Braehead Shopping Centre UKPC ticket

Shona6540

I had my mother in law with me who is a blue badge holder but didn't have her badge with her, but that doesn't take her disability away so I parked in a disabled space, I saw no signs indicating penalties would be issued if there was a failure to display the blue badge, it was at the end of the day so there was no shortage of spaces so I thought it would be okay.

It wasn't, I came back to find a ticket on the windscreen.

The badge is at my mother in laws home 200 miles away and although she has returned there today, she has no access to a scanner or copier.

Is there anything I can do? or should I grit my teeth and pay the ticket?

Iceweasel

Hi Shona,

Unless I'm very much mistaken you (and possibly your mother-in-law) are both resident in Scotland, the car is registered in Scotland, and the alleged 'offence' took place in Scotland.

You do NOT need to pay this.

Ignore all letters and pleas for cash.

They will send around 6 letters (approx one a month) threatening all sorts of dire consequences. They are all without foundation.

You are under no obligation to reply to any of them. And I suggest that you don't say anything - mitigation is a waste of time.

If you try to explain anything, they will sense that you are unsure of the laws of Scotland and the letters will continue for another 6 months.

I seem to get several of these every year and have never ever paid anything.

Search on this forum and you will see only the same info for Scotland - ignore the parasites.

Forget them.

ps I'm an Aberdonian - I pay nothing that I don't have to. LOL

Iceweasel

Oh sorry - just to double check - exactly who issued this 'ticket'?

Shona6540

My mother in law stays in Lancashire, I don't know if that makes any difference.

The ticket was issued by UKPC.

Will it not affect my credit rating if I don't pay because it will be associated with my address?

Iceweasel

Where your mother-in-law lives is of no consequence.

As long as the car is registered in Scotland you can safely ignore everything as I said.

They can write to the keeper after they get the address from DVLA, but the keeper is under no obligation to reply or tell them anything.

They can do absolutely nothing to harm you or your credit rating.

Even in England & Wales they can't do that.

If you ignore them, the letters will stop.

bod1467

I assume it was YOUR car? (As in you are the registered keeper)?

I also assume that your car is NOT a company car? (Wherein a lease company is the registered keeper).

If your answers are - Yes my car, No not a company car, then Iceweasel's advice is correct for Scotland.

Shona6540

Yes I am the owner/registered keeper and it is my own car.

Why are these people put in operation if they don't have any lawful enforcement, is it just to con people into paying them?

Better signage would help about misuse of parking or of issuing penalities but I suppose then they wouldn't get as much revenue.

bod1467

It's the old clampers given a more glossy, "professional" makeover.

Iceweasel

The initial reason I have to admit in my area is to stop abuse of the car park.

Several supermarket car parks in Aberdeen are chock a block with cars that are there all day on the outskirts of town and the owners are in the city centre.

But you did nothing like that - and the greedy people who are 'policing ' the car park are out to maximise their profit.

You are right in that they do not have any enforceable powers. And yes they do con people into paying a whole lot of cash for 'overstaying' or being in a disabled bay - or a parent and child bay.

Disabled badges are not required in, and have no legal standing, in private car-parks anyway.

You could complain to the managers of the shops you visited, but in all honesty you just need to ignore this and the thing will die a natural death - unless you provoke it and prolong it by contacting them, giving them the idea that you 'might' be scared into paying their speculative invoice.

Remember it's NOT a fine it's a try-on charge, and you can choose not to pay it.

These greedy people can only survive if enough people pay up in the believe that they have to.

There can be no courts, no judgements, no bailiffs or sherriff's officers, no bad credit ratings - absolutely nothing at all.

Forget all about it, and just laugh when the letters arrive, at the sheer nerve of them.