PCM Ticket whilst parked outside a friends house visiting, do i pay?

infernouk

Hey guys

I was at a friends house for an hour today parked outside their house at around 7pm, ive done this before, but this time i came out to find a PCM parking ticket for £60 on my window!

They claim its a permit only area 24/7 (theres no markings or bays etc its just a cul de sac street) and I didnt have a permit (Friend has one for me to use just we didnt think it mattered that late at night and with no bay or line markings)

There may have been signs around, it was 7pm and pitch black so I didnt see anything and have visited before with no issue so it cant be patrolled regularly.

I was wondering is this something to pay or fight? what are PCM like? we have permits for the house just it wasnt in the window and this isnt enforced frequently in the area, theres no other parking nearby either so i cant see how this is even unavoidable!

Thanks for the advice im a little annoyed and confused!

pappa_golf

read the newbies thread https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4816822


by looking at the ticket , it should clearly say BPA or IPC (2 different trade assocs) send the correct appeal as shown in the post , BPA to BPA member , IPC to IPC member ,


don,t go adding anything or altering it , you just need authorisation to raise this to the relivent appeal system , the parking Co will (by default) decline your appeal


remember , do NOT admit to being the driver !

infernouk

I think i wrote a snap response that the car had a permit and i could provide a photo of it if they cant provide a photo of me not having it (assumed they didnt take a photo as it isnt there and i can just take one with the permit tomorrow...) Doesnt address who the driver was so i can deny that still.

Ill grab the correct response as you say, they are IPC, and progress that way though!

pappa_golf

the parking Co will have taken a photo showeing their ticket on the car , and probably one showing no permit , you may be able to view it on their website

pappa_golf

this will be your papertrail https://bmpa.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203615011-Parking-Control-Management-UK-Ltd with the second letter coming between day 29 and day 56 after today , lukily for you they don't bother much with court http://www.bmpa.eu/companydata/Parking_Control_Solutions.html , however , expect them to start issuing gladstones solisitors threat letters

infernouk

yeah i expected to see a pic but there isnt one, or isnt yet, so i just copy the IPC response in their appeal section when they reply to my opening statement? Cheers for your help!

pappa_golf

link to their site , however piccis might not be there yet , do not ring/email/write to them again , apart from the appeal letter at the CORRECT DATE


so i just copy the IPC response in their appeal section when they reply to me opening statement?




NO you send the appeal at the date suggested (there is a reason for this) , chill for a few days ,but whilst chilling take some photos at 7pm without flash of the signage

infernouk

thanks for your patience, first time dealing with this. So the response i sent was an error i realise now, so now i chill and wait for a letter in the post, then i appeal with the template. Will this be online the same way i just sent that first one?

Also whats the reason for the signage pics in the eve?

Coupon-mad

infernouk wrote: »

yeah i expected to see a pic but there isnt one, or isnt yet, so i just copy the IPC response in their appeal section when they reply to my opening statement? Cheers for your help!

Yes you can, then sit tight and ignore PCM unless you get a claim. It is that simple. All stages are covered in the NEWBIES thread, including 'ignore the debt collector letters' stage. There are no steps to take beyond one challenge.

Come back in the end if you get a claim or a daft Gladstones solicitors letter (again the NEWBIES thread tells you how to respond to that, under the 'Small Claim?' section, should you need it). But we appreciate people need bespoke help if an actual claim arrives.

PCM are NOT prolific with court claims so no need to panic but do open each letter, do not return them or anything silly. Just check each letter is 'just' a trashy threatogram.

Coupon-mad

infernouk wrote: »

Also whats the reason for the signage pics in the eve?

For your evidence in case you need to defend a claim in 2, 3, 4, or 5 years time, long after they've removed those signs or changed them. Some of these firms wait till people move house then file a claim hoping they will not find you, so they get a default CCJ. To avoid this, if you move house within six years of this trash, write to tell the parking firm your new address (keep proof of posting it, in your 'parking scam file' until the six year deadline) without saying who was driving (you are the keeper, unless your first appeal blabbed!).

You said this:

There may have been signs around, it was 7pm and pitch black so I didnt see anything.

That's why you need pics of how illegible the signs are in the dark (even better a short video). NOT to send anywhere now, but to keep for years just in case.

infernouk

Ok sorry just wanted to address Coupon's response too.

So the consensus is wait for the threat in the post, appeal after 26 days with template (26 days from today?), take video of area at night to show how hard it is to see signage, and then just ignore everything until small claims and solicitor letters if they ever come?