University parking tickets worry

Kanye_West

Hi,

I am a current student at university of york and all students know that you can park on campus in the car parks and get a ticket and never hear from them again, I used to do it all the time and so did any of my friends who drove on campus. It changed at the start of 2014 and ever since then, I have received 4 tickets. 2 of which I have just received the letters from Debt Recovery Plus (as well as NtKs) and the other 2 have only been NtK so far. I thought I had to ignore any letters I got, until I checked this forum.

The letters have been sent to my sister who is the registered keeper, to an address neither of us live at any more (just our parents). Ever since the DR+ letters came through, I decided to read into these parking notices. I have read the newbies thread and I am not worried about DR+ as I know they can't do anything because for one, the list of BPA approved operators clearly states that the uni doesn't have debt recovery in force, but I am worried that I have left it to late to send an appeal to get them off my back. Firstly, do I send it from the keeper? Secondly, what can I state in the letter seeing as the BPA list says they don't have debt recovery...will that make a difference? Apart from all that, I'll just send the same appeal for all 4 tickets too, even though I think I may be out of time to send an appeal...hopefully that shouldn't matter?

All I want is some reassurance really, because 4 tickets at £80 each isn't something I want to be paying/can be affording. Especially when parking is £1/hr...

Also, (quite funny) side note, DR+ letters state I must pay £140 ASAP, but if I go through the york uni website where one would normally pay for a parking ticket, you can just pay the full £80 instead :T

Thanks in advance...I'm sure a lot of UoY students are in the same position as me right now and looking for guidance!

Regards,

Yeezy

bazster

Were there any windscreen tickets or was "first contact" the postal NtK?

Kanye_West

bazster wrote: »

Were there any windscreen tickets or was "first contact" the postal NtK?

They were all windscreen tickets, sorry forgot to add that.

Coupon-mad

Were the tickets from Car Parking Partnership or another PPC, or from the Uni themselves? Please look carefully at a ticket and who it says to pay/appeal to.

bazster

OK, you have two choices broadly:

- Continue to ignore and hope they don't issue court proceedings against your sister

- Either you or your sister make a pre-emptive strike by appealing each ticket individually on the usual grounds (see Newbies sticky thread) and requesting in each case that the University issues a PoPLA code if they refuse your appeal. From a legal perspective this would be better coming from your sister as the RK, but it's not the end of the world if you write the appeals naming yourself as driver so as to get your sister off the hook.

They may well tell you that it's too late to appeal some or all of them, in which case you could remind them of what it says on their website:

The University has a duty to act fairly and to endeavour to reach its decisions with a high degree of open-minded impartiality and by the application of the principles of natural justice and fairness.

Since there is an independent (sort of) appeals service it would seem to be entirely in accordance with "the principles of natural justice and fairness" that the university allows you to use it. In any case, by putting them in the position of refusing alternative dispute resolution you have made it less likely that they would risk bringing a court case.

Kanye_West

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Were the tickets from Car Parking Partnership or another PPC, or from the Uni themselves? Please look carefully at a ticket and who it says to pay/appeal to.

I haven't got the tickets on me at the moment, but from the top of my head, the tickets were from the Uni themselves. They have their name brandished at the top. Looks exactly like this (not my ticket):

http://
i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/hazllo/UoYParkingFine1_zps517d8a1f.jpg

Kanye_West

bazster wrote: »

OK, you have two choices broadly:

- Continue to ignore and hope they don't issue court proceedings against your sister

- Either you or your sister make a pre-emptive strike by appealing each ticket individually on the usual grounds (see Newbies sticky thread) and requesting in each case that the University issues a PoPLA code if they refuse your appeal. From a legal perspective this would be better coming from your sister as the RK, but it's not the end of the world if you write the appeals naming yourself as driver so as to get your sister off the hook.

They may well tell you that it's too late to appeal some or all of them, in which case you could remind them of what it says on their website:

The University has a duty to act fairly and to endeavour to reach its decisions with a high degree of open-minded impartiality and by the application of the principles of natural justice and fairness.

Since there is an independent (sort of) appeals service it would seem to be entirely in accordance with "the principles of natural justice and fairness" that the university allows you to use it. In any case, by putting them in the position of refusing alternative dispute resolution you have made it less likely that they would risk bringing a court case.

I think just to be on the safe side I will send the appeal off for each individual ticket. My sister has allowed me to use her name as I have assured her that her credit wont be damaged from this. I shall use the template from the newbies thread and send off the appeals now. Thank you! I'll let you know what they reply.

Dee140157

http://i994.photobucket.com/albums/af66/hazllo/UoYParkingFine1_zps517d8a1f.jpg

Coupon-mad

I would want to see the back and to see if POPLA is offered and who to 'appeal' to.

Make sure the appeal is done ONLY in the keeper's name, NOT saying who was driving because it seems to me the Uni are unlikely to have established 'keeper liability' with their subsequent letters. Therefore the keeper is safe to challenge it.

bazster

University web site:

http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/transport/parking/cpn.html

The University is a member of the Parking on Private Lane Appeals Scheme (POPLA). Further information on this service will be provided to individuals upon the University appeals procedure being exhausted.

It's good that you can appeal in your sister's name since, as C-M says, the university has in all probability failed to establish keeper liability.

Hot_Bring

bazster wrote: »

University web site:

http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/estates/transport/parking/cpn.html

The University is a member of the Parking on Private Lane Appeals Scheme (POPLA). Further information on this service will be provided to individuals upon the University appeals procedure being exhausted.

It's good that you can appeal in your sister's name since, as C-M says, the university has in all probability failed to establish keeper liability.

One would expect a university to proof read their work wouldn't one ! :rotfl:

And that's not the only mistake on that page.