UKPC Permit Ticket - ignored letters but worried

Lem

Hi all, I would be really grateful for some advice. Back in July I received a parking ticket from UKPC for parking without a valid permit. I was visiting a friend who lives in a block of flats with the majority of parking underground for visitors. There are also a few resident bay spaces, some with signs for permit holders, others with no signs, immediately outside the flats. In order to be let into the underground, I parked momentarily in one of the available permit spaces to go to the front door and buzz my friend so she knew I had arrived and could let me into the underground. Whilst I was doing this, a UKPC representative pulled up out of nowhere and immediately slapped a ticket on my windscreen as I was walking back across the lawns only 10 metres away. I explained I was about to move but he said it was too late. At the time, I read Martin's guide and lots of advice on here and it seemed the best and easiest course of action was just to ignore the letters demanding payment. From various forums, I learnt that I had caused no loss to UKPC as the spaces were not paid for and I had not prevented permit holders from parking as there were 2 adjacent spaces next to me (this is evidenced by the photograph of my vehicle in the permit space).

I have just received my 'reduced payment offer' letter from Debt Recovery Plus and was intending to ignore it also. However, a recent check on these forums it seems the advice is now not to ignore!! I am now concerned as I do not want to face court action (although I'm aware UKPC have not taken anyone to court as yet and can show no loss! In addition, the ticket states that it was issued at exactly the same time that the vehicle was first seen proving that the agent gave me no time to move and it was issued with any consideration for circumstance). Please could someone advise why the guidelines have changed and why these letters should no longer be ignored as I couldn't see an explanation for this? And what I should do now...? I am too late to appeal and go the POPLA route I presume? Thanks so so much, just want to make sure I am doing the right thing!

Coupon-mad

The advice in July...and several months before...was NOT to ignore these. If you'd looked here then you would not have found us telling people to ignore - the advice changed at the beginning of 2013.

Anyway, now the good news. This is UKPC who don't ever do Court, except when they were taken there twice!

They were convicted of an offence under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 in Hull Crown Court:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=63597

And more recently, a motorist took them to Court for damages and won (trespass by UKPC!):

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?377246-UKPC-liable-for-trespass-**SUCCESS**

Apart from that, nothing. UKPC haven't the first clue and just send threatograms. And people have happily ignored DRPlus and Zenith letters for many years too:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=78495

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3829727

Nothing to worry about with this lot but keep all the letters just in case UKPC break the habit of a lifetime and send you a Letter before Claim or court papers (won't happen, I am sure). Also they'd be mad to try a court claim for 'loss' because someone was buzzing at a gate to be let in! They are bound to have issued non-compliant letters so keep them all but ignore DRPlus and Zenith.

You are too late for POPLA. You should appeal a fake PCN as soon as you get the first letter in the post (NOT the windscreen ticket, only the first letter). Next time!

Just one thought to get it cancelled, possibly. After the initial windscreen fake PCN, when was the first letter received and can you show us a picture of it (both sides). I saw one earlier on the forum which wasn't POFA compliant at all - and if yours isn't, you could report UKPC to the BPA for chasing a registered keeper without having jumped through the strict POFA 2012 hoops.

Lem

Ok, thanks so much for this. I honestly did read a lot of forums at the time but must have been reading slightly older ones or missed this somehow.

Your reassurance means a lot. I will continue to ignore - (hope it doesn't go on for years though! Eek!)

I have kept all the letters and will dig the first one out and check it and post as you advise - thanks again.

sluzz

Hi, what was the outcome of this? I got a ticket from UKPC and am wondering what action to take also.

martmonk

sluzz wrote: »

Hi, what was the outcome of this? I got a ticket from UKPC and am wondering what action to take also.

START YOUR OWN THREAD
and on it tell us where in the process you are at, have you just received the first letter for example?

That's after reading the stickys at the top of the forum.