N.Ireland courts are still a PPC free zone

SevenTowers

Freedom of Information Request from NI Courts Service


Central Management Team
Laganside House
23-27 Oxford Street
Belfast BT1 3LA
Telephone: 028 90 328594
Fax: 028 9041 8945
Email: [EMAIL="communicationsgroup@courtsni.gov.uk"]communicationsgroup@courtsni.gov.uk[/EMAIL]


Our ref: FOI 110/14

Date: 30 July 2014


Dear Mr SevenTowers,

SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Request

Thank you for your email in which you write:-

“Could you please tell me how many court claims have been lodged in the N.Ireland Courts Service since 01/01/2010 by each of the following private parking companies who operate in N.Ireland:

Anchor CPS
Anchor Group Services Limited
Car Park Services Limited
Civil Enforcement Ltd.
Euro Car Parks
Horizon Parking Limited
Parking and Enforcement Agency Limited
Mercury Security Management
Smart Parking Ltd.
Town and City Parking
UK Parking Control Limited.”


On 9th July you clarified your request as follows:-

“I am referring specifically to small claims.
Please provide the information both for cases taken by these companies against
individuals, and cases taken against them by individuals.”

Your request which was received on 7 July 2014 and clarified on 10 July 2014 has
been handled under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).

I have conducted a search of our records and can confirm that since 1 January 2010, one small claim case involving the companies listed has been lodged. The case involved Civil Enforcement Ltd and they were the respondent in the case.

I hope this information satisfactorily answers your request.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may ask the Courts and Tribunals Service to conduct an internal review in relation to your request. A request for an internal review should be addressed to: Records and Information Access, 4th Floor, Laganside House, 23 -27 Oxford Street, Belfast, BT1 3LA within two months of the date of this response. If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied with the Courts and Tribunals Service’s treatment of your request, and then you are entitled to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner’s address is Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.


If you have any queries about your request please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.


Yours sincerely




Information Access Team
Central Management Team


So there you have it, only PPC to go near a court in NI is CEL, when somebody took a claim against them. In N.Ireland, all PPCs can be ignored with impunity. It turns out that all their bluster is pure bluff.

Dee140157

Do you think this is why Parking Eye don't have any car parks in NI?

SevenTowers

Dee140157 wrote: »

Do you think this is why Parking Eye don't have any car parks in NI?

No, PE operate in Scotland which, AFAIK, has a court system that is similarly free of PPCs. I really don't know why PE never made it to NI when many of the other Britain based PPCs did.

SevenTowers

Add "Minerva Security Limited" to the list of PPCs who dare not go near a court in N.I.

SevenTowers

Update: Several PPCs have actually been to court in NI, but only when they were dragged there by people claiming their money back, it is notable that two of the companies are clampers.

Information Access
Records and Information Management Team
Laganside House
23-27 Oxford Street
Belfast BT1 3LA
Telephone: 0300 200 7812
Fax: 028 9041 8945
Email: [EMAIL="communicationsgroup@courtsni.gov.uk"]communicationsgroup@courtsni.gov.uk[/EMAIL]


Our ref: FOI 137/15

Date: 19 October 2015

Dear Mr SevenTowers,


SUBJECT: Freedom of Information Request


Thank you for your email in which you have requested the following information :-


‘Could you please tell me how many court claims have been lodged in the N.Ireland Courts Service since 01/01/2014 by each of the following private parking companies who operate in N.Ireland:

Anchor CPS Limited
Anchor Group Services Limited
Car Park Services Limited
Civil Enforcement Ltd.
Euro Car Parks Limited
Horizon Parking Limited
Parking and Enforcement Agency Limited
Mercury Security Management
Smart Parking Ltd.
Town and City Parking
UK Parking Control Limited
Minerva Security Limited.

I am referring specifically to small claims.

Please provide the information both for cases taken by these companies against individuals, and cases taken against them by individuals.Please specify whether the Parking Company was the claimant or respondent.’


Your request which was received on 25 September 2015 and has been handled under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI).

We have conducted a search of our records and can confirm that the Northern Ireland Courts & Tribunals Service holds the information you are seeking.

Since 1 January 2014 there have been three small claim cases involving the companies listed, and are set out below:

Party Name (Participant Type)

Civil Enforcement Ltd (Respondent)

Parking & Enforcement Agency Ltd (Respondent)

Minerva Security* (Respondent)

* This case was lodged as a small claim, a decree was issued, however the application to set aside was dealt with in the County Court.

We hope this information satisfactorily answers your request.

If you are dissatisfied with this response you may ask the Courts and Tribunals Service to conduct an internal review in relation to your request. A request for an internal review should be addressed to: Records and Information Access, 4th Floor, Laganside House, 23 -27 Oxford Street, Belfast, BT1 3LA within two months of the date of this response. If following the internal review you remain dissatisfied with the Courts and Tribunals Service’s treatment of your request, and then you are entitled to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner. The Information Commissioner’s address is Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.


If you have any queries about your request please do not hesitate to contact us.


Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.


Yours sincerely


Information Access


Records and Information Management Team


So there you have it, yet again, the only PPCs to go near a court in NI was when somebody took a claim against them. In N.Ireland, all PPCs can be ignored with impunity. It turns out that all their bluster is pure bluff. I'm pretty sure that the CEL claim showing is the same one as last year The Parking Enforcement Agency is this clamping case:
http://www.pepipoo.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t91597.html
and the Minerva Security Limited is this one:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5042801

saverbuyer

Good info ST.


I'll try and get the results from the case.

SevenTowers

saverbuyer wrote: »

Good infor ST.


I'll try and get the results from the case.

Thanks, which case are you referring to?


CEL 14/077184
PEA 14/082586

saverbuyer

SevenTowers wrote: »

Thanks, which case are you referring to?


CEL 14/077184
PEA 14/082586

Sorry, I was referring to the Minerva one.

ferretlady

Interesting! But I am paranoid enough to be afraid of being a first test case.. I got parking notice on Saturday fro smart car parking about an overstay of 12 minutes in Bangor marina car park. Charge = £80. I had queued at pay kiosk for ages while a guy showed everyone i n queue in turn how kiosk worked - it's one where you key in your registration. I asked guy for 2 hours )£2) and paid believing I had 2 hours from that point. Apparently not. I have been timed from moment entering car park to moment leaving. So I have been charged £80 for finding a space with enough room for my 87 year old mum to get out passenger door, and for standing in long queue to pay in advance. Photos sent clearly show me as driver so can't say it wasn't. Do I ignore or appeal?

enfield_freddy

ignore , phgotos of you ? your face? or of a car that you are the registered keeper of


do not ring / write or email them , unless you admit to being the driver , they are snookered , and they know it!

bod1467

I'm still amazed at how so many people believe their circumstances are "unusual" or "special" and so the standard advice doesn't apply to them.