UKPC popla rejected appeal - should I pay?

Veese

I have had my appeal rejected by popla but I still don't want to pay an unfair parking charge by UKPC . If I refuse payment will it affect my credit score? I know laws have changed recently for parking companies and they have been given more power. Can my credit score be affected without them having to take me to court?
I did not park in bay. Pleaded exceptionall circumstances , no mother and baby spaces free and needed to open door wide to get baby and car seat out at mothercare. Saying sign says I broke rules of contract blah blah blah.....
Would really appreciate advice. Don't want these sharks getting any money off me.

fisherjim

Oh dear you threw away a golden chance to stop this, pleading mitigation will never work with either PPC scammers or POPLA.

That was a pretty silly appeal point that would never get anywhere, mother and child bays are a gimmick, a good source of scam income, have no significance at all and you can hardly call it exceptional circumstances!

A pity you didn't come here first, why do you think laws have changed recently? PPC's have not been given more powers.

No you do not have to pay now, POLPA decisions are only binding on the PPC.

You would have to be taken to court by them, loose, and then fail to pay before any credit score was affected.

UKPC are lying scammers anyway it has been proven a number of times,.

You have two choices; pay up and pay into their owners new BMW fund, or ignore get loads of Debt Recovery silly letters, which are meaningless and see what happens.

Don't ignore any real court papers though, and come back here if you get them for more advice.

Fruitcake

As above, UKPC are scammers who have been caught doctoring time stamps on their photo' "evidence" and could have been easily beaten at PoPLA with a proper appeal

The only laws that changed regarding private parking happened in 2012.

Definitely do not pay the lying scammers. Come back here if you get real court papers though.

What happened when you complained to the retailer and landowner?

Your credit score cannot be affected by this.

Autolycus2000

This could probably have been won at POPLA with the right kind of appeal. But, anyway, moving on....

You now have two choices. You can roll over and pay up for a quiet life safe in the knowledge that every time that happens it encourages these scammers to keep issuing PCNs. Or you can spend up to 6 years ignoring letters from debt collectors, safe in the knowledge it's very unlikely you'll end up in court anyway. The correct choice, in my opinion, is the second one.

If you do end up in court, you won't get a CCJ or any mark on your credit file, even if you lose. The only time it affects credit ratings is if you lose in court and then refuse to pay. But if you lose and then pay up on time there is no impact on your credit rating. Most people don't realise this and that scares them into paying the debt collectors. They rely on this fear and lack of understanding to make their money.

You mentioned a change in the law. There's been so actual change. However, last year a PPC won a court case (search here or on Google for ParkingEye Beavis and you'll find it) and that has made PPCs more bullish and has changed some of the advice on how to win at POPLA. But, rest assured, lots of people do still win at POPLA and in court.

Ignore all debt collection letters and threats of court. Come back here for advice if you receive actual court papers.

If you move house in next 6 years let the debt collectors know so as you don't end up failing to respond to real court papers because they have been sent to an old address.

Coupon-mad

Complain to Mothercare and the landowner/managing agent which runs the Retail park.

Next time, stop thinking you have a God-given right to a 'special bay' because Parent & Child bays are not your 'right' they are a mere gimmick by retailers you know! We've even had parent posters saying they parked in a disabled bay, as if they were 'allowed'. Astonishingly stupid and selfish of them. You are saying you parked in no bay?

If there is no P&C bay you must park in a normal one like everyone else (I've had 4 kids and I rarely used a stupid 'gimmick' bay even for the youngest, when Supermarkets decided P&C bays were a jolly wheeze to entice shoppers).

If I refuse payment will it affect my credit score? I know laws have changed recently for parking companies and they have been given more power. Can my credit score be affected without them having to take me to court?

For a newbie who threw away a POPLA appeal you appear to know a lot of the right questions to ask and there are a few similar new threads appearing. Just saying...it's been noticed by a few of us.

No it can't affect your credit score as long as you defend if you get court papers and do not miss them (e.g. if you move house within 6 years you need to inform UKPC in writing and keep proof).