Euro Car Parks 'Ticket'

seductivesmile

Hello,
I was hoping someone could give me some advice as i am panicing and trying to work out where to get pennies from.
I received a letter today from ECP, saying that they were in charge of a carpark i parked in, and although it is my own fault for not noticing they had changed the free stay duration from 2hours to 50mins, i parked in it to nip to the gym, an hour a day, for 5/6 days.
The letter had photos of my reg plate and times/ date and told me that i owed £40 if i paid within 14days, but £70 if i didnt.
I know that if it has flagged up once, i have another 4-5 coming thru. I did ask the guy in the shop if it was ok, and he said it was a 2hour free carpark as there was blockbusters, staples, carphone warehouse, wickes, a wine shop, pet shop etc.

Where do i stand on paying this? i can possible afford the one, but no way i can afford another 4-5 if they are coming. esp when i was told it was ok.
I know i should have looked, and subsiquently wont park there again, but any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks :eek::eek::eek:

fisherjim

seductivesmile wrote: »

Hello,
I was hoping someone could give me some advice as i am panicing and trying to work out where to get pennies from.
I received a letter today from ECP, saying that they were in charge of a carpark i parked in, and although it is my own fault for not noticing they had changed the free stay duration from 2hours to 50mins, i parked in it to nip to the gym, an hour a day, for 5/6 days.
The letter had photos of my reg plate and times/ date and told me that i owed £40 if i paid within 14days, but £70 if i didnt.
I know that if it has flagged up once, i have another 4-5 coming thru. I did ask the guy in the shop if it was ok, and he said it was a 2hour free carpark as there was blockbusters, staples, carphone warehouse, wickes, a wine shop, pet shop etc.

Where do i stand on paying this? i can possible afford the one, but no way i can afford another 4-5 if they are coming. esp when i was told it was ok.
I know i should have looked, and subsiquently wont park there again, but any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thanks :eek::eek::eek:

Why is it your fault?

Did they put up large signs, warning you of the change, did the gym which you use tell you of the ridiculous reduction in parking time?

This is a despicable scam by complete scumbags, no you should not be paying. Someone will be along soon to point you in the right direction.

Coupon-mad

seductivesmile wrote: »

Hello,
I was hoping someone could give me some advice as i am panicing and trying to work out where to get pennies from.
I received a letter today from ECP, saying that they were in charge of a carpark i parked in, and although it is my own fault for not noticing they had changed the free stay duration from 2hours to 50mins, i parked in it to nip to the gym, an hour a day, for 5/6 days.
The letter had photos of my reg plate and times/ date and told me that i owed £40 if i paid within 14days, but £70 if i didnt.
I know that if it has flagged up once, i have another 4-5 coming thru. I did ask the guy in the shop if it was ok, and he said it was a 2hour free carpark as there was blockbusters, staples, carphone warehouse, wickes, a wine shop, pet shop etc.

Where do i stand on paying this?

You don't stand anywhere to pay it because it's not a real parking ticket. I have ignored a Euro Car Parks fake PCN myself back when the advice was to ignore this sort of con. I laughed my head off when I saw it on my windscreen!

Nice of them to send you some pics of your car! Just like the fake PCN held by the Solicitor in this Watchdog expose:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbbZtxzrJAI

The only difference now - as long as this was in England or Wales? - is that the advice NOW is to appeal because they don't 'have' to know who was driving any more (so what?) and there's a new independent appeals stage called POPLA which costs the PPCs money. We know how to word a strong, winning POPLA appeal - or in your case, four or five all at £27 a pop for the PPC!

So the first thing to do when you have got all the letters (wait a week or so and save a stamp by sending one envelope with all challenges) is to send a soft challenge to Euro. Not talking about 'what happened' nor begging that you can't afford it, etc., seeing as this isn't something you will be paying anyway!!

Soft appeal examples and then POPLA example wording linked here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=4668167

Just make sure the soft appeal doesn't say who was driving - doesn't matter what you say as long as you are careful about that (no adding 'I asked the bloke in the shop' as that implies you were driving!). The PPC will no doubt reject any challenge but it will be fun to cost them lots of POPLA fees!

And the POPLA appeal needs input form the forum at the time to ensure you are on to a winner with your strong appeal wording at that important stage.

Come back for help at POPLA stage, do not send off a weak/normal/mitigating circumstances appeal at POPLA stage. Easy to knock this on the head.

seductivesmile

Thanks CouponMad, only thing is, this was sent through the post to my address, does this make any difference?
I have done so much research today and its all saying don't pay, but i am aware they could take me to court / turn up on the doorstep demanding payment.
Re the soft challenge, should i include photocopy of the ticket they issued?
SS

seductivesmile

Coupon mad,
I looked at the example on pepipoo and the one they sent me looks nothing like that. if i scan it is there a way of attaching it for you to advise me further?
SS

Buzby

I'm now in receipt of begging letter No 2 (the cost has increased to £75) and you are correct, there will be another 4 or 5 to go. If it ever got to court, they need to prove you knowingly entered into a contract to park. In my case I was not aware - so no contract was formed.

Just ride it out - your good name will remain unaffected. Just take less notice and keep each one and marvel at the economies with the truth as they progress.

Am I 'bovvered'?

Not in the slightest!

Coupon-mad

seductivesmile wrote: »

Thanks CouponMad, only thing is, this was sent through the post to my address, does this make any difference?
I have done so much research today and its all saying don't pay, but i am aware they could take me to court / turn up on the doorstep demanding payment.
Re the soft challenge, should i include photocopy of the ticket they issued?
SS

Just means you can wait for all of them and then go straight to ''So the first thing to do when you have got all the letters...'' in my last post. The links give you the wording to use at this stage.

seductivesmile

Ok fab, thank you - will be back in a week to updateyou.