to pay to the evil parking company anyway as I have to park in their overpriced car park everyday (its rare that i find a space in the 'free' bit) but still, thats 3 or 4 days of parking money saved.

Coupon-mad

Mandymeow wrote: »

Thanks very much for your replies, you've been very helpful. Its shocking how these companies get away with it, they must be making a fortune! Especially at that hospital, its huge and theres loads of parking spaces (but still not enough, some days i drive in circles for half an hour looking for a space!)

I really appreciate this advice, its saved me money that I will unfortunately have to pay to the evil parking company anyway as I have to park in their overpriced car park everyday (its rare that i find a space in the 'free' bit) but still, thats 3 or 4 days of parking money saved.

As others have said, this is a scam. Ignore it. THIS IS NOT A FINE.

NOTHING WILL HAPPEN, no CCJ, nothing! It's not a real PCN.

The letters the registered keeper will now receive are no biggie, just file them. They really are like phishing emails and you can see right through them when you know it's all hot air. As long as YOUR car isn't a company or hire car then it's easy for the registered keeper to ignore the letters now they (you?) know it's all a well-known con trick.

Anyway, please watch the Watchdog clip linked on a top sticky thread 'PPC letter chains' which is currently 2nd from the top of the forum list, only one click away - see my signature for where to click in the little blue 'breadcrumb>trail>link>' at the top of this page.

The same thread also has preview pictures of each letter so you can just play snap with them rather than actually read their debt collector baloney.

You can just tick off each matching letter against our thread. It's not difficult to play 'snap' with some junk mail you can predict!

Enjoy the Summer.



HTH