Euro Car Parks charge of £90 at Colchester Tollgate Retail Park

hour-still

I went PC world to buy a Samsung TV and bed on 31st December 2016 (Saturday afternoon), the post-Christmas and New Year Sales were on full swing and the car park and shops were full of bargain hunters at the Tollgate Retail Park, Colchester.

We were told that there was a minimum of 45 minutes waiting time for a shop assistant to assist us at the PC World. So we waited and eventually after all that waiting time, we were told that the TV was out of stock and they have to order it online and let us to pick it up in store three days later. By the time we walked out the store we have exceed the 120 mins limit as free parking. I guess we could drive away and return to the car park, but as it was so busy at the car park, we would not be able to secure a parking space again if we have left. We also walk cross the road to Dreams and purchased a king size bed, mattress and head board. Once again the shop and car park were full too, hence why we walked over. The purchase made at Dreams were on credit which means more time was spend when the shop assistant carried out my credit checks and complete all the relevant forms, hence further time were spend than usual cash or card transactions. So we exceed the two hour free parking by 64 mins.

We received a letter from Euro Car parks "parking charge notice amount duo £90". I have been reading all the threads on this forums and gained lots of insights and knowledge about how to ignore the first and any further intimidating letters from ECP. However, the threads I read on this forum were dated in 2011 and I am wondering the action of ignore these letters and the statement of "ECP never take anyone to Court" are still the practical at this present time?

Any there any new laws or precedents about the unfair charge from those private parking companies recently? Surely by way of intimation and threat court action as a main method of running a business is certainly unethical, but why these companies still out there and carried on the practice?

The letter I received was dated 5th January 2017 and this is the first letter from ECP and I am prepared to receive lots of further threatening correspondence from them in the next few months, I will keep updated and share it here as I feel that there might be lots of people are in the same position.

This is my first post and thanks for reading.

hour-still
Colchester

Fruitcake

The law changed in 2012 so anything you have been reading would appear to be seriously out of date. The advice to ignore has not been given on this site since then.

What happened on the day is irrelevant.

Please read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES then send the BPA template as keeper in blue you will find there. You will then need to read up on how to win at PoPLA if/when the initial appeal is rejected.

Do not pay, do not ignore, do not reveal who was driving, never 'phone a parking scammer.

What happened when you complained to the retailers you visited?

Coupon-mad

hour-still wrote: »

I went PC world to buy a Samsung TV and bed on 31st December 2016 (Saturday afternoon), the post-Christmas and New Year Sales were on full swing and the car park and shops were full of bargain hunters at the Tollgate Retail Park, Colchester.

We were told that there was a minimum of 45 minutes waiting time for a shop assistant to assist us at the PC World. So we waited and eventually after all that waiting time, we were told that the TV was out of stock and they have to order it online and let us to pick it up in store three days later. By the time we walked out the store we have exceed the 120 mins limit as free parking. I guess we could drive away and return to the car park, but as it was so busy at the car park, we would not be able to secure a parking space again if we have left. We also walk cross the road to Dreams and purchased a king size bed, mattress and head board. Once again the shop and car park were full too, hence why we walked over. The purchase made at Dreams were on credit which means more time was spend when the shop assistant carried out my credit checks and complete all the relevant forms, hence further time were spend than usual cash or card transactions. So we exceed the two hour free parking by 64 mins.

We received a letter from Euro Car parks "parking charge notice amount duo £90". I have been reading all the threads on this forums and gained lots of insights and knowledge about how to ignore the first and any further intimidating letters from ECP. However, the threads I read on this forum were dated in 2011 and I am wondering the action of ignore these letters and the statement of "ECP never take anyone to Court" are still the practical at this present time?

Any there any new laws or precedents about the unfair charge from those private parking companies recently? Surely by way of intimation and threat court action as a main method of running a business is certainly unethical, but why these companies still out there and carried on the practice?

The letter I received was dated 5th January 2017 and this is the first letter from ECP and I am prepared to receive lots of further threatening correspondence from them in the next few months, I will keep updated and share it here as I feel that there might be lots of people are in the same position.

This is my first post and thanks for reading.

Trying to understand, instead of reading ancient out of date threads, why didn't you read today's/recent threads, when you were on page one when you hit 'new thread'?

Or were you never on page one, if so how did you click 'new thread (honestly trying to understand how people miss reading today's threads and the advice threads at the top)? Surely you were here when you clicked 'new thread':

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

What happened when you complained to the retailer Store Managers to get this cancelled? This is the first thing advised in 'NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST' there near the top.

hour-still

Yes, I went back to PC World and complained to the store, they have emailed to Euro Car Parking and requested them to exempt the £90 charge. It seems also sorted now as no further letter has received from the Euro Car Parking.

Quentin

hour-still wrote: »

.... It seems also sorted now as no further letter has received from the Euro Car Parking.

This isn't ended for you till you have confirmation


You do need it in writing from ECP before stopping following the pathway set out in the newbies faq thread!