Frustrated with popla

lcc86

Hi all,

I received a parking ticket outside my house back in June and trying to resolve it is a farce. Outside my property is a piece of land shaped like a 'T'. I have legal documents which state I can park along the top of the T provided I don't block anyone else's access. I can't park along the long part of the T as this is owned by Parking Ticketing Ltd.

On the day in question, I was parked along the top of the T, looked out of my window and saw a man giving me a ticket. I shouted out to him that that piece of land didn't belong to PTL so he couldn't ticket me, but he ignored me and issued the ticket anyway. Fine, I thought, I have the deeds to prove I'm right, I'll send it to them.

So the same day, I send copies of all the relevant documents via email and also took a picture of the car to demonstrate it wasn't on their property. The ticket says I was parked without a permit ,so I argued that as the land isn't theirs, I don't need a permit and the ticket should never have been issued. I've been parking there for 3 years with no issues.

A few days later, I get an email from PTL saying the evidence has been reviewed and my appeal is successful :T :j

BUT!!!!!! A few hours later, I get another email saying my appeal has failed and that I didn't send them any evidence to prove I was right. :mad::mad:

So I rang them to clarify what the hell was going on. I spoke to a lady who said the second email (surprise surprise) was right, they hadn't received any evidence and the ticket stood. I asked if I could resend the evidence as they claimed not to receive it, but they said no, I would now have to appeal to POPLA.

So the very same day I emailed POPLA with all of the same information I'd sent to PTL and asked them to look into it.

About a week later, I got a letter from POPLA saying sorry, but I had to appeal within 28 days of the ticket being issued, and as I had appealed after this, they wouldn't accept my appeal. Just to be clear, the ticket was issued on 10/06/15 and this letter was dated 22/06/15. My maths isn't the best but even I know that that is MUCH less than 28 days! :rotfl:

I sent POPLA a further email highlighting their error the very same evening and asked them again to look into it. I marked it for the attention of the person who sent me the letter and also marked it as urgent as I was aware time was ticking and the last thing I wanted was debt collecting letters etc.

To date, I've received no response from POPLA . The 28 days has now definitely elapsed since the ticket was issued. I sent them a further chase email on 17/07/15. Each email gets a standard 'we aim to respond within 5 working days'.

I am definitely not paying this ticket or any charges associated with it as I've provided them with the evidence and done everything completely by the book.

My question is, if POPLA don't respond within a reasonable timeframe, do I have any rights? I was thinking of sending them an email on Friday stating that if I don't receive a response within x amount of days, I will consider the matter resolved and my appeal successful, but I don't know if that's acceptable. At the end of the day, I just want this resolved and have done what I can to get it resolved but I seem to be getting ignored on all fronts.

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated !!

ManxRed

Why don't you contact Trading Standards to report that the PPC is operating on land they do not own, nor do they have a contract to operate with the landowner?

Also raise the same complaint with the BPA Ltd.

bazster

PoPLA goes by the information encoded in the PoPLA code the operator sends to you. It sounds like PTL sent you an out-of-date code.

Check your PoPLA code here:

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/popla-code-checker/

The code should be valid for 28 days from the day it was issued. If yours is significantly less than that (or was already out of date when they issued it) complain in the strongest terms to the BPA. This will probably result in your ticket getting cancelled.

Who owns this land where you are permitted to park, and what exactly gives you your right to park on it? (I'm not questioning this, I just want to be clear about exactly how your rights arise; there may be a case for a serious complaint to the BPA about a member operating without landowner authority).

lcc86

Thanks for your quick replies. I've checked the POPLA code and apparently it was generated 7 days before the date of my appeal rejection letter so I've not had the full 28 days to appeal.

Re trading standards, should I wait for the outcome of the POPLA appeal or do this anyway? Should I also notify PTL if I report them to trading standards?

Re who owns the land, I don't have proof of this but a businessman who owns the property next door says he owns it, although another neighbour says it belongs to another property. My deeds don't day and I'll be honest, I've never done a search to check as we all coexist and park considerately to accommodate each other with no issues. It doesn't belong to PTL, I know that much, otherwise they would be ticketing us every single day and they don't!

The_Slithy_Tove

1. Parking Tickets Ltd will NOT own the land, no way. They will have been contracted by someone else.

2. Yes to TS right away. It's not relevant what POPLA say. If PTL are operating on someone else's land, that's potentially criminal, and TS should be involved.

3. Complain to BPA about late POPLA code, and insist they reissue one with the correct appeal deadlines.

OR, just collect tickets, and appeal each one to POPLA. Cost them lots. Find out who does own the land, so you can have a simple one-line POPLA appeal that PTL have no contract with the landowner and thus cannot issue tickets.

Lastly, DON'T PHONE A PPC. It's a pointless exercise. Keep everything in writing.

lcc86

Thanks for the advice , I've just contacted Trading Standards (I work in the same building as them) and am just awaiting a response. Ironically they've not ticketed me or anyone else parked in exactly the same place since (to my knowledge anyway) so I'm sure they've told their employee that he made an error. Shame they can't apply that level of logic to my case...

Ralph-y

"Shame they can't apply that level of logic to my case..."

you are talking about a PPC :rotfl:

Ralph:cool:

The_Deep

The incompetence of The Court Service is overwhelming. Once my daughter came down from Nottingham to be a witness at a Mags Court, only to find when she arrived that the perp was being tried at a Crown Court, half a mile away on another charge..

lcc86

Further update, POPLA have finally responded today asking me to resubmit all my evidence again as they say they sent it all back to me in the rejection letter!!! Nevermind that I sent it by email so they should have electronic copies.... Haven't responded yet, seem to be going round in circles!!

lcc86

I wonder if anyone can give me some further advice...

I've had a letter through today from Parking Collection Services, saying as I've not paid the parking ticket I now owe £120. I know this is a standard letter, but as things haven't even been resolved through POPLA I'm unsure whether I should acknowledge this in any way or just wait until I hear from POPLA?

Guys_Dad

If you care to - advise them that POPLA are still considering the case and enclose a copy of their letter asking you to resubmit.