Armtrac, Sennen cove, Cornwall,

DWMT

Evening all,


Quick bit of advice re a PCN I have received from a lovely company called Armtrac Security Services.


Whilst using the car park at Sennen cove, Cornwall, at the harbour end, I received a PCN attached to my windscreen, even though a ticket had been paid for and displayed at 08.47hrs that day. Unfortunately, an act of god, namely the sun, meant the ticket curled up (although stuck to the dashboard), and so the date was not clear to see.


I thought no problem, I will email the company to appeal the PCN, and sent a picture of the ticket to prove payment. I stupidly did mention that I was the driver/keeper of the vehicle, although I was not the person who purchased and placed the ticket (not sure if that makes a difference), which was done by someone else in our group.


I have given them all of the information required to process a appeal with them directly, but have refused to pass my address details. Suspecting that I would be turned down on my appeal, and bombarded with demand letters.


After some toing and throwing via email, they basically stated they cannot process my appeal as I have not provided an address (I guess this means they don't recognise my appeal), and have not replied to my latest email, asking them to explain the legal grounds they require my address, or if this is their internal policy.


They appear to be a member of the IPC, and any subsequent appeals would be through the IPA (which appears to act in favour of the PPC), does this mean I cannot get a POPLA ref, as they are not BPA?


The fine is for £100, reduce to £60 if paid within 14 days, but by my reckoning should be £0, as they ave not incurred any loss, or damage to the car park, as I paid for a ticket and displayed! The ticket was paid at £3.50, and allowed me to stay until 09.00hrs the next day.


I have managed to retain some of the other tickets purchased throughout the week, to demonstrate a course of conduct, should I end up in court. All of the tickets pretty much curled during the week, or had a poor adhesive.


Also, interestingly they took a picture of my vehicle in the parking bay, a full hour prior to the PCN issued, from the rear!!. Not of the ticket on the dashboard??? perhaps waiting for the ticket to curl enough!!


Any advice would be gratefully received.

Herzlos

DWMT wrote: »

perhaps waiting for the ticket to curl enough!!

I wouldn't put it past them.

If they are with the IPC, you'll have a hard time pressing them to reject the appeal and pass into onto the IAS, the "Independent" Appeals Service.

I guess your options are to tell them you refuse to provide your address, and to take it to the IAS, or you give them your address (doesn't need to be your real one, a PO box / MBE set up would do fine).

Or you just wait and see; if they don't get your info from the DVLA then they'll not be able to do anything other than send you angry emails.

ampersand

Welcome to mse DWMT - and this always up-to-date Forum.

&'s eagle-eyed contribution - you mean A-S-S behaved like one?

Don't call it a 'f - - -' though. Read and learn from the newbie stickies. Once through, or gist reading, will not be enough. It's a speculative invoice, unenforceable.

To extend your point, would any honest, upstanding private parking scumpany dare to gamble on SUN appearing during albion summer?.........
Don't ring them. Don't include mitigation in anything you waste time writing - although it is essential to establish a timeline trail with screenshots or free Certificates of Posting should you choose to engage with them.

Always return here if the A-S-S kicks in with an actual Court Claim.

Parking Prankster is more essential reading:
http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/
#

hoohoo

The harbourmaster at Sennen Cove is very sympathetic to genuine cases. The car park was abused by motorists when no enforcement was in place. He wanted to pay a company to manage, but the only quotes he got were for free enforcement, with the company taking the income from charges.

If you write to him explaining the circumstances, I feel sure he will cancel. It will also reinforce any suspicion that Armtrac are a bunch of scammers.

DWMT

I had looked at the website for the Harbour commissioner for Sennen. they state that any appeals need to be directed to the PPC. Although both on the ticket machine and website they suggest the income goes to the upkeep of the harbour.


I might draft out a email to them tomorrow or ring direct.

hoohoo

The parking fee (£1 for 2 hours?) goes to the harbour. The parking charge goes to armtrac (£100 for a curled up ticket).

I wonder who is making more money out of this?

I think a friendly email will do the trick

DWMT

Thanks hoohoo. I think I have managed to locate the contact details of the Sennen cove harbour trust and telephone number for the harbour master. Just sent a email asking them to confirm the contact details are correct, once they have confirmed I will pen a letter of complaint and ask them to step in as the landowner?

The_Deep

As this is an IPC company, it is of little consequence whether they refuse you appeal or not. Win of lose, you are off the hook. Read blogs number 123 and 129 of 2015 on the Parking Prankers's website to find out why.

Essingeviken

I picked one up from Armtrac at Sennen cove a couple of years ago, but from the other car part ...near the restuarant. There you are required to key in your registration number to get the ticket, except that in some circumstances that functionality could be by-passed. I contacted the landowner...very pleasant guy....and had a discussion about it. At the same time I went through the POPLA experience with Armtrac (they were members then). POPLA rejected me but eventually Armtract dropped the claim as it was quite clear the machine didn't work correctly in all circumstances.

I wished I hadn't bothered with POPLA and I would recommend that you just let them threaten you with court. Presumably the pictures they had taken show a curled up ticket on then screen. I doubt that they have a chance in hell.

DWMT

Thanks all for the advice.

I have managed to speak to harbour master and member of the committee, I explained the issue, and he agreed they were being a bit heavy handed and needed some common sense. He has requested that i email him with photos of the ticket and others that were purchased throughout the week and he will be contacting Armtrac. I am hoping this will be the end of the matter.

Essingeviken, we do usually use the other car park, but the holiday home was near the harbour, so for ease used that one.

The deep, I will take a look. Many thanks

DWMT

**Update**

Email sent, and acknowledged by the harbour master. He has contacted them by email, requesting the withdraw the invoice, and they stating that their staff member was over zealous. He has also copied in the Chair of harbour committee. So it's a waiting game.

Now, that the harbour master/ committee as the landowner have excepted that I purchased a ticket and due matters beyond my control, meant it curled up, so are not interested in any claims through the courts. I suppose that if Armtrac decide to persist, they would struggle to bring any claim at court, as they would need the backing of the landowner. So if they continued to send threatening letters etc.. They would be in the realms of harassment, I.e. a criminal offence? I am just trying to guage what my next response would be.