UKPC - Parking Fine

broomhead_21

Completly unsure of our rights if this goes as far as court, let me explain...

I live in an apartment that has it's own allocated parking space in a private underground car park. I parked in this space as I usually do, that as a resident, I have been allocated and have inconvenienced nobody, and pay for this space monthly in my ground rent.

However, one afternoon my father-in-law parked in this space, so I provided him with my permit, and unfortunately he forgot to give this back and took it home with him. This incident happened after-hours which mean't their was no one to contact to obtain a new permit.

For some reason the housing association will not provide me with a 2nd permit, so I previously photocopied my permit the last time the permit had been misplaced and found. So I decided it would be best to put this in the car window, because as my car is registered to this space I did not think this would be an issue.

But of course it was! next morning £90 fine or £60 if paid within 14 days, the usual. This was 6 months ago, I have disputed this through our housing association and UKPC both have said I should not have used a photocopy and no matter my argument of (just to emphasis), the fact that I am a resident, it is my allocated space and I am paying monthly for this in my ground rent, they are choosing to become a broken record repeating that I had no right to photocopy my permit, because I broke the 'agreement'. However, I would have broke the 'agreement' if I did not put anything there.

The fine is now £150 and I am receiving the debt collectors letter's. What is confusing me the most is that the housing association is not on my side. Does this matter? shall I still just ignore the letters? Not sure if they get money out of this?

I am now thinking of complaining to the BPA.

Any advice you give would be much appreciated,

Danny

pogofish

It's not a fine, it's highly unlikely to go to court and you need to stop communicating with these jokers forthwith!

Check the letter chain threads to see how the scam plays out and if you talk to anyone, give your HA a rocket for allowing these predators to operate and instruct them to remove UKPC's permission to operate on your space.

peter_the_piper

Waste of time to complain to bpa, its just a club for the boys. You are now nearly at the end of the letter chain so its safe to ignore them. The chance of it going beyond threats is minimal, beyond 75000:1. Just ignore them, that way you deprive both the ppc and (allegidly) the management of their fee.
By the way don't call it a fine, it upsets some on here, they prefer invoice.

pogofish

And the basic info is exactly the same as the OP got back in April. PPC names may differ but the scam is just the same.

prosnap

Privateparking companies only exist to fleece the motorist.

Their whole business model is based upon speculative invoicing. If a company gives out 100 tickets, a certain percentage of people will unfortunately fall for it there and then.

The remainder (like you) are sent 'threatograms' from the parking company and powerless debt collection companies. It's a lucrative business and if 60%of people pay up, a healthy profit is there to be had.

Sounds like you are near the end of the letter chain now .... Well done!

Let others know that they can ignore the junk mail.

tospig

I'm in exactly the same situation and my housing agents/management just don't give a damn.
I've received 7 tickets from UKPC and as already stated the simplest thing to do is just ignore everything they send you and don't communicate with them or the BPA. Their threats are empty and they can't and won't do a damn thing to get your money.

If it helps put your mind at rest here are all the 'threatening' letters I've received:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/89511704@N03/8145428304/

look familiar?

The best thing to do is tell everyone you know about the scam these companies operate.

Coupon-mad

Doesn't matter whether the HA are onside or not. Either way, it was still a fake PCN, not a fine at all.

Just ignore it still - you will just continue to get a load more junk mail which you can predict and laugh at, it's no biggie.

The letters are sooo easy to ignore when they arrive at the address of someone who knows it's all hogwash and not a real parking ticket at all. I have laughed at and ignored two fake PCNs; nothing happens, no Court, no CCJ, no bailiff, no-one can come knocking, it's not a real debt at all.

UKPC have NEVER NEVER taken anyone to Court and the only time these scumbags went to Court was when Trading Standards sussed their little game and tried a bit of a hash of a case against them for their business practices:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=63597

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.

Tick off the threatening letters here.

Watchdog clip with expert Solicitor's opinion here.

Barrister's opinion here.




HTH