Civil Enforcement - Help!

shyl

I had one of these letters today and it scared the pants off me!!!!
I foolishly paid the 'fine' online with a credit card. I'm hoping I can cancel the payment tomorrow once I can ring the company as it seems its all a scam

Coupon-mad

shyl wrote: »

I had one of these letters today and it scared the pants off me!!!!
I foolishly paid the 'fine' online with a credit card. I'm hoping I can cancel the payment tomorrow once I can ring the company as it seems its all a scam

Tough, you will find you money has gone. Why one earth would you think this was OK if you were just shopping at a busy time like Christmas?

You could try a major written COMPLAINT to the retailer in the New Year, pointing out that any overstay was due to the busy store, the fact you were buying lots (enclose copy receipt) and any other mitigating circumstances such as an elderly or disabled passenger, or children with you. Say you paid under duress but then when speaking to friends they made you think again and realise that this was totally unfair - and that it has made you reconsider being a customer at xxxx store.

And...sorry but...I fail to understand why the heck you would just go online to pay when you get a letter out of the blue. Do you do the same with dodgy emails? Wise up, and COMPLAIN. And for the love of God, at the very least, Google a company before you pay them!

scousedicko

Peppa37 wrote: »

Hi all, after getting my charge notice through the post from Civil Enforcement Ltd £150 (reduced to £75 paid in the first 2 weeks) I happened to put an annoyed status on my facebook page and had a lot of friends posting and saying 'do not pay' and directing me here.

Bit of background, I parked on a retail park in Bury, Lancs to shop in Smyths Toy Store on a sunday, the signage is fairly new but very small, and all the other car parks in the very close vincinty are free on a sunday which I what I naively assumed this was (I've since took photos of all the signage, this includes free parking on the road on a sunday with the council). I did overstay by being there exactly 3 hours and 15 minutes, genuinely did not realise that it wasn't free on a sunday. (I've been back and looked and it's a 2 hour free car park £2 for an extra hour max of 3 hours, very very small T&Cs)

I'm thinking of firstly writing to CEL and stating I will not pay, and the various mitigating circumstances etc etc, and then was planning on ignoring as everyone suggests. And also writing to the head office of Smyths Toy Store asking for the land owners details so I can pay the £2 for the extra hour and any admin fees.

Does all this sound plasable? And I don't fully understand what the changes on 1st Oct are?

I have a young family and the threatening letters, and 'fake' court papers, and the 'baliffs' are on their way, will shake me up and not sure how I will hold my ground, so I guess I'm asking for some support?

A worried Mum

I am now on my second PCN in five months from these guys, and won't be paying this one either! This is a car park I use four or five times a week, and have overstayed twice (out of about 110 visits, maximum overstay just over half an hour).

Their stationery is designed to intimidate - don't be.

Turn the tables on them by noting they got your details from DVLA because they belong to British Parking Association which has a Code of Practice they are obliged to comply with. Study that and pick as many points of non-compliance (IN YOUR OPINION) to complain about to BPA - if they are non-compliant in enough cases (I found EIGHT but cynically expect only half to be upheld) and put it in writing via email.

One important point - If you offer to pay the small sum you mention, say £5, they will almost certainly refuse but in the remote possibility they eventually take you to Court the Judge will probably ask them to justify their refusal to settle - you have offered to compromise! Oh, and if you do make an offer to them, do it by email to "enquiries@ce-service.co.uk", subject "Car park abuse"; provision of an email contact facility is a requirement of the BPA code of practice, and breach if it contributes to a possible suspension of access to DVLA data.

Also, in all likelihood their signs and the print thereon are of minimum, pre November 2012 size, and given they are light blue print on a stark white background they are understandably hard to read. Plus, as a harassed mum with "x" over-excited/slightly unruly/hungry/sniffling kiddies full of cold out Christmas shopping can be so demanding and the kids so distracting that you could easily miss seeing the signs.......... couldn't you? Didn't you?

Lastly, if I'm not mistaken, since Nov 1st 2012 they must only ask you for an "estimate of their true loss", but their top-line charge to you is £150 while to me it is only £90! Nuff said!

Chill out, Ducky, and HAPPY NEW YEAR to you and yours!

Scouse

papachango

I wouldn't contact them at all. This is just a scam. The Liverpool address on their invoice is just a hole in the wall, the phone number is a Nottingham number and the letters are posted out from London NW9.

They will send out bogus court papers. I have uploaded the letters I have received on the pepipoo site. CEL have never taken anyone to court and I'm not sure they can as they only "manage" car parks. They will try to say that you are in breach of contract with them but in every thread I've read relating to CEL it appears that the motorist has not been aware of the terms of the contract. Having a hidden camera and "signs" someone in the car park are not the same as a real person collecting money on entry to the car park. In the latter case, you would know exactly where you stood.

pogofish

shyl wrote: »

I had one of these letters today and it scared the pants off me!!!!
I foolishly paid the 'fine' online with a credit card. I'm hoping I can cancel the payment tomorrow once I can ring the company as it seems its all a scam

Get on to your credit card company ASAP - If you can move fast enough and make it very clear this is a false claim that has been scared out of you, they may stop payment. Some people have managed this recently.