G24 Final Notice Query

Scaresic

Hi,

I have been reading a lot of the threads regarding PPCs and G24 on this and other sites but I wanted to ask a few questions specific to my case.

My car is still registered at my parents address. They received a letter dated 20th Apr which they sent on to me which is a "Final Notice" from G24. It is because my girlfriend parked for 193 minutes in a 180 minute free parking bay at Homebase. The parking was on Feb 15th and the Contractual Parking Charge was issued on 24th Feb. I nor my parents have received any previous letters and they say that as my Parking Charge remains outstanding, the full value of £100 is now due and owing. They then go on to say that after 28 days the will take further steps etc.

So the main advice I have seen online is to just ignore. This is what I am inclined to do but don't want my parents to be worried about some crazy debt collector turning up on their doorstep. I also am vaguely aware that there was some sort of law change in England in 2013? Does that mean I shouldn't ignore? Should I appeal? On what grounds?

I would really appreciate your assistance on this one as I don't want to give these cowboys any money.

Thanks
Scaresic

HO87

Well, if G24 were to do something - i.e. court, that would be a first. The chances of you being the first are, of course, slim and from that point of view G24's Final Notice is rather more to do with their giving up chasing and going away rather than anything else.

You could try appealing by naming your girlfriend as the driver and then getting her to follow the Newbies thread in sending in an appeal (firstly to G24 and then a second appeal to POPLA). That would guarantee that the matter went away.

Coupon-mad

As HO87 says, reset the clock by naming the driver who then has to be sent a PCN of her own, can appeal and then win at POPLA.

By the way no crazy debt collectors turn up on doorsteps - it's a letter chain that's all - but why not win at POPLA if your gf will just follow the advice in the top sticky thread 'Private Parking ticket? NEWBIES please read these FAQs first' which has the template appeal to use when she gets sent her PCN and also has, for you, a link to a thread about resetting the clock by naming the driver using a short template letter first.

And...complain to Homebase of course, or to the Centre Manager if it's a retail park of several stores. They can cancel these fake PCNs.

Scaresic

I have had quite a lot of advise regarding the resetting of the clock. If I were to do that I would be able to appeal and get it dropped with no problems?

I have an email typed out to the CEO of Homebase. Just reviewing it before I send.

ColliesCarer

To answer your question do a Search The Forum using search term G24 to find lots of threads like this one

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4946005

by people who have used Hot Bring's letter below (successes in the 20's to 30's now) and had the charge cancelled within days.

Hot_Bring wrote: »

Don't worry about G24 - they are harmless. Just send the following email and they will cancel it ( used at least 10 times successfully to my knowledge ) :

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 ).

But first Name the driver as advised using a letter similar to the one below.
Wait for your gf to receive a notice to driver from G24 in her own name then get her to send off Hot Bring's letter above first changing "the registered keeper" to "the driver". If they don't cancel they should issue a rejection letter to her with a POPLA code - at which point come back on the forum and read the NEWBIES thread for How To Win at POPLA.

If mailing letters - go to P.O. and get free certificate of posting as proof they were sent.

Dear Sir

PCN Number xxxx
Vehicle Registration Number xxxxx


I am the registered keeper of the above mentioned vehicle.

I am writing to inform you that I was not the driver of the vehicle on the date of the alleged 'parking event'.

Therefore you must pursue the driver, whose details are:

[INSERT NAME]

[INSERT ADDRESS]

PLEASE NOTE: This discharges my obligation as Registered Keeper under PoFA 2012.

I look forward to receiving confirmation from you that you will cease all further action against me with immediate effect.

Yours faithfully

PRINT NAME

Scaresic

Thanks for the feedback. I have emailed the CEO of Homebase. I'll give him a couple of days. After the bank holiday weekend I will send G24 the letter informing them who was driving. Then I will send the other letter if we get a new Notice. Does the letter from Hot Bring make sense in my situation or should it be tailored in any way? Please bear in mind that the first contact I have had is the Final Notice.

ColliesCarer

Yes the Hot Bring letter makes sense in your situation because naming the driver re-sets the clock.
So it then won't matter what you the RK got or didn't get because your gf will get a Notice to Driver in her own name. Once she gets the NtD - she sends the Hot Bring letter. It doesn't need any changes other than altering the line saying registered keeper to say driver instead - send as is.

You could just ignore instead as G24 have never done court so far and you would be extremely unlucky to be the first but you would have to endure months of receiving chasing letters from them and then from Debt collectors before they finally give up.

Alternatively you could try to send an appeal as RK stating they hadn't sent anything to you prior to the Final Notice and end up playing letter tennis of the Yes we did and you're too late to appeal - no you didn't and there's nothing to stop you accepting a late appeal variety. Then ending up having to either ignore or name the driver anyway.

But naming the driver now is the most sure route for getting this cancelled - hopefully as soon as they see HB's letter or at POPLA if they don't immediately cancel

Scaresic

I'm not sure I fancy roping my parents' house in to a game of letter tennis. I think I will go with the option to change the driver. Thanks for your help. I will keep you updated and may need your help again and hopefully this will be a success and go away!

Scaresic

Hi Colliescarer,

I just sent off an email to G24 asking for them to pursue my girlfriend. I will let you know if I get a reply or if we get a letter through the post.

I didn't mention that we hadn't received any letters previous to this but if they complain I will do so.

Looking forward to the fight!

Coupon-mad

I just sent off an email to G24 asking for them to pursue my girlfriend.

Sounds interesting!




Try this as a Google search (it will do the search itself):


http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Debt+Recovery+Plus+too+late+for+POPLA+site%3Aforums.moneysavingexpert.com

bod1467

Scaresic wrote: »

I just sent off an email to G24 asking for them to pursue my girlfriend.

Why does that give me the mental image of the closing credits of a Benny Hill show?