PCN from VCS, something a bit different...

Geriman

I was probably a bit late in discovering this forum, but thought people might be amused by how things are going so far.
Basically I stopped for 5 minutes one Sunday morning in a VCS monitored car park for a takeaway coffee on the way to a football match my youngest was playing in.
Some hours later I was in the same car park for 5-10 minutes to pick up a few things from Tesco.
A few weeks later I got a PCN alleging I'd stayed beyond the 2 hours allowed.
So I emailed and said I hadn't, it was 2 visits several hours apart.

I've since realised that there's a "no return for 5 hours" notice, and it was probably about 4 1/2 hours between visits.

However:
a- That's not what the PCN was for
b- I've had a reply demanding evidence that there were 2 visits, as after a 'thorough internal investigation" they can find no evidence of 2 visits.

Except the reply now says I was in a car park in TWICKENHAM which was pay & display! I live in Sheffield, and it is a free parking area, max 2 hours.

So much for thorough internal investigation.

Trying to decide what to do:
a-nothing, see what happens
b-set them right
c-tell them they're incompetent and I'm not paying
d-something else

What do people think?

Captain_Leaky

One thing to do might be to ask them for evidence that you were in Twickenham and leave it at that. It could well be that you have a Time Machine and their anpr cannot keep up with your movements. Say nothing more about about Sheffield for the time being.

The_Slithy_Tove

Another thing to do is to have a go at Tesco, and ask them if they really want a parking policy that doesn't allow people to come to their store twice over such a long period. 2 visits in 5 hours is easy to do, for example grabbing some lunch, then calling in on the way home, or taking stuff back after shopping. They need to sort out their parking operatives.

Guys_Dad

You know that they have to send you a NtK within 14 days if they are using ANPR???

So when you write !"A few weeks later I got a PCN alleging I'd stayed beyond the 2 hours allowed.
So I emailed and said I hadn't, it was 2 visits several hours apart.", If it was a few weeks later they are out of time - end of story.

Check your dates and come back.

Geriman

Sorry, misleading of me. It was sat in a pile of post, and I opened it in the first week of March.
It's dated 9 days after the alleged incident.
Might wander into Tesco - or Costa.
Can't hurt.

Thanks folks.

Geriman

Ha! Spoke to Tesco and Costa staff, both agree it sucks, neither have any clout over the owners of the site/parking area, who employ VCS.
Apparently staff can't park there either!
The Tesco manager gave me the number for the owners of the site, debating whether to ring and what to say.

Umkomaas

Geriman wrote: »

Ha! Spoke to Tesco and Costa staff, both agree it sucks, neither have any clout over the owners of the site/parking area, who employ VCS.
Apparently staff can't park there either!
The Tesco manager gave me the number for the owners of the site, debating whether to ring and what to say.

Get their address and do it in writing. You'll probably get the fob-off line by phone. Committing themselves to paper will mean they will have to think more about what it is they are putting down and sending out.

ManxRed

Bear in mind that, should VCS decide to pursue this on the basis of the 'no return within x hours' line that this actually constitutes Trespass, not Contractual Charge or Breach of Contract, and as such, only the legal occupier of the land can bring a claim in respect of Trespass.

That most certainly isn't VCS.

ManxRed

I should add that it can only ever apply to the driver, not the vehicle either. So how on earth they police that I've no idea.

Geriman

OK, constructing a reply, underlining their claims in letter #2 that I was in Ivybridge Retail Car Park, that it's a P&D, etc etc (it was actually Berkley Precinct, and it's free parking!), then saying I want their video feed (ha!), pointing out that their charges are excessive, quoting a case that was in the press where the judge said just that, and finally saying that there are inaccuracies in their communications that make their case unsound and render it inadmissible in court.

What do people think - should I send them a bill for my time as well? Self employed and all that.

:rotfl:

HermanMunster

Got something similar going on with VCS myself at the moment, where they've just got all their facts wrong in the NtK. I've written asking them to produce some evidence (knowing full well that they can't), telling them I'm going to pursue them for my costs and report to the DVLA for getting my personal details without reasonable cause. Knowing they don't have any actual case, might as well have some fun with it.