UKPC High Wycombe Parking Ticket - advice please!

Hbkm100

Hi everyone!

I was just after a bit of advice really. I recently used the Eden Centre Car Park in High Wycombe which is managed by UKPC. In the car park there are a few spaces that are a different way round to the others, usually alongside vents and things like that (sorry it's quite hard to explain). Anyway, on this occasion I decided to park in one of these bays, as I have done on many other occasions and as other people do too.

Upon returning to my car I found that I had been given a ticket for not being correctly parked within the marked bay or space. I got out and had a look at how I had parked. I was straight, with all 4 wheels within the lines. However I did notice a picture of a trolley on the wall beside the car.

I went to look at one of the UKPC signs that are in the cap park and there is no mention of a trolley bay on those signs. There was no hatching or other marking in the actual space that would make me think that I couldn't park there. (we don't even have trolleys for this shopping centre!)

I have placed an appeal on the grounds that I was parked within the lines. But should they get back to me and they say that I was parked in a trolley bay where do I stand? The ticket is for £100 reduced to £60 if I pay quickly.

I did take pictures of my car in the space.

Thank you in advance.

beamerguy

Hbkm100 wrote: »

Hi everyone!

I was just after a bit of advice really. I recently used the Eden Centre Car Park in High Wycombe which is managed by UKPC. In the car park there are a few spaces that are a different way round to the others, usually alongside vents and things like that (sorry it's quite hard to explain). Anyway, on this occasion I decided to park in one of these bays, as I have done on many other occasions and as other people do too.

Upon returning to my car I found that I had been given a ticket for not being correctly parked within the marked bay or space. I got out and had a look at how I had parked. I was straight, with all 4 wheels within the lines. However I did notice a picture of a trolley on the wall beside the car.

I went to look at one of the UKPC signs that are in the cap park and there is no mention of a trolley bay on those signs. There was no hatching or other marking in the actual space that would make me think that I couldn't park there. (we don't even have trolleys for this shopping centre!)

I have placed an appeal on the grounds that I was parked within the lines. But should they get back to me and they say that I was parked in a trolley bay where do I stand? The ticket is for £100 reduced to £60 if I pay quickly.

I did take pictures of my car in the space.

Thank you in advance.

UKPC, money collecting again. So you are aware, UKPC were banned by the DVLA recently because of fraudulent activities to extort money from people. The DVLA have since lifted the ban rather suggesting that they (DVLA) are happy to turn a blind eye to a bit of fraud ??

Therefore, UKPC are now short of a bob or two as they were banned for nearly 3 months, so they are now on a collection trip for money. They will try anything, such is UKPC.

It is good you took a picture. If the UKPC signs do not mention anything about "trolley bays" and as you say, there are none of the usual markings to show it's a trolley bay but only a small sign stating it, then you parked fairly in a bay and your wheels were all in a bay. The claim they make is that you were not parked correctly in the bay, just check the wording of the claim they make, its important because later they cannot change their mind to include the words "trolley bay"

I had this recently with another PPC and the claim that made was that was not parked wholly in a bay. The stupid thing is that they showed a photo of my car clearly showing I was in the bay.
I rejected the invoice (that's all it is) stating it was a false claim.
They only had the one picture so I asked them to prove their claim by sending me pictures of all four corners of my car.
As was to be expected, they ignored me. A month later I received a letter which was headed
REMINDER NOTICE -- DO NOT IGNORE THIS NOTICE.

So, I rejected this notice as follows:-

APPEAL ASKING ME TO PAY

Your appeal has been rejected for the following reasons:

You claim that I was not parked wholly in a bay.
You provided photographic evidence which proves my vehicle
WAS Wholly in the parking bay. Therefore, you are stating false information which is a serious offence.
It is on these grounds that your appeal for payment has been rejected

Plus your Appeal for payment letter states that if I do not send you money, the case will be passed to our debt recovery agents which may escalate to court proceedings

I have already advised you that you have issued a false statement of facts and you were warned that should you threaten or harass me, I will invoice you for £100 to cover harassment and there is now a further charge of £25 for writing you this letter. Do not ignore the enclosed invoice for £125.00
Further harassment and threats from you will result in further charges towards your company.

