Luton Airport "Parking" fine - ignored letters

Momus

Would appreciate any help re my situation...

As "registered keeper" I received APCOA Parking Charge Notice from Luton Airport alleging "contravention of 02-Dropping off / picking up outside of a designated parking area" requesting £80; grainy photos included.
After reading (what turned out to be old) threads in this forum I ignored it.

Received Roxburghe letter citing unpaid PCN and requesting I pay £128. As above, I ignored it.

Received an amended letter from Roxburghe on apologising for sending first letter "which owing to an administrative mistake contained invalid data". As above ignored it.

Received phone call from Roxburghe asking to talk to me about a "personal matter". I politely refused to be drawn on any matter and put the phone down.

Having rechecked the guidance in these threads I now notice the advice I was working to is out of date and there is what appears to be a complicated process of appeals etc... I need to go through.

I have not acknowledged any communication to date (apart from picking up the phone). Can anyone advise me what my situation is and how best to resolve this matter without, hopefully, losing any money. Have I missed the boat for the appeal system? Does having ignored all communication to date compromise my situation? What would you non-newbies advise I do now?

Much thanks in anticipation.

Worried momus.

Redx

first, its not a fine and never was, its a parking charge

second, yes you appear to have "missed the boat" due to ignoring letters

lastly, read the sticky thread regarding these matters by coupon-mad, about 4th one down , called NEWBIES

tells you everything you need to know

Coupon-mad

Momus wrote: »

Would appreciate any help re my situation...

As "registered keeper" I received APCOA Parking Charge Notice from Luton Airport on 19/10/13 alleging "contravention of 02-Dropping off / picking up outside of a designated parking area" on 06/10/13 requesting £80; grainy photos included.
After reading (what turned out to be old) threads in this forum I ignored it.

Received Roxburghe letter 06/12/13 citing unpaid PCN and requesting I pay £128. As above, I ignored it.

Received an amended letter from Roxburghe on 17/12/13 apologising for sending first letter "which owing to an administrative mistake contained invalid data" - (not sure what these invalid data are - there are minor changes but essentially it says the same thing). As above ignored it.

Received phone call from Roxburghe on 07/01/14 asking to talk to me about a "personal matter". I politely refused to be drawn on any matter and put the phone down.

Having rechecked the guidance in these threads I now notice the advice I was working to is out of date and there is what appears to be a complicated process of appeals etc... I need to go through.

I have not acknowledged any communication to date (apart from picking up the phone). Can anyone advise me what my situation is and how best to resolve this matter without, hopefully, losing any money. Have I missed the boat for the appeal system? Does having ignored all communication to date compromise my situation? What would you non-newbies advise I do now?

Much thanks in anticipation.

Worried momus.

Nothing to worry about and I guess you have now skim-read the 'Newbies' thread.

1. Google the words 'Roxburghe phone calls' and see how common this drivel is and read about how to stop them phoning, by stating the debt is denied and the contact is 'harassment of the registered keeper' (you).

2. At NO POINT say who was driving, not here on the forum nor in any contact.

3. The Roxburghe first letter, I would guess, would have suggested 'keeper liability' under POFA 2012, am I right? Then the second version didn't - because Roxburghe have had their wrists slapped about this (so have APCOA). There is no 'keeper liability' at an Airport site because the POFA 2012 does not apply there (due to byelaws taking precedence).

4. Unless/until it's cancelled, keep all the letters, everything in a file for years just in case of a late small claim up to 6 years later (it's highly unlikely because APCOA don't do court and you, the keeper, are not liable!).

5. Complain to the BPA and DVLA about Roxburghe sending that letter {first one only, no need to mention the second one} because Roxburghe and APCOA are both BPA members and that misleading letter is deserving of another slap or sanctions. Email addies fro the BPA & DVLA are in the 'Newbies' sticky info thread.

It means you are potentially untouchable as long as you only respond as the registered keeper (if you bother to respond at all).

The sticky thread 'Newbies read this first' sets out the choices you have if you are 'on the face of it, too late' to appeal and getting debt collector letters. And if you decide to send a (late) challenge like this one linked here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/62928917#Comment_62928917

...you will just need to amend it in several places because I doubt the APCOA letter suggests POFA 2012 and keeper liability applies (because they changed their letters). But you can say 'your letter from your agents, Roxburghe, misstates the legal position by ...blah...' {and don't mention the second Roxburghe letter}.

Momus

Thanks for the response. Did read the stickie and was beginning to see the issues you so clearly express in your comprehensive reply. On checking in more detail, all your assumptions about the correspondences are correct. So, thanks again. Very clear and reassuring.

Big_Bad_Dad

That's it. All you need to know is that the APCOA/airports combination is not a Protection of Freedoms matter, and dropping off would not constitute "parking" in any case - airport or supermarket.

To this end, there is no POPLA procedure, so this case is akin to all those from before October 2012 when the keeper was free to simply, ignore!