Letter from Town and City Parking Ltd (Asda)

|savage|

I wrote this thread in a different section of the forum but I was shown this is a more appropriate section, so here I go:

I just received a letter from Town and City Parking Ltd claiming I was given a ticket last month for parking in Asda and the discount period is now expired, telling me to pay £60. This was a shock as I didn't see a ticket on the vehicle on the date it claims I was issued one.

At first I thought I might have been issued a ticket because they thought I was a non paying customer, so after a frantic search around the house I found the Asda receipt :j

However, it doesn't say what the contravention is on the letter, I had to put the details in on their website to see what the contravention was, apparently "Obstructive Parking".

I find it strange there is no image from CCTV or camera proving that I was in the wrong and I also find it hard to believe the vehicle was parked wrong. I admit I used a long wheel base van and the back might have been sticking out a little, but I made sure there was plenty of room for vehicles to pass without problem, as I always do.

I would like to contest this charge, any tips on the best way of doing this? If I refuse to pay and ask for evidence, would they have an image on file to show me (I wouldn't mind this, so we can all see how "obstructive" the parking was) or would they have to let it go?

I have read people saying to ignore these type of letters, but I don't want things to drag, if I can send them a letter to rescind the "charge" I'll prefer that, but not if it makes my case worse and affects my chances of having this withdrawn.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

HardWorker2010_2

Sending letters is counterproductive. They will ignore what you say but they will mark you down as a mug who is taking them seriously. They will try extra hard to scare you into giving them some money.

If you ignore them they assume after a while that you know it us a scam and they then give up on you and concentrate on a mug instead.

maypole

|savage| wrote: »

I wrote this thread in a different section of the forum but I was shown this is a more appropriate section, so here I go:

I just received a letter from Town and City Parking Ltd claiming I was given a ticket last month for parking in Asda and the discount period is now expired, telling me to pay £60. This was a shock as I didn't see a ticket on the vehicle on the date it claims I was issued one.

At first I thought I might have been issued a ticket because they thought I was a non paying customer, so after a frantic search around the house I found the Asda receipt :j

However, it doesn't say what the contravention is on the letter, I had to put the details in on their website to see what the contravention was, apparently "Obstructive Parking".

I find it strange there is no image from CCTV or camera proving that I was in the wrong and I also find it hard to believe the vehicle was parked wrong. I admit I used a long wheel base van and the back might have been sticking out a little, but I made sure there was plenty of room for vehicles to pass without problem, as I always do.

I would like to contest this charge, any tips on the best way of doing this? If I refuse to pay and ask for evidence, would they have an image on file to show me (I wouldn't mind this, so we can all see how "obstructive" the parking was) or would they have to let it go?

I have read people saying to ignore these type of letters, but I don't want things to drag, if I can send them a letter to rescind the "charge" I'll prefer that, but not if it makes my case worse and affects my chances of having this withdrawn.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I'm new to this too, having just recently had a ticket from that company. I emailed ASDA and I told them that I would not be communicating with the T&C parking. My complaint is with ASDA. I have posted my story on another thread.

|savage|

HardWorker2010 wrote: »

Sending letters is counterproductive. They will ignore what you say but they will mark you down as a mug who is taking them seriously. They will try extra hard to scare you into giving them some money.

If you ignore them they assume after a while that you know it us a scam and they then give up on you and concentrate on a mug instead.

Yeah I understand. I've had success when writing letters to councils for PCNs, so I thought these people would be civilised too, guess not.

What if they get other people involved like the "debt recovery agent" they mention?

edward123

|savage| wrote: »

Yeah I understand. I've had success when writing letters to councils for PCNs, so I thought these people would be civilised too, guess not.

What if they get other people involved like the "debt recovery agent" they mention?

Just another scam scare tactic. Ignore that threat too. (Debt collectors are toothless any way.) File any thing they send you in the bin and enjoy your life cos these PPCs are not worth one second of anxiety. What you could do however is come back to this thread and report what they send you and if you need any more encouragement to ignore you'll get it!

|savage|

edward123 wrote: »

Just another scam scare tactic. Ignore that threat too. (Debt collectors are toothless any way.) File any thing they send you in the bin and enjoy your life cos these PPCs are not worth one second of anxiety. What you could do however is come back to this thread and report what they send you and if you need any more encouragement to ignore you'll get it!

Yes I'll definitely keep this thread updated with anything I receive. Always worth logging things like this on the internet for others in similar situations to find it. :money:

Can anyone confirm if these people will have any photographic evidence to back their case? I'm assuming if they did, they would have mentioned it in the letter?

maypole

If and when I get letters I will be keeping them to show to ASDA! I was spending money in their shop when I got a ticket! first time I went over the time too!

Coupon-mad

|savage| wrote: »

Yes I'll definitely keep this thread updated with anything I receive. Always worth logging things like this on the internet for others in similar situations to find it. :money:

Can anyone confirm if these people will have any photographic evidence to back their case? I'm assuming if they did, they would have mentioned it in the letter?

Doesn't matter if they have photo 'evidence'. T&C never do Court.

And please just read up about POPLA and the Protection of Freedoms Act if you decide to appeal, so you know what all that is about. There are tons of threads about the 'new law' and the POPLA appeals system (England & Wales incidents only). But in your case I wouldn't bother unless you try it with a clear understanding that you'd be doing it just to make a point and to cost the PPC some money (they have to fund POPLA and be bound by it's decision but you DO NOT!). If you didn't get the ticket cancelled you'd just move to plan B = ignoring the last few letters from debt collectors. That's all.

Regardless of the new law, like all the other posters on this board, you have a fake PCN. The law has not changed in any way that matters. Private parking tickets have not suddenly become magically enforceable!

For an easy life, the registered keeper should just ignore it and ignore the other letters that will arrive. The letters are easy to ignore and laugh at, when they arrive at the address of someone who knows it's all hogwash and not a real parking ticket at all.

The whole scam of fake PCNs relies firstly on people's ignorance of the fact that a random private company can't fine anyone, and secondly on their natural fear of parking tickets and the escalating costs/bailiff scenario. So PPCs copy the look of a real parking ticket and - hey presto! - the cash rolls in from victims who know no better.

There is no fine, no CCJ, no bailiff, no debt, no effect on credit rating, no Court, no repercussions at all from a pathetic, unenforceable fake PCN (= invoice) issued by a random third party.

Tick off the threatening letters here.

Watchdog clip with expert Solicitor's opinion here.

Barrister's opinion - read the answer at the bottom, it's very clear! - here.

So I recommend that you just play snap with the threatograms from debt collectors - choose to ignore and laugh at the scammer and their attempt to extort money. As I said, it's like deleting obvious phishing emails from your 'Bank'; a very similar con based on impersonation of authority.

DO NOT PAY!!!!

atilla

maypole wrote: »

I'm new to this too, having just recently had a ticket from that company. I emailed ASDA and I told them that I would not be communicating with the T&C parking. My complaint is with ASDA. I have posted my story on another thread.

Unfortunately you are not contacting the 'right' person so either it will be a long drawn out affair or nothing will come of it

maypole

Not sure what you mean, I contacted the CEO but was really fobbed off by a representative.

atilla

maypole wrote: »

Not sure what you mean, I contacted the CEO but was really fobbed off by a representative.

Unfortunately, no you didn't, the email Addy being given out is wrong.
All you got was customer services. Absolutely nothing to do with this problem.
Easiest route to make your point is via the store manager. If you then get fobbed off you have a proper channel and reason to then lodge a complaint. And that WILL get dealt with.