NCP Fine - With CCTV!? (Scotland)

BP92

Hello Everyone..

Firstly, I apologise if this has been answered in another thread - I couldn't spot anyone else having the same particular situation as I have, thus felt it best to have the experts lend a helping hand.

This one follows the pesky lot at the NCP ; On boxing day 2015, I used my girlfriends car (which I'm insured on) to travel to work and used the 'Great King Street' NCP car park in Glasgow City Centre for the day. I used the 'RingGo' app as normal to pay for my parking and off for a busy day I went.

On February the 18th - my girlfriends mother received a letter, DELIVERED BY DEBT COLLECTORS (the car is registered to her home address and not our flat address) outlining that on the 26/12/2015 I had failed to pay for parking for her vehicle - and they have a CCTV image of me leaving the car park as proof! (yes, you can see me in the vehicle). They explained that as the original fine hadn't been paid in time, there is now a fine of £100 to pay, or the owner of the vehicle will be requested to appear in court.

Prior to the 18th - there was no letter received from the NCP outlining that any fine required payment.

As you can imagine, I was pretty dumfounded and had a very angry 'mother-in-law' (for want of a better term) to deal with! I checked back my online receipts for the 'RingGo' app and found I had indeed processed payment that day - but for the wrong vehicle registration! (I used my car's registration as opposed to my girlfriends).

So, I'm now left with how to clear up the mess... I've read a bunch of posts explaining the fine is not enforceable and to ignore it - which I'm more than happy to do. The biggest issue comes is that it's not my vehicle, debt collectors have already shown up, I didn't receive any initial letters outlining a fine AND I did in fact pay for 10 hours parking - just with the wrong registration..

Can anyone please help in offering their solutions to deal with the above!?

Thanks in advance!
Brandon

Fruitcake

It is not a fine!


If the event occurred in Scotland or the keeper of the vehicle lives in Scotland then you IGNORE!


The Sticky thread for NEWBIES explains why it is OK to do so in Scotland and NI but not in England or Wales and why debt collectors can be ignored anywhere in the UK.

Quentin

You can ignore this and the debt collectors too!


Explain this to your M-I-L (Show her the relevant bits in the newbies FAQ thread regarding debt collectors and Scotland)


Don't let her dob you in as the driver!

Canoe_Paddler

Hi Brandon

others with more experience will be along shortly, but

In Scotland there is no keeper liability so they can only go after you and only if you admit being the driver.

In the Newbies stick there is a part about N.Ireland and Scotland. I have had three demand letters so far and no debt collector will call. Unless they get a court judgement they can only turn up and ask politely for the cash you say no they go away and write another letter,

but they won't turn up

Fruitcake

To be absolutely clear on this, debt collectors have no powers to do anything. They cannot turn up at your door, they cannot send bailiffs round, they cannot affect your credit rating, as long as you do not make any contact with them of any kind whatsoever, anywhere in the UK.


Private parking companies have no powers in Scotland as long as you do not contact them either. It does not matter how many letters with scary red writing on them you receive, they can do nothing in Scotland, and debt collectors can do nothing in the UK.

Herzlos

The CCTV clarity actually helps in this case; they can only pursue the driver, who clearly isn't the registered keeper (as you presumably look nothing like her).

In any case, debt collectors have zero power at all (though they'll tell you otherwise), and should they take you to court (hugely unlikely) then it's a total slam dunk for her to turn up, show them the CCTV and say "That is not me. There is no case."

pappa_golf

CCTV picture or a ANPR Photo ?


probably the latter

Coupon-mad

NCP don't use CCTV.

fisherjim

I doubt you actually mean, "debt collectors have already shown up"!
Surely you mean she has just received some scrap paper in the post?

BP92

Clarified the 'Debt Collectors' haven't actually yet shown up - which made me freak out a little more than necessary...

Also, its an ANPR image where I'm visible as driving the vehicle - it snaps the image as you leave the car park.

Thanks for all of the help to date folks... looks like the best course of action as usual is to ignore this and use their letters as kindling!

Umkomaas

BP92 wrote: »

Clarified the 'Debt Collectors' haven't actually yet shown up - which made me freak out a little more than necessary...

Also, its an ANPR image where I'm visible as driving the vehicle - it snaps the image as you leave the car park.

Thanks for all of the help to date folks... looks like the best course of action as usual is to ignore this and use their letters as kindling!

There's no 'yet' about it!

You should retain any paperwork from any organisation which implies you owe them money. There is a legal time limit in which 'debts' can be pursued - 5 years in Scotland (6 in England/Wales) - so don't go burning anything yet. To be warned, your M-I-L will be pestered by ongoing letters from debt collectors, including (empty) threats of 'possible' court action, so you'd better get her wised-up!