Please ensure you pay the amount of £125.00 within 14 days

The simple answer is, if you can prove they are wrong and they ignore you, start charging them. You have as much legal right as they do to send you an invoice

catfunt

If they reject, they should give you a POPLA code.

Then, you appeal on the usual legal points as per the NEWBIES thread, with a particular emphasis on lack of proper signage that led the driver to mistakenly park in what turned out to be a trolley bay.

Come back here if you get a rejection and a POPLA code, and put together a draft POPLA appeal for the experts to look over.

beamerguy

catfunt wrote: »

If they reject, they should give you a POPLA code.

Then, you appeal on the usual legal points as per the NEWBIES thread, with a particular emphasis on lack of proper signage that led the driver to mistakenly park in what turned out to be a trolley bay.

Come back here if you get a rejection and a POPLA code, and put together a draft POPLA appeal for the experts to look over.

CATFUNT, sorry but if they are wrong and you are right, tell them, if you have proof they are wrong, then don't mess around wasting your time with these cowboys. Make it very clear to them with a warning of harassment if they ignore.

The_Deep

Personally I would tell UKPC to FOAD, read these

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11858473/Parking-firm-UKPC-admits-faking-tickets-to-fine-drivers.html

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?377246-UKPC-liable-for-trespass-**SUCCESS**

catfunt

Agreed, but if they are still not playing ball, then the invoices can be killed off at POPLA. Telling them to FRO and issuing invoices of your own is all very well, but don't take your eye off the POPLA ball. Better to kill it off there than chance things in county court.
I'd still go through that process, then when that is concluded, issue a claim of your own if that's the road you want to go down.

I seem to remember that someone tried a small claim against a PPC and the DJ took a very dim view, and I'm also well aware that someone else was successful with making a small claim against a PPC (UKPC, IIRC), so it's not straightforward or cut and dried.

Just my opinion.

fisherjim

I know this car park well the signage is virtually none existent, just a few UKPC signs here and there mainly marking disabled bays.
In fact if you look there isn't one from either entrance right the way through until after the pay barriers, and then you have to search.

Definitely make a big issue of this with POPLA

beamerguy

The_Deep wrote: »

Personally I would tell UKPC to FOAD, read these

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/11858473/Parking-firm-UKPC-admits-faking-tickets-to-fine-drivers.html

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?377246-UKPC-liable-for-trespass-**SUCCESS**

The trouble with UKPC is the penny has not dropped, they tried fraud once, no credibility with them. Maybe they will wake up (or die) if everyone tells them, they will not deal with them because of the fraud.

beamerguy

catfunt wrote: »

Agreed, but if they are still not playing ball, then the invoices can be killed off at POPLA. Telling them to FRO and issuing invoices of your own is all very well, but don't take your eye off the POPLA ball. Better to kill it off there than chance things in county court.
I'd still go through that process, then when that is concluded, issue a claim of your own if that's the road you want to go down.

I seem to remember that someone tried a small claim against a PPC and the DJ took a very dim view, and I'm also well aware that someone else was successful with making a small claim against a PPC (UKPC, IIRC), so it's not straightforward or cut and dried.

Just my opinion.

Nice thinking but I for one, would never bother with such a route when I have proof that I am right. Its up to the PPC to prove me wrong. With regards to county court, we all know its like a lottery but they cannot avoid the truth. I will and do go to county court, if i have the facts, it is a delight to watch the DJ pull these cowboys apart

Here is the clue, the PPC's don't have a clue what a DJ will do or say, do they risk court ??

DJ = DISTRICT JUDGE

fil_cad

Troy should have finished them off for good

beamerguy

fil_cad wrote: »

troy should have finished them off for good

he did but they came back