Underpaid by 20p, £100 fine

SchoolBoyError

Just received a parking fine from PPS for underpaying by 20p, despite being absolutely certain that we put the correct money in the machine.
So its £2.20 for two hours for a car park in Plymouth, being in a hurry we clearly missed that either

1) we didn't put £2.20 in the machine or
2) we pushed the button before the last 20p was registered by the machine
3) the machine didn't recognise the last 20p (but also didn't reject it).
4) the machine did reject the last 20p but was issued by stealthy ninja and we didn't notice it.

Certain it wasn't 1). So we clearly have a ticket that says we paid £2. I appreciate that we are at fault for not realising that we had underpaid by 20p (for whatever reason) but it seems harsh to pay £100 fine when there is clear evidence that we were trying to pay more for the car park than £1.10 required for 1 hour.

What is my standing here, should I appeal? Is there precedent for a similar situation, or should I just pay and move on (would make it a very expensive pizza night)?

To be clear, I wouldn't challenge this if I thought I was caught 'fair and square' (which arguably I was) I just feel its a little unfair.

Anyway I would be grateful for your thoughts.

Fruitcake

It is not a fine, it is a speculative invoice from a private company that cannot lawfully fine anyone.

Please give us the full name of the parking company. There are two with the initials PPS and they belong to different trade associations, so the appeal process is different.

Please read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES then appeal using the appropriate template you will find there. I can't tell you which because you haven't told us which company and therefore which trade association we are dealing with.

Yes, of course it is worth appealing. You are a mug if you pay.

SchoolBoyError

Apologies, I'm just reading through the newbies thread (which I somehow missed when searching earlier) - I put that down to the wine I drank with the pizza - don't worry I wasn't driving.


The company is called Premier Parking Solutions Ltd.

Thanks for your advice.

Fruitcake

SchoolBoyError wrote: »

Apologies, I'm just reading through the newbies thread (which I somehow missed when searching earlier) - I put that down to the wine I drank with the pizza - don't worry I wasn't driving.


The company is called Premier Parking Solution[STRIKE]s [/STRIKE]Ltd.

Thanks for your advice.

Do you mean there was a windscreen ticket? If so, don't appeal too soon.

BPA member, so you use the BPA template in blue from the aforementioned NEWBIES thread. Copy and paste and send by whatever method is mentioned on the PCN. That's stage one done.
You then need to read up on how to win at PoPLA for your stage two appeal.

This assumes you do not live in Scotland or NI where the law is different.

Mr.Generous

As a casual viewer of these threads I just wanted to say to the OP I'm with you here. Its out of proportion and obviously a mistake - on somebody's side - who knows whose. They could argue you had the opportunity to check the ticket and see it was just £2 paid, you could argue the machine should have prompted you with an "are you certain as parking cost £1 or £2.20 you have paid £2 is that correct you want 1hr and are making a donation" type of message. A degree of common sense would see you paying the 20p and a penalty fair of £10 to cover costs or something. Good luck and keep us posted.

SchoolBoyError

Fruitcake wrote: »

Do you mean there was a windscreen ticket? If so, don't appeal too soon.

BPA member, so you use the BPA template in blue from the aforementioned NEWBIES thread. Copy and paste and send by whatever method is mentioned on the PCN. That's stage one done.
You then need to read up on how to win at PoPLA for your stage two appeal.

This assumes you do not live in Scotland or NI where the law is different.

It says IPC on the ticket which (from my reading around) seem like a less reliable bunch..

SchoolBoyError

Mr.Generous wrote: »

As a casual viewer of these threads I just wanted to say to the OP I'm with you here. Its out of proportion and obviously a mistake - on somebody's side - who knows whose. They could argue you had the opportunity to check the ticket and see it was just £2 paid, you could argue the machine should have prompted you with an "are you certain as parking cost £1 or £2.20 you have paid £2 is that correct you want 1hr and are making a donation" type of message. A degree of common sense would see you paying the 20p and a penalty fair of £10 to cover costs or something. Good luck and keep us posted.

Exactly, this is definitely a mistake either by us or by the machine. Its not a "its a fair cop guv'nor" scenario which is why I object to it. However, my wife (who fed the machine) just wants me to pay it and forget about it. She is quite miffed as we were having a nice family treat at pizza express which has been somewhat ruined by the fine (although to be fair, based on her reaction to seeing the ticket, I was relieved it was a parking fine and not a smashed window or keyed paint!).

Half_way

Why not turn your ire to the ones who took on the parking company to act as their agents

Coupon-mad

SchoolBoyError wrote: »

Exactly, this is definitely a mistake either by us or by the machine. Its not a "its a fair cop guv'nor" scenario which is why I object to it. However, my wife (who fed the machine) just wants me to pay it and forget about it.

She is quite miffed as we were having a nice family treat at pizza express which has been somewhat ruined by the fine (although to be fair, based on her reaction to seeing the ticket, I was relieved it was a parking fine and not a smashed window or keyed paint!).

Same advice as here, including the reasons given to this poster NOT to join them by paying (it is not a fine, BTW):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5529388

There is also another thread linked within that one. Everyone sits tight with IPC 'fake PCNs' (unfair invoices, that's all they are) unless they get a small claim or solicitors' letter, which needs a response but is still not a reason to support the scumbags and pay up.