Private parking mild overpayment...

londonice

Hi guys,


I paid my private parking charge notice to the lovely people at MET.
They demanded payment of £100 reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.


I decided that I would pay the fine plus a tip, £50.01 cheque in total.


This was seven weeks ago, haven't heard from them since and what's funnier still, the cheque still hasn't been drawn from my account!


We shall see if this changes....

Dee140157

If you have found this forum why on earth would you pay?

The_Slithy_Tove

You didn't pay them 1p too much, you paid £50.01 too much. Why on earth did you dothat?

londonice

Dee140157 wrote: »

If you have found this forum why on earth would you pay?

Sometimes I wondered that myself. Though what with saying this, I read the forum but fancied trying to find a novel way of beating the private pcn system, this is my contribution.
Pay, but pay just a bit too much. It's probably one of the oldest tricks in the book.
Sensible companies would cash it and send you change. My hope is to confuse the system.

londonice

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

You didn't pay them 1p too much, you paid £50.01 too much. Why on earth did you dothat?

The cheque still has not been cashed, I'm growing old waiting for it! Also, please read my other reply.

Dee140157

An interesting idea. However a financially risky one for many. Still if not taken for 6 months it would no longer be valid.

The_Slithy_Tove

londonice wrote: »

Sometimes I wondered that myself. Though what with saying this, I read the forum but fancied trying to find a novel way of beating the private pcn system, this is my contribution.
Pay, but pay just a bit too much. It's probably one of the oldest tricks in the book.
Sensible companies would cash it and send you change. My hope is to confuse the system.

A high risk approach for which you may have been lucky this time. Don't forget that PPCs are not sensible and definitely are not ethical. I am surprised they haven't paid the cheque, to be honest.

halibut2209

An ultimately futile gesture with the only person standing to lose being you.

Best case scenario - they don't cash the cheque and then pursue you through the courts meaning this whole exercise is futile

Worst case scenario - they cash the cheque leaving you unnecessarily out of pocket.

You seem to think they are not entitled to an overpayment. You would be wrong. Giving change is not a legal requirement. Yes, you may be able to sue them for the 1p, but again completely futile.

I think the website you are looking for is moneywastingexpert.com

londonice

halibut2209 wrote: »

An ultimately futile gesture with the only person standing to lose being you.

Best case scenario - they don't cash the cheque and then pursue you through the courts meaning this whole exercise is futile

Worst case scenario - they cash the cheque leaving you unnecessarily out of pocket.

You seem to think they are not entitled to an overpayment. You would be wrong. Giving change is not a legal requirement. Yes, you may be able to sue them for the 1p, but again completely futile.

I think the website you are looking for is moneywastingexpert.com

Thank you Halibut but incorrect advice is dangerous for the rest of the board.

I am well versed in contract law and can state with some authority the following:

You mention in your "best case scenario" that the company may try to pursue me through the courts after I sent them payment via cheque that they have not or would not cash.
The court would immediately throw out (dismiss) the case as complaint without grounds and refusal to accept reasonable payment would be enough to consider the "contract" void. I can prove that I sent them payment (special delivery signature) along with a letter, photocopy of the cheque and cheque stub. In fact, they would not be able to do anything apart from be labelled as a "vexatious litigant" if they continued that course of action.


Also that claiming back the 1p would in fact be very worthwhile as interest can be added as well as direct costs, including costs of writing letters to them as well as the county court costs to claim back the 1p. The process however is, in itself, excessive.


In the meantime, I shall assume that MET Parking services have rescinded their claim to the "contract" and the matter closed.

Stroma

So you are well versed in contract law, so you send a cheque to pay an unlawful penalty that relies upon people's ignorance of the fact that there is no need to spend a single penny on this, providing of course you follow the advice.

Honestly I give up sometimes !

halibut2209

You go to court for 1p, then come back and tell us how you did.