Euro Car Parks advice

snnl

Hi,

After reading through the forum and checking out the stickies at the top I must say you guys do an amazing job here standing up to the PPCs!

So now for why I'm here. I'm after some advice after being given some initial bad advice... I was told by a family member to IGNORE the PCN that was issued via post (not a window ticket - ANPR).

I decided to visit here and see what the likely next steps would be after receiving a few letters and after reading the forum I now know ignoring was probably the worst thing to do but hey, you live and learn!

Date PCN was issued 10/12/2016 by Euro Car Parks at Shorne Woods Country Park

So I've ignore the following letters:

ECP Initial Parking Charge Notice - dated 19/12/16
ECP NTK - dated 09/01/17
DRP+ letter 1 - dated 15//02/17
DRP+ letter 2 - Notice of Intended Court Action - dated 02/03/17
DRP+ letter 3 - Offer of payment by instalments (must accept by 31/3/17) - