Newbie in need of a small amount of guidance

Zak123

Hello, I have read as much as I can take in of the Newbies thread and just need a bit of direction on how I should act/what letter templates I should use and where to send them.

Here's my situation:
I got a PCN from Euro Car Parks at a Wetherspoons on the 27th March, 2015. I had only been driving for about a month. When I entered the car park it was completely full other than one space against the wall at the far side. A little stumped by the busyness I failed to notice the signage, as there was none on the wall on the side of the car park that I parked in but there was lots on the other side which was completely full of cars.

I had a meal and bought a friend one too, we were in the building for about an hour. When I exited the car park I found the PCN on my windscreen, issued only shortly after I had entered the car park (the officer was clearly waiting in the car park, taking up a space himself, ready to pounce). I went to check the signage to discover parking was only £1 for an hour and you can get it refunded if you buy a meal - so it would have been FREE anyway had I known to buy a ticket!!!
I kept the receipt and sought advice from friends and the internet but didn't find this forum in time. I wrote an appeal but decided not to send it in the end as the general consensus seemed to be to ignore. Which I now know is wrong! I got the NTK and ignored again and then I started to receive Control Account threats of which I have had two so far and seen numerous others on the forum receive the same ones.

Now, I read somewhere that it is still not too late to appeal, but I should have no contact with Control Account? What I need help with is how/where to apply and with what templates and what kind of things I should and shouldn't say.

I know this is probably something that has been said on the newbies forum but trying to filter all the information is difficult for me so would really appreciate a little guidance from a professional.

Thanks in advance for any help, I really appreciate it!

Quentin

You may as well now wait and see if you get any court action as you have wrongly ignored the ticket.


The newbies FAQ thread has all the info regarding court summonses and what to do.

Ralph-y

Have you been back to see the 'spoons' manager , or written to the head office yet ?

Ralph:cool:

Umkomaas

Euro Car Parks hardly ever 'do court'. Read here:

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/court-cases-2014-2014.html#comment-form

10 cases in 12 months - but these don't necessarily have anything at all to do with parking tickets. ECP are not seen as in any way litigious.

More details can also be viewed here:

http://crtcases.appas.org.uk/htdocs/court_ppc_count.php

So ignore anything the debt collectors send you. Only react to a Letter Before Action from Euro Car Parks or court papers from the bulk handling centre in Northampton (occasionally Salford).

HTH

Zak123

Thanks guys!
So a few more questions regarding those responses:

If I did get a court summons would I stand much a chance of contesting or would it mean I'm going to have to pay triple the price? Which at the moment is £115!

No I have not been to see the 'spoons' manager, is it not too late to do so?

Thank you for that Umkomass, that is very reassuring but will it ever go away if I just keep ignoring?

Coupon-mad

Zak123 wrote: »

Thanks guys!
So a few more questions regarding those responses:

If I did get a court summons would I stand much a chance of contesting or would it mean I'm going to have to pay triple the price? Which at the moment is £115!

Seeing as ECP never do Court you are not going to need a new suit for any hearing. And no, small claims cannot wallop on extra huge costs, not at all. But that won't happen with ECP anyway.

No I have not been to see the 'spoons' manager, is it not too late to do so?

Never too late. I just got a customer's case cancelled a year after ParkingEye bothered her, by emailing a complaint to the landowner's agent. Very nice of ParkingEye to tell me who the person was...witness statements at POPLA are great!

Thank you for that Umkomass, that is very reassuring but will it ever go away if I just keep ignoring?

Yes.