Car Parking Partnership Fine - Aberystwyth University. Help Please!

RobbieHarrigan

Hi all, I'm a new member and complete novice when it comes to the world of parking and fines. Here is my tale:

On 24/04/2013 I found a parking ticket for not "clearly displaying the required current valid permit or pay and display ticket" while parked at Aberystwyth University Being the end of term and in the middle of writing my final year dissertation, I put it to one side and because I was so busy decided to pay it when I found the time rather than contest it (mistake no.1)?

Being so bogged down with uni work and having many other things going on, I completely forgot about it until the 10th of June when a letter arrived at my home address. Having done a little searching, I believe this letter is what is known as an NTK, explaining what a naughty boy I've been.

Now I've got 28 days from 10/06/2013 which gives me until the 8th(?) to respond to this in whichever way you excellent bunch on here see fit.

I feel I should explain my case in a little more detail. I study, or studied rather, at Aberystwyth University. For those who don't know the layout of the place, the town is down by the coast and the university is about a mile or so up a massive hill overlooking the town. Being a final year, I lived in private accommodation in the town centre, which has next to no working facilities for students meaning we all have to travel up the hill to work.

I was caught parked outside the study centre block of the large student village, while I was working on my dissertation. This was a place I perhaps foolishly assumed was accessible to all students.

I was parked exactly where the red Escort is in this link, and as you can see there is no signage that instructs me that a permit is required.

So basically I'm in dire need of some assistance. I'm well aware I may have left it too late, but I feel I'm being unjustly intimidated into paying. From what little research I've done, I've seen numerous different ways of responding to this issue.

• I've seen people intructing others to ignore all correspondence and that eventually they will go away.
• I've seen people telling others to go down the POPLA route (no idea what this is)

From looking at this site, I know many of you can help, and I anticipate your replies greatly.

P.S. I know I should have just bloody walked. But I had about 20 books to carry!

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the length of this post,

Robbie Harrigan

RobbieHarrigan

My case is very similar to this:

httz://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4576315&page=1

RobbieHarrigan

htt p://goo.gl/maps/0hcu1

Here is where I was parked, it won't let me post links as I'm new!

Coupon-mad

RobbieHarrigan wrote: »

My case is very similar to this:

httz://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4576315&page=1

Same as on that thread, same advice to you and you are not out of time:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4576315

So you can send a soft challenge, as the registered keeper, designed really to elicit a POPLA code. Then you will win if you follow our advice on how to word a POPLA appeal (as per the links given in that link).




EDITED to remove the second option as they are within the 56 days - sorry! Just send a soft challenge and let us know when you get your POPLA code.

Umkomaas

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Same as on that thread, same advice to you and you are not out of time:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4576315

So you can send a soft challenge, as the registered keeper, designed really to elicit a POPLA code. Then you will win if you follow our advice on how to word a POPLA appeal (as per the links given in that link).

The 'fightback' alternative if you are the sort of person who would rather respond with a very justified and strong COMPLAINT about this fatally delayed Notice to Keeper, is to do EXACTLY as advised by Broadsword on pepipoo here:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=80531

As Broadsword says in that thread, ''you have everything you need in those letters to kill it stone dead, either on initial appeal or at POPLA.''

So your choice, either soft challenge & a POPLA win, or get the scammers into trouble with the DVLA (which is what I would recommend). More people should be doing this when they get a very late NTK.

C-M - can I just check out my calcs on the dates with you?

If NtD was served on 24th April, then 28 days for (no) response is followed by serving NtK within a further 28 days. I think 10th June falls within that second 28 day period?

Have you spotted something in the dates that I'm missing?

bazster

Umkomaas wrote: »

C-M - can I just check out my calcs on the dates with you?

If NtD was served on 24th April, then 28 days for (no) response is followed by serving NtK within a further 28 days. I think 10th June falls within that second 28 day period?

Have you spotted something in the dates that I'm missing?

It does, it's the 19th day of the second 28.

Coupon-mad

Umkomaas wrote: »

C-M - can I just check out my calcs on the dates with you?

If NtD was served on 24th April, then 28 days for (no) response is followed by serving NtK within a further 28 days. I think 10th June falls within that second 28 day period?

Have you spotted something in the dates that I'm missing?

Whoops, no - I had miscalculated as April was so long ago!

So the OP should just send a normal soft challenge then.

RobbieHarrigan

So for the soft appeal I just need to write something along the lines of the Britannia thread on Pepipoo?

"Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you in regarding parking charge xxxxxxxxxx (does my parking notice number go here?) issued to vehicle xxxx xxx on 24/04/2013 at Aberystwyth University. Your charge is punitive and unenforcable. I require you to either cancel the charge immediately or provide me with a POPLA code so that I can refer the matter to POPLA.

Yours faithfully,

Robbie Harrigan

Is this ok?

Coupon-mad

RobbieHarrigan wrote: »

So for the soft appeal I just need to write something along the lines of the Britannia thread on Pepipoo?

"Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you in regarding parking charge xxxxxxxxxx (does my parking notice number go here?) issued to vehicle xxxx xxx on 24/04/2013 at Aberystwyth University. Your charge is punitive and unenforcable. I require you to either cancel the charge immediately or provide me with a POPLA code so that I can refer the matter to POPLA.

Yours faithfully,

Robbie Harrigan

Is this ok?

Yep that is OK and yes the parking charge notice number goes there. Let us know when you get a rejection letter with a POPLA code.

Or you can try a stronger first appeal like this one in post #11 if you prefer:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=79697&st=0

You would have to remove the irrelevant stuff - but the point being a stronger appeal MAY force a PPC to cancel earlier (as the PPC did in that case). Means you would not have to bother with POPLA if it works, not sure that it will but giving you the option of whatever feels right for you.

Make sure that any letter sent does not identify nor imply who was driving.

bazster

RobbieHarrigan wrote: »

So for the soft appeal I just need to write something along the lines of the Britannia thread on Pepipoo?

"Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you in regarding parking charge xxxxxxxxxx (does my parking notice number go here?) issued to vehicle xxxx xxx on 24/04/2013 at Aberystwyth University. Your charge is punitive and unenforcable. I require you to either cancel the charge immediately or provide me with a POPLA code so that I can refer the matter to POPLA.

Yours faithfully,

Robbie Harrigan

Is this ok?

Given the number of these clowns who are omitting to send a POPLA code, I'm wondering about another paragraph, along these lines. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Failure to send a POPLA code would be a breach of the BPA Code of Practice. Be advised that failure to comply with a code of conduct to which you have committed would be an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and I would not hesitate to report such a breach to the BPA, DVLA and Trading Standards.

Umkomaas

bazster wrote: »

Given the number of these clowns who are omitting to send a POPLA code, I'm wondering about another paragraph, along these lines. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Failure to send a POPLA code would be a breach of the BPA Code of Practice. Be advised that failure to comply with a code of conduct to which you have committed would be an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and I would not hesitate to report such a breach to the BPA, DVLA and Trading Standards.

I think that's a very good idea and puts the PPC on notice that the sender knows something (or being advised) about parking charges and the law surrounding them, and is unlikely to be an easy pushover.