Unpaid uni parking ticket DISCIPLINARY ACTION WORRIES

Lindsey125 · 12 May 2014 at 2:46PM

Dear all,

I have a problem regarding a number of CPP parking 'fines' at Leeds university that I am particularly worried about, and I would be VERY grateful for any advice anyone can give that might help me sleep a little easier (or tell me what to do).

I am very familiar with these scammers and have ignored many of these misleading tickets before, and intended to do the same with these until the university got involved.

I am a PhD student (a graduate student for anyone not familiar) and was parking on a private access road near the entrance to my department belonging to the university for a couple of months and receiving these tickets owing to an injury that meant walking far put me in a lot of pain. Obviously I was getting letters from CPP but was just ignoring them happily as done previously. However, by a turn of bad luck (security, who go round issuing the tickets, recognizing me in my car at a gate and asking for my student ID, thus getting my details) the university identified me, leading me to worry about getting disciplined or prevented from graduating.

I was first sent a letter by the facilities manager, with the photo of this being here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vaxqtl66k6qcoeq/I...1113%5B1%5D.jpg

As disciplinary action is threatened only if I continued to infringe parking rules (or as I understand it anyway) I haven't parked in this area and received any tickets from them since 14th Feb (letter dated 13th Feb). I did however ring this guy (the uni, NOT cpp!) to explain my situation and got nowhere, and applied for a parking permit for the uni car parks on the basis of medical issues with the support of my consultant, and despite me pursuing them they have not responded to my application. Since this time I have been happily ignoring letters from CPP, and am now receiving pink letters from ICC legal services threatening court action.

I thought this would quietly go away as these companies usually do, but I have now received the following email from the same manager at the uni:

Dear X,

I have been informed that you have still not paid your outstanding fines for the parking contraventions I wrote to you about in February. Following our telephone conversation, I was under the impression that you would be speaking to Car Parking Partnership and arranging payment of these outstanding fines. This company can make arrangements to allow you to pay in instalments if this is easier and I would urge you to contact them to resolve this matter.

Please contact me if you wish to discuss the above.

Regards
Y

Although this doesn't threaten anything it has really rattled my cage that he is on my case, and I am scared that he will escalate things further and look into disciplinary action or preventing me from graduating. I can't afford to pay all these fines and am not willing to, but am disturbed the uni, who unlike CPP can actually do something to me, are pursuing me. My question is can the uni legally do these things for an imaginary debt that is not even 'owed' to them and is apparently being handled by an appointed third party? Do other users think I should reply to this email and if so, how? I am also dubious about the professionalism of the university manager being in cohorts with CPP and haranguing me on their part.

I have found a number of documents relating to this on the university website that might be useful:

The car parking enforcement procedure, which covers the standard the enforcement procedures for these companies and does not include any action by the university itself (can they actually do anything that is not previously stated in their enforcement policy?):

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/facilitiesdirectora...20procedure.pdf

Car parking terms and conditions (I am worried about part 9.h., please advise):

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/facilitiesdirectora...0conditions.pdf

The student contract that I agree to every year when I register with the uni, please see 'payment of fees and other charges':

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/rsa/admissionsandre...s/contract.html

I would be SO grateful for any advice received as I am really quite worried. Obviously, I recognize that what I did was stupid, have learnt my lesson and won't be doing this again.

Thanks in advance for the help.

James_N · 12 May 2014 at 2:57PM

Please contact your student union officers. Don't be fobbed off. You will have a student union employee or sabbatical officer for welfare, as a start. Report back what you are told (there is a possibility that they are as badly informed as (for instance) the Citizens Advice people, but we live in hope.
Setting aside any considerations about these "fines" (note that they are NOT fines) I remember there was something recently about universities being no longer able to withhold graduation for things like unpaid library late fees (they used to do this) I will try and look for you.
I am sure that other regular posters here can give specific advice about the parking company contest you now need to have. Off the top of my head, ignoring them was a poor decision.
Is you health problem verifiable and did the uni know, and DO they verifiably know now. - Edit - I can see that you HAVE made the uni aware of your health needs. They now need to give you consideration for this. IF your needs are clear, and they have not yet given you a campus permit,this is definitely a case for the student union to take up. Welfare Officer. Also any department of the university describing itself as "Well Being". Pursue both avenues on health grounds - physical and the stress it's causing you. Make your supervisor aware of the situation too. Report back on what these various people do (or don't do) for you.

ColliesCarer · 12 May 2014 at 2:59PM

Amend your post to remove the info that identifies you asap

Dublindel · 12 May 2014 at 3:01PM

The University have handed responsibility and control over to CPP, therefore this has nothing to do with the university anymore and they should not involve themselves.
The CoP of the BPA apply. The CoP of OFT apply. POFA 2012 apply and POPLA apply.
CPP have used the university quite wrongly to harrass you and I suggest that you complain to all parties on this matter including the university by enlightening them

James_N · 12 May 2014 at 3:09PM

Dublindel wrote: »

The University have handed responsibility and control over to CPP, therefore this has nothing to do with the university anymore and they should not involve themselves.
The CoP of the BPA apply. The CoP of OFT apply. POFA 2012 apply and POPLA apply.
CPP have used the university quite wrongly to harrass you and I suggest that you complain to all parties on this matter including the university by enlightening them

Whether or not the uni is acting like a retail company is one legal aspect, but this OP can quite easily address this situation using university procedures - it's not the same as a retail park.

ColliesCarer · 12 May 2014 at 3:16PM

ICC legal services are debt collectors and can not bring legal action against you.
Take a look at this thread from an OP dealing with a very similar situation to yourself - plus lots of others if you Search The Forum using ICC or even just the word "pink" - don't read old advice though.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4889503

Also read the NEWBIES thread post #4 about dealing with debt collectors

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

Dublindel · 12 May 2014 at 4:13PM

It is the same. It's parking on private land and is covered by the exact same procedures as a retail park. Therefore the same Cop applies

Lindsey125 · 12 May 2014 at 4:22PM

OK, so do either of you think the university has any power to take action such as disciplining me or witholding my graduation (James, I know you replied to this so this doesn't apply to you - thanks)? I did think that this matter is no longer any of their business since they have passed it on, and I don't know why the university would harass or punish me for a 'debt' that is not 'owed' to them and whether they have any legal power to do so. What do you think?

ColliesCarer - have I now removed the personal info that you mentioned?

Thanks to you both for your advice

Lindsey125 · 12 May 2014 at 4:39PM

Also, do you all suggest that I now appeal to CPP using a template letter from the newbie thread, or should I continue ignoring?

fisherjim · 12 May 2014 at 4:46PM

Well it shows how clued up the numpty at the university is using the F word twice!

Stroma · 12 May 2014 at 5:46PM

They can't withhold your degree over a debt to a third party. There was a few incidents of UNIs threatening this some months ago, they were bluntly told that this action would be unlawful and would be sued if they tried it. If this Uni has a legal department ask there, trust me the Uni won't withhold anything.