Appealing a PCN

spicera

My husband and I parked at Cambridge Leisure Park on Saturday night to go to the cinema. As usual we parked in the adjoining business park (there is a multi-storey on site, but it is incredibly tight and very difficult for us to get our Mondeo estate car around without taking the paint work off the car!). We park responsibly, and we always chose a unit that is To Let. This time we have been issued a windscreen PCN by UKPC.
We will of course be appealing it - if the fine is to represent improper use of a business's parking area (even though it would have been after hours) then this surely does not count if the unit is empty.
I have read various threads and studied the newbie thread thoroughly. My question is about the information provided:

" Consider waiting 3 weeks and in that time, you MUST check the firm is and AOS member with the BPA or IPC (GOOGLE IT). DO NOT APPEAL AT ALL, IF THEY ARE NOT!
Victims who rush to appeal could be handing a scam artist their details on a plate and - almost as bad - pointlessly throwing away appeal grounds open to the keeper.
The latest advice is to avoid the debt collector rubbish and in the case of AOS MEMBERS ONLY, appeal after around 21 days if you get a windscreen ticket but as the KEEPER, not driver, using the template below. "

I have checked UKPC out and they are a AOS member with the BPA.
They even provide a website to let you appeal immediately. If I appeal within 14 days then UKPC allow me to pay at the reduced rate of £60 even if my appeal is unsuccessful.
I have emailed the management of the Leisure/Business Park and will wait to hear back from them before proceeding, but then would like to get it out of the way.
So why does the newbie thread recommend I should wait 21 days before appealing? I am confused.

pogofish

Why help them by handing over your details for free and bypass one of the best opportunities for them to mess this-up in your favour by issuing an out of date or otherwise non-compliant NTK? Happens a lot!

And do you really think an appeal to the PPC is going to get any kind of fair hearing? Despite their uniforms and look-alike "official" tickets/paperwork, these guys are predators, not legit and honourable operations!

spicera

I can't afford to wait around for court proceedings to arrive through my door, as am applying for a mortgage soon. I think it is better to contest the appeal rather than do nothing, surely?

Herzlos

Court proceedings (if it ever gets that far) wouldn't happen for months, and it'd only affect your mortgage if you lost and then refused to pay.

Let them write to you, appeal using the newbies guide, and then get rid of it properly.

Umkomaas

Why do you think court proceedings would affect a mortgage application?

Please take advice as given and await the NtK.

Chances of UKPC initiating court proceedings - on current performance - remote to none.

We will of course be appealing it - if the fine is to represent improper use of a business's parking area (even though it would have been after hours) then this surely does not count if the unit is empty.

A 'To Let' unit parking space isn't immune from a PPC PCN, and we don't advise anyone to ignore any Terms and Conditions on car park signage.

ampersand

spicera - you dipped your toe in another Thread[Helprequiredplease] because you felt you'd had limited response here. All that you need at this stage is here - many many many many times.

There isn't a magic wand: there IS sound advice which works.

I am entirely familiar with the area you parked in. Just go through all the steps set out re: appealing, posting up your draft here first.
Retain your free c.o.p. from the PO and establish a provable paper timeline.

Are you really cavilling before a private bounty hunter's ludicrous agenda?

It's the equivalent of junk mail, but you have the means of redress - please use them.