Smart Parking Scotland X2 PCN for same alleged contravention

peparami101

Hello All,

Read with great interest the many posts on PPCs on this forum. Recently received TWO PCN's from Smart Parking with different invoice numbers (they differ by 1 in the last digit) both stating the exact same details of the overstay (same time and date), so they have generated a fake invoice on the back of an invoice! Can this be a tactic change from the PPC as many are ignoring them!!!!

The car park in question was a free shopping centre park with a 3 hour limit in Scotland.

In Scotland that these can be safely ignored and the following begging letters from Debt Recovery plus and Zenith. Already have some of those from previous PCN.

Complaint was made to the retail centre in question where the manager said they are allowed to issue these PCNs and that they should be paid which my reply was that I can also issue invoices of this nature. He failed to grasp that they issued 2 PCNs for the same 'offence' and was prepared to do nothing!!!

Don't want to contact not so smart parking but can this be taken further with other organisations eg DVLA. I would like to cause them as much trouble as I possibly can!!!!!

Your help would be much appreciated in this matter

bazster

Yes, Scotland = ignore.

You can and should complain to DVLA about the release of your personal details. They will give you a standard brush-off, and you should then complain to your MP.

The_Slithy_Tove

peparami101 wrote: »

He failed to grasp that they issued 2 PCNs for the same 'offence' and was prepared to do nothing!!!

He might grasp the point after you first tell Smart to b*** off and get their fake debt collectors off your back, as you deny any debt, else you will be pursuing them for harassment. Copy the idiot manager in on this. Then, when any of them next send you the next piece of junk mail, a Letter Before Action needs to be sent to Smart AND the retail centre management, noting that the are liable for the actions of their agent (i.e. Smart).

peparami101

Any help in drafting such letters would be a great help, also which MP should I go to, MSP or MP. They both cover different aspects depending on the nature of the complaint. I have written to my MP before and got referred to my MSP.

I don't really want to fall into a trap from these cowboys by complaining to Smart, but if that is the way to go then so be it!!!

bazster

peparami101 wrote: »

Any help in drafting such letters would be a great help, also which MP should I go to, MSP or MP. They both cover different aspects depending on the nature of the complaint. I have written to my MP before and got referred to my MSP.

I don't really want to fall into a trap from these cowboys by complaining to Smart, but if that is the way to go then so be it!!!

NO!!! IGNORE SMART!

DVLA is an agency of the DfT i.e. the UK government, so it's clearly your MP rather than your MSP, but copy your MSP on the correspondence, why not?

Will try to find some time later to help you with the letters.

peparami101

To update, heard from someone within the retail park that as not so smart dont know the correct invoice they have cancelled both. I wanted to cause them trouble of this. Ah well, at least there is no more drp or zenith letters to come.

Coupon-mad

peparami101 wrote: »

To update, heard from someone within the retail park that as not so smart dont know the correct invoice they have cancelled both. I wanted to cause them trouble of this. Ah well, at least there is no more drp or zenith letters to come.

Well done but how did this come about? Did you get a store manager to phone Smart up to cancel the stupid harassment? Is it a reliable source saying both fake PCNs have been cancelled?

peparami101

Initially spoke with the manager of the shopping centre who seemed overwhelmingly in bed with Smart. He didnt want to even discuss this over the phone and kept repeating they are entitled to issue these tickets and you have to pay - told him this was nonsense especially as it was a free car park and there was no loss to the landowners and that I too was entitled to issue invoices !!!
He finally agreed to email smart on my behalf to question the 2 PCNs but said a £40 fee was OK for 30 min overstay of a free car park.

Anyway I asked to see their contract between the shopping centre and smart but it turns out that they are not the land owners, they are a 3rd party - I would like to see if there is permission from all parties involved for smart to issue these and then chase them if unpaid.

Anyway, after a few days one of the managers staff called back to say that as smart didnt know the correct PCN to chase then both would be cancelled. I think I must have led him a bit as I mentioned the phrase 'fake invoices' first and I think he was just repeating this. However, I did ask that he confirm they were cancelled with smart in a follow up email and he said he would so I didnt receive "hate mail" - his words not mine. All happened over the phone so no email proof of this. Very interesting though!!!!

Oh and just had Zeniths 2nd and hopefully last begging letter from a previous PCN - they are still pursuing county courts & CCJ's in scotland - muppets!!!!!