UKCPS - 7 day letter

Ledzepfan

Hi Everyone,

Having just come across this forum I though I would ask your sage advice.

We received a PCN from UKCPS in July regarding a "out of marked bay" offence. Having looked at the date it supposedly happened we were nowhere near the said location on the day and didn't receive a note on the windscreen. Therefore we dismissed it as rubbish and ignored the letter.

We came back from holiday to find a 7 day letter and the cost has now gone up to £125.00 - appreciate now that we should have challenged it when we got it but would still like your thoughts on this, please?

Thank you in advance.

Custard_Pie

Ledzepfan wrote: »

Hi Everyone,

Having just come across this forum I though I would ask your sage advice.

We received a PCN from UKCPS in July regarding a "out of marked bay" offence. Having looked at the date it supposedly happened we were nowhere near the said location on the day and didn't receive a note on the windscreen. Therefore we dismissed it as rubbish and ignored the letter.

We came back from holiday to find a 7 day letter and the cost has now gone up to £125.00 - appreciate now that we should have challenged it when we got it but would still like your thoughts on this, please?

Thank you in advance.

When in July? What timescale do they give for appeal on the ticket, or don't you have it any more?

If you are outside the appeal window then you have no alternative, but to ignore the large reams of junk mail that will come your way. If you receive a letter before action or actual court papers, then do not ignore them.

Is there not a photograph of your vehicle on the paperwork, as they generally provide one? If not, it may be worth sticking in a letter to them saying that the vehicle was nowhere near the location and either prove to you it was or stop the correspondence or you will sue for harassment.

nigelbb

We do hear cases where it would appear that a registration number has been cloned & a PCN issued to the clone but then the keeper of the original gets the hassle.

Ledzepfan

Hi Custardpie,

Thanks for the quick response. We didn't receive a ticket at all just a PCN and there isn't a picture either. When you say If you receive a letter before action . can i just ask what you mean please?

I am of a mind to get this sorted as it is bugging me already. I think a letter asking them for proof is reasonable don't you?

Thanks.

Ledzepfan

nigelbb wrote: »

We do hear cases where it would appear that a registration number has been cloned & a PCN issued to the clone but then the keeper of the original gets the hassle.

Hi - when you say "cloned" how would i check that it has or hasnt been cloned?

Thanks.

The_Slithy_Tove

nigelbb wrote: »

We do hear cases where it would appear that a registration number has been cloned & a PCN issued to the clone but then the keeper of the original gets the hassle.

Though the less conspiratorial theory is more likely to be an ANPR misread.

Coupon-mad

Ledzepfan wrote: »

Hi Custardpie,

Thanks for the quick response. We didn't receive a ticket at all just a PCN and there isn't a picture either. When you say If you receive a letter before action . can i just ask what you mean please?

I am of a mind to get this sorted as it is bugging me already. I think a letter asking them for proof is reasonable don't you?

Thanks.

We all agree your stance is reasonable - but you do need to know a bit more about the tricks UKCPS play, how to appeal this and most importantly, how to win at the second stage (POPLA). If this is the first postal letter then you are still in time to appeal even though I suspect you have the usual UKCPS letter which pretends that you are too late. Am I right?

Does it actually say 'a PCN was placed on the car' or does it say summat like 'no PCN was issued but photos were taken and this is the PCN'? It's important to know if their letter is claiming that there was a PCN on the car windscreen because if not then they are too late if the Notice to Keeper (is it called a Notice to Keeper?) was received more than 14 days later. So what's the exact wording about 'the PCN'?

Search the forum for other UKCPS threads to see what people have discussed and advised about this letter, and how they've appealed it. On this forum we know UKCPS, they are notorious - and they read this forum so be a bit wary and do not reply to any pm from a relative newbie offering to 'help'! Happily, there are loads of threads that will help you to deal with this in time to appeal to POPLA and win. Firstly, you must appeal to UKCPS within 28 days of this letter, and write only as the registered keeper, not discussing who the drivers are/were (or weren't!). Just write it from the keeper.

To search effectively for relevant threads, just use the 'search this forum' heading on the right, just above the stickies and all the new threads on page one of the parking forum. Put in one keyword 'UKCPS' and change the default search to 'show posts' (gives a clearer set of relevant results than 'show threads').

ONLY read current threads from the past 3 or 4 months, which talk about appealing and POPLA stage appeals (not ignoring it which was the OLD advice).

You will soon be well-versed in UKCPS' little tricks. Try Googling the exact words 'UKCPS address the factual issues' (copy it into a Google search right now in another window!) to see their usual crappy template response and plenty of discussion on forums (here and pepipoo forums are best) about how to respond each time.

Here's one pepipoo thread I have bookmarked which gives you an example of a strong appeal wording against their Notice:

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

Do not just send a mitigating circumstances appeal or 'we weren't there' as an appeal on its own. You also need to ask for any photos that they may think prove it was your car and point out that their charge is disproportionate to any possible loss anyway and that you want a POPLA code. If you look at that pepipoo thread (and others on here you can find by searching) you will be ready for the expected reply from UKPCS which is a template and which doesn't immediately give you a POPLA code.

Be prepared for their well-documented tricks (UKCPS are not a nice firm and are not to be ignored either) because you need a POPLA code to quash this once and for all. And when you do get that code DO NOT just send a 'normal appeal' to POPLA that says you were not there or other mitigation. You will lose on that basis, even though that seems daft! You will need to read up on other threads about certain winning POPLA appeal wording, once you have sent off your first appeal.

Oh yes, and you can't email a UKCPS appeal even though they do give an email address in their letter; they lie about it being for appeals and bounce them back. You have to send it by post so don't fall for that trick email addy either!