HELP - I paid for the wrong car in error

HollieC

Hi, thanks for such a useful forum. I was about to send a letter to G24 but now I have found your forum I am hoping you could give me guidance. I feel that I don't have a leg to stand on but worth one shot.

The first draft of the letter is below and outlines my situation. I know, I know I am an idiot and I've received two fines simply because I have registered the wrong car for a monthly parking session at the same location. I am lucky that this was only two it could have been a lot more!! I am worried by giving the parking company the following information I am admitting to parking there for more simply asking them to fine me some more! Temped to pay the two £45 early payment fees so I stop worrying about this.

Dear G24,
I have recently received a parking fine for the green Vauxhall Vectra registration KJXX XXX at parking location 5197 Toys R Us, Reading, Berkshire on 11 March 2014 and 24 March 2014 . Please accept this email as a formal appeal to the two parking fines reference XXXX and XXXX.


I understand from the POPLA website that you are not obliged to ‘stop the clock’ regarding the 14 day early payment period, however it would be much appreciated if you did so whilst you take into account the grounds for my appeal.


The parks the Green Vauxhall Vectra registration KJXX XXX at parking location 5197 to enable ease of parking when working in Reading town centre. The driver pays for a monthly pass using the RingGo service via my mobile phone. During the monthly parking session in February 2014 the green Vectra had to be repaired and the driver borrowed her husband’s car which is a white mini registration RVXX XXX. Although the driver had paid to park the Vectra for the month at parking location 5197 the driver also paid for an additional day parking for the mini in the same location.

When the monthly pass for the Vectra expired on 6 March2013, using the RingGo telephone payment service to purchase another monthly parking ticket and the driver paid £105.40. This is the first time that, when using RingGo, the driver had more than one vehicle saved onto my RingGo account and the driver did not realise that she had paid for the monthly parking for the incorrect car. RingGo automatically saved the mini as the first choice vehicle without the driver noticing. This was an easy mistake to make when using a familiar automated service.

As a result the driver HAD PAID FOR parking space at location 5197for one month commencing 7 March 2014 but the driver had registered the incorrect car. At no point since 7 March 2014 had the driver parked the mini at location 5197.

Given the driver had paid for the use of one space at location5197 this is an appeal for the two parking fine that you have issued to me. This is a simple error.

The driver would like to point out the following:


1. During February when the driver was unable to drive the Vectra she paid for additional one day parking sessions when parking the mini, despite having already paid for a monthly ticket for the Vectra. This demonstrates

a. That the driver is trustworthy and does not avoid paying parking costs. I have all of the receipts from RingGo

b. The driver is aware that the monthly ticket relates to only one car and that typically this is not an interchangeable parking ticket between cars and this is simply a human error.

2. As soon the driver received the parking notice on Monday 24 March 2014 she immediately informed her husband of the mistake and the driver has temporarily swapped cars from Tuesday 25 March 2014 to make sure that, for the duration of my current parking ticket, the driver will park the correct car at location 5197.

3. The car park at location 5197 is not full and therefore by parking a different car in location 5197 to the one paid for the driver was not limiting you from generating revenue from other drivers who wish to park their car. The driver had PAID TO USE ONE SPACE and only used one space, but simply registered the wrong vehicle in error.


This is an appeal to your better nature given that the driver has made a simple human error by registering the incorrect vehicle.

Thanks for your help
Hollie

ColliesCarer

Hi Hollie,

Please read the NEWBIES sticky thread (1st thread on main page) but linked here for you

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4816822

and take a look at this flowchart (scroll down to most up to date version)

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4922055

for all the information you need about how to deal with this and to help you see why your letter is not one it would be advisable to send

ColliesCarer

Just to help reassure you these will be easy to deal with so don't for a minute consider paying these charges - why should you - you paid for your parking.

Deal with each notice separately - see the NEWBIES sticky thread 1st appeal template letter - and send one copy for each notice.

And yes that will be sufficient - no need to give them any further info, especially as you are concerned about the possibility of other PCN's once they have the other reg no.

HollieC

Hi, thanks for the replies. I just want to check one thing with you. Should I send the letter exactly as it shows on the 1st appeal template or should I make any changes to it given my circumstances are slightly different?

So simply, cut and past the template into word, add my parking details ref number etc and send - easy as that? (only I have to do it twice as I have two!)
Really appreciate your help on this one.
Thanks

Hot_Bring

G24 are easy to get to back down. Personally I'd use the letter below ( it's worked on six occasions that I know of, maybe more. G24 backed down in two of them the same day it was sent ).

Dear G24,

This is an appeal against the charge issued to the vehicle with the registration XXXXXX, charge reference XXXX.

It is the registered keepers assertion that :

1. The charge is not a genuine pre-estimate of loss.
2. The signage does not conform to the BPA CoP to which G24 has committed.
3. G24 has no authority to issue charges over the land in question.

As such the charge is rejected. You should now either cancel said charge or provide a POPLA code for the registered keeper to appeal to the independent adjudicator.

Any further correspondence other than confirmation of cancellation or a POPLA code will be considered harassment and could result in legal action being taken against you.

Yours,

Print name ( don't sign ).

bod1467

The appeal from the NEWBIES thread is designed to be all-encompassing yet avoid identifying the driver in any way. Trying to edit it may "drop you in it" so to speak.

Question though - were these windscreen tickets or through the post? If windscreen tickets then wait for the postal notices.

ColliesCarer

Hi Hollie,

I know it's difficult to accept, as we all want to tell our story, but actually the circumstances aren't really relevant - the parking company won't care - they'll simply say ah yes! but you still broke the rules because you didn't put the right reg in.

And in your case you might only be giving then extra info which, and you were concerned about this above, could be used to track possible other days.

Also at the POPLA stage - believe it or not the fact that you have already paid won't matter a jot - it's the legal arguments in those three points that win time after time.

So use the template as is or this shorter version below - Hot Bring drafted and has used successfully 6 times. G24 more often than not cancel as soon as they see those points from someone who is obviously forum assisted.

Hot_Bring wrote: »

Or you can use this much shorter version ( successful at least 6 times so far ) :

Dear G24,

This is an appeal against the charge issued to the vehicle with the registration XXXXXX, charge reference XXXX.

It is the registered keepers assertion that :

1. The charge is not a genuine pre-estimate of loss.
2. That the signage does not conform to the BPA CoP to which G24 has committed.
3. That G24 has no authority to issue charges over the land in question.

As such the charge is rejected. You should now either cancel said charge or provide a POPLA code for the registered keeper to appeal to the independent adjudicator.

Any further correspondence other than confirmation of cancellation or a POPLA code will be considered harassment and could result in legal action being taken against you.

Yours,

Print name ( don't sign ).

EDIT - Apologies HB - didn't see you had already responded

HollieC

Thank you - again very helpful. I'll get that done asap and let you know how I get on

bod1467

bod1467 wrote: »

Question though - were these windscreen tickets or through the post? If windscreen tickets then wait for the postal notices.

Repeated in case you missed it.

HollieC

Sorry - yes I did miss it - busy day at work - boo!

They were through the post not windscreen tickets.

bod1467

Thanks.

Were they both received within 14 days of the "offences"?