PCN from non-BPA member

bundybear77

Hello everyone,

New on here and hoping for some advice/reassurance...

My husband was issued with a PCN from 'Car Parking Management Ltd' (Selby, reg office in Exeter) yesterday. He was parked in the car park next to work which he parks in every day, had a valid ticket, which was displayed, but had managed to flip over so it was face down. He came back to find a PCN stating that the ticket was 'upside down' (it wasn't, technically it might have been face down, but not upside down ). Charging £70 for payment in 7 days, £100 after 7 days.

Checked all the advice on line, and everything suggests to ignore. I've checked on the BPA website and this company is not listed, there's no BPA stamp on their website or mention on the ticket, so I'm guessing they're not BPA members, even though their slick website says they 'conform to all British Parking Association standards'. As I understand it, non-BPA members can't access registered keeper details from the DVLA...but I've also heard they can try it on through a Debt Collectors?

Firstly, can a non-BPA member get RK details from the DVLA through a third party debt collector, and if they do, is this even legal? Is it worth contacting the DVLA if we do get anything through?

Secondly, are we right to carry on and ignore anything that comes through from now on?

Thirdly, even if this did go further, is there any defense in saying a valid ticket can be produced for that day, or is the only defense in the extortionate charges (it only costs £2.50 to park for the whole day!!!).

Being a law-abiding citizen, I am nervous about totally ignoring official looking stuff written in legalese, so hoping for reassurance that this is the right thing to do.

Thanks in advance...

pogofish

Double check the AOS list just in case:

http://www.britishparking.co.uk/AOS-Members

If they are not on it, there should be no way they can get your details and its worth a very strong complaint to the DVLA if they do.

Otherwise, POPLA will not be open to them, so ignoring completely is your best bet.

peter_the_piper

1) They can't get the details direct if that is the full name of the company.
2) They should not be able to get the details from a debt company but might not stop the likes of Roxburghe etc.
3) Just wait and see what happens first, no sense in worrying about something that may never happen.

bundybear77

Thanks both

I checked the company listing on Companies House (can you tell I spent some hours worrying about this late last night?!) and that's the listed name and reg number, so it does seem to be the full name of the company. Definitely not on the BPA list under that or similar names.

Will carry on ignoring then!

Coupon-mad

Just to agree with the other posters!

''Firstly, can a non-BPA member get RK details from the DVLA through a third party debt collector, and if they do, is this even legal? Is it worth contacting the DVLA if we do get anything through?''

NO. There is no legal way and you could complain to the DVLA if it happens. It's very very rare for one to slip through - and last time the DVLA got their wrists slapped by the ICO.

''Secondly, are we right to carry on and ignore anything that comes through from now on?''

YES.

surfboy1

bundybear77 wrote: »

Hello everyone,

New on here and hoping for some advice/reassurance...

My husband was issued with a PCN from 'Car Parking Management Ltd' (Selby, reg office in Exeter) yesterday. He was parked in the car park next to work which he parks in every day, had a valid ticket, which was displayed, but had managed to flip over so it was face down. He came back to find a PCN stating that the ticket was 'upside down' (it wasn't, technically it might have been face down, but not upside down ). Charging £70 for payment in 7 days, £100 after 7 days.

Checked all the advice on line, and everything suggests to ignore. I've checked on the BPA website and this company is not listed, there's no BPA stamp on their website or mention on the ticket, so I'm guessing they're not BPA members, even though their slick website says they 'conform to all British Parking Association standards'. As I understand it, non-BPA members can't access registered keeper details from the DVLA...but I've also heard they can try it on through a Debt Collectors?

Firstly, can a non-BPA member get RK details from the DVLA through a third party debt collector, and if they do, is this even legal? Is it worth contacting the DVLA if we do get anything through?

Secondly, are we right to carry on and ignore anything that comes through from now on?

Thirdly, even if this did go further, is there any defense in saying a valid ticket can be produced for that day, or is the only defense in the extortionate charges (it only costs £2.50 to park for the whole day!!!).

Being a law-abiding citizen, I am nervous about totally ignoring official looking stuff written in legalese, so hoping for reassurance that this is the right thing to do.

Thanks in advance...

When you think about it, hubby has paid for his parking space , so how could he owe them anything?
Just ignore the clowns.
This just shows how desperate they are for money and has nothing to do with car park management.
Maybe a strong complaint to the car park owners would be in order?
But IGNORE the PPC.;)

Paul_Varjak

I rang Car Parking Management Ltd to ask if they are BPA members. Their number 0333 440103 was answered by man on his mobile phone whilst driving his car. I assume he was on handsfree?

Anyway, he acknowledged that his company is not a member of the BPA.

I suggest you contact the BPA and tell them that this company is suggesting an association with the BPA that does not exist.

Meanwhile, I would drop an email to Car Parking Management Ltd, quoting their invoice number, reminding them that they have no authorisation to contact the DVLA to find out the registered keeper and if they did so they would be in breach of the Data Protection Act.

contact@carparkingmanagement.co.uk

I would suggest using a new email address that you can just discard whenever you wish and, of course, don't give your real name or address!

bundybear77

Wow, thanks for doing that! Very interesting indeed. I did suspect they weren't members, but they're clearly trying to imply that they are...

I had also thought of the anonymous email approach - might be worth a try!

Paul_Varjak

I also contacted the BPA to tell them this company was suggesting an association with the BPA.

The BPA seemed to think it was OK what the company had written in its website; indicating there would only be a problem if they used the BPA logo or falsely suggesting they were members.

The BPA even said that non-members were entitled to say they abide by the BPA Code of Conduct, which I found a little surprising, since only members could be disciplined for breaching that code!

Coupon-mad

bundybear77 wrote: »

Wow, thanks for doing that! Very interesting indeed. I did suspect they weren't members, but they're clearly trying to imply that they are...

I had also thought of the anonymous email approach - might be worth a try!

Only contact if you use a throwaway email; definitely no giving them your name and address. But personally I would IGNORE THEM.