My car broke down in McDonalds car Park

Kirkbyite

After purchasing and eating at McDonalds when I returned to my car the battery was dead. I called out the AA who responded and got the car working again. I didn't see that there was a 90 minute limit. The total time I was in the car park was 2 hrs and 16 mins I have received a "charge Notice" from UKPC for £100 reduced to £50 if paid in 14 days.

Could someone advise me whether to Pay, Appeal or Ignore

Thanks Kirkbyite

Tilt

Ignore. They have incurred no losses which is all they can pursue you for. Also write to McDonald's and tell them that you will be using Burger King in future because of their unfair parking policy and the fact they allow these cowboys to fleece their customers.

Coupon-mad

Don't pay!!!!! It's a scam. :mad:

You could appeal but only worthwhile if this was in England/Wales* and if you are prepared to do a bit of homework to draw up a strong POPLA appeal after you get rejected by the PPC. Read the forum, current threads & stickies for more info.

Or you could ignore it all from start to finish, after checking out the old pre-October link to the pics of the letters, in the 'PPC letter chains' sticky thread. Then just play a happy game of snap! with all the template computerised debt collector threatograms (only take seriously real Court papers, which will never ever come from UKPC!!).

My recommendation is to appeal and use POPLA if in England/Wales. As repeated on most threads here, there are good reasons to do this.




(*or if the car is a hire/lease/company/courtesy vehicle you'd always appeal/challenge, no matter where this was in the UK, to hook the scammers to writing to you, not the company).

Half_way

y recommendation is to appeal and use POPLA if in England/Wales. As repeated on most threads here, there are good reasons to do this.




(*or if the car is a hire/lease/company/courtesy vehicle you'd always appeal/challenge, no matter where this was in the UK, to hook the scammers to writing to you, not the company).

MSame as above, but with the aditional bit about complaining to Mc donalds - complain to the branch, or even better try and find out the franchisee and complain there - not Mc Donalds UK central ( or whatever they are)

Kirkbyite

Thanks guys, much appreciated

Coupon-mad

The sort of issues to consider (but not copy verbatim!) are in this template example of a very strong initial challenge to a PPC which gives NO DETAILS away:

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/appeal-letter/

Did the PPC tick all the boxes to get keeper liability established? Doubt it!

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/keeper-liability/

Did they comply in all ways with all points of the BPA Code of Practice; e.g. camera compliance/maintenance, deadlines met, wording spot on, signage clear? Doubt it!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4535287

Just to say there's quite a lot more to a POPLA appeal than you'd think, so when you get to that second stage please don't make the same mistake another recent poster did and rush a weak appeal to POPLA missing the points that would actually win! When he followed the weak appeal with a stronger one it was overlooked and the PPC won the appeal. Now that poster doesn't have to pay the PPC and can now revert to 'ignore mode', as the decision is not binding on the motorist - and I do hope that he (Eunos1) will complain to POPLA - but the lesson from that is...get a strong, demanding and challenging appeal in first time!

Examples of stronger POPLA appeal wording shown here, near the end of these threads:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=78026

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4506249

...and that second one has a link to MSE's record so far of known 'POPLA decisions', which show you all the things that people have won on. You can see that the submissions that have won have been very detailed and demanding of the PPC, for evidence, as well as having facts specific to the case.

Do show us your draft appeal for the PPC if you want comments on it first. Certainly do get help when it comes to the more important POPLA appeal stage.