Yet another Parking Notice Charge at Doncaster Airport

moneygrabbing_bs

And here's the text of the letter sent to the MD of the airport cc'ing the CEO of the chamber of commerce:


As a frequent flyer with weekly business travel to Europe I recently had the pleasure of using Doncaster Sheffield Airport for the first time. The facilities you have developed here over the past 10 years are first class and the whole experience was a credit to the teams involved. There is a clear opportunity for capacity and improvements in direct UK connection to Eastern Europe and it is good to see you are well placed to exploit this growth market and support UK business within the region to accomplish the same.
However you should be aware that the hard work and efforts of all your team are being massively undermined by the bad practices of Vehicle Control Services Ltd. (VCS). Although you have developed some great facilities at Doncaster Airport, attracting me as a new customer, as a result of actions by VCS it is extremely unlikely that I will use the airport again.
Having pre-paid for parking, the vehicle within which I was travelling stopped on the side of the access road for 15 seconds to check which car park to enter before continuing into the car park. VCS have issued a £100 “parking” charge notice for this alleged offence. From the various online forums you will note that this is by no means an isolated incident. Considering there is little, if any appropriate signage and no road markings to indicate a no stop zone and the time frame this brings into question entrapment for commercial gain. There is now considerable evidence that this bad practice is routine and should be exposed in the public interest.
I do not anticipate any intervention in this case but as manager director you should be aware of their bad practice, the detrimental impact on your customers and in particular the issue this highlights regarding your access roads.
Yours faithfully,

Umkomaas

Well done, and thanks for copying your appeal in here. In the main it contains forum-standard appeal points that have been routinely rejected by VCS, even before they jumped ship from the BPA to the IPC.

So why did they uphold this one? If I was guessing it may be connected with the fact that you had a pre-paid booking arrangement for parking and were able to quote the reference number.

Maybe threatening the involvement of the Airport MD and the CoC - but less likely than the above. However, in PPC world, nothing should surprise you. Nevertheless, the monkey is firmly off your back.

Giant_Hogweed

Well my 'parking' case has moved on a little so I 'd like some more advice. As previously advised I sent VCS the template letter and received their automated reply, saying they would reply within 28-35 days to my appeal. That was on 8th June. Yesterday (15th August, 68 days later) I received a letter entitled


NOTICE OF INTENDED COURT PROCEEDINGS


(sorry would like to post photo but can't work out how to do it and as a newbie I cant post e mail links either).


It came in an envelope where the NOTICE OF INTENDED CO(URT PROCEEDINGS) is clearly visible in the window



My son, who works for a LEGAL debt collection company says displaying this is against the law.


(Also if anyone can PM me an idiots guide to posting photographs I'll return and post the pictures.)


Further advice gratefully received

Redx

you cannot post photos here, which is why you have failed to find the option

what you CAN DO , however, is host them on an alternative site like tinypic or photobucket, then post a non-live link to the URL , changing the link from http to hxxp, we will then make the link "live" as more experienced members who can do so

who sent this letter ?

VCS ??

DRP ? (or some other debt collector? )

if its a debt collector, read post #4 of the NEWBIES sticky thread, and ignore it

if its from VCS themselves, then read the LBCCC fightback thread in the crabman sticky thread

Umkomaas

I bet that letter isn't from VCS - it will be from Debt Recovery Plus (please confirm).

Your son might well be correct in telling you that display of a court threat is 'against the law', it's a pity he didn't also tell you that debt collectors are powerless in the context of private parking charges!

Giant_Hogweed

The letter is from VCS. Would photos of the letters be helpful?

Redx

if its deffo vcs, then read and follow the LBCCC fightback thread (treat it as an LBC that isnt compliant)

Ralph-y

go to http://developer.photobucket.com/

create an account then upload your (redacted) pics/ scans

then ... as above post the link here changing the url ...

example here

http://i594.photobucket.com/albums/.............

to

hxxp://i594.photobucket.com/albums

Ralph:cool:

Giant_Hogweed

hxxp://s1250.photobucket.com/user/MickRogSnr/media/parking%20invoice%201.jpg.


hxxp://s1250.photobucket.com/user/MickRogSnr/media/Parking%20invoice%202.jpg


Still wouldn't allow my post. can you see these?

Giant_Hogweed

I found the relevant thread but cant read it due to the right hand side of the thread being obscured by adverts and then cut off.