Premier Parking Solutions - Worried now because I gave them my name and address..

Ianeggbert

Hi All,

I am a company car driver and I think I've made the fatal mistake of giving the perennial rip off merchants PPS my name and address.

Long story short: Parked at the Crossways Shopping centre in Paignton and as I had been ill with a stomach bug through the night when I arrived, I was physically ill again (and took a few minutes to gather myself) before I purchased a ticket. They have a photo showing I arrived at 11.24:39 and I have a ticket, valid until 13.43, purchased at 11.43, therefore a period of 19 minutes elapsed between me arriving and buying a ticket. They have stated that they have a 10 minute "grace" period and that I contravened this by 9 minutes, therefore I am liable to a £100 or reduced fee of £60!

After my employer received the initial notice, as I assumed I'd done nothing wrong because I had a valid ticket that I assumed they had obviously overlooked, I disclosed my name, address and emailed them accordingly. I've just received a further email telling me my claim has been rejected due to the 9 minutes over that I took to buy the ticket which I find absolutely unbelievable - especially as I left the car park at 12.58 with 45 minutes still remaining on the ticket!

Have I screwed up? If not, what should I do now?

many thanks in advance
Ian

Umkomaas

They would have had your name and address eventually (unless your company/leasehire firm were going to pay this). So you've kept them away from now writing to the leasehire firm who tend to pay the PCN, slap on a chunky admin fee then debit your credit card. This becomes much more problematic to disentangle yourself from.

Have PPS formally rejected your appeal?

There is really nothing else you can do at this stage, other than to read the NEWBIES FAQ sticky to appraise yourself of private parking issues and to wait to see what PPS's next move is.

Ianeggbert

They have formally rejected my appeal pointing me in the direction of the IAS (who I read on the FAQ page are useless) with the caveats regarding "future court proceedings/ costs/ paying full amount of £100 if unsuccessful etc etc"

Umkomaas

Thanks for confirmation. That's about it as far as appealing is concerned (most regulars don't recommend appealing to the IAS - but you need to decide, the NEWBIES sticky gives the pros and cons).

Next stage is likely to be powerless and vacuous debt collector letters, which can all be ignored. Come back if you get a Letter Before Action (or similarly worded document) or real court papers.

They have been getting a little more frisky of late in pursuing court cases (as most PPCs have recently), but all cases are eminently defendable with help from the forums.

Do some searches on Premier here and on PePiPoo to get up to date information on other similar cases with them.

Have you tried a complaint to the Crossways Shopping Centre (especially with proof of any purchases) as someone there will have the capacity to intervene in this (or point you to a landowner who could do likewise)?

Guys_Dad

If you paid for x minutes parking and stayed less than that and their ANPR records the time you were there, and you still have the ticket, then point that out to them and tell them you are looking forward to seeing them in court.

Ianeggbert

Thank you

I may well skip the IAS and go straight to POPLA. I have already spoken to the local Torbay newspaper who have had rafts of complaints and I've emailed a letter to the local MP who has compiled a dossier due to the amount of constituents who, it appears are being ripped off on a regular basis.

In answer to your question Guys Dad, yes I do still have the ticket - I paid for 2 hours (11.43 - 13.43) but left at 12.58, so even if you take the ANPR time that I entered the car park (11.24) I was still only there for an hour and 34 minutes!

It really is completely diabolical

Redx

you have no chance of going to POPLA as the IAS is now their ADR , not POPLA, so no chance of a popla code and no chance of popla either

read that newbies sticky thread again , check the IPC AOS website to see if they were members on the day of this incident , they must have been if they are offering the IAS, so no idea where you got the POPLA idea from

Ianeggbert

Yes, apologies.

Premier parking Solutions have been members since 1st March 2016 according to the IPC AOS websiteon

Redx

correct (I checked too) - so no POPLA option for the last 8 months

PPS have 6 years to try an MCOL (court case)

I would keep all paperwork and the paid for ticket and argue your case in front of a judge , because there was no intention to defraud and you paid for more time than was used

Ianeggbert

I must admit all, despite your really kind and helpful responses so far, that as I stupidly admitted I was the driver (hence the name and address part of my OP) I'm going to struggle with a successful appeal.

Obviously, as suggested, I can try and appeal to their better nature that I paid for a ticket with a period that exceeded my stay by over half an hour despite not actually purchasing it within the 10 minutes grace period. I'd be prepared to take legal advice on this point if necessary but surely simple punters like me can overturn an appeal just by pointing out "the bleeding obvious" or am i just being naive?

The_Slithy_Tove

Ianeggbert wrote: »

Obviously, as suggested, I can try and appeal to their better nature that I paid for a ticket with a period that exceeded my stay by over half an hour despite not actually purchasing it within the 10 minutes grace period. I'd be prepared to take legal advice on this point if necessary but surely simple punters like me can overturn an appeal just by pointing out "the bleeding obvious" or am i just being naive?

They have no "better nature", so don't bother with that approach.

Don't bother taking any paid-for legal advice. A solicitor won't know any more than the free advice you'll find here or on Pepipoo.

As already advised, just sit it out now. The ball's entirely in their court, so there's nothing you can do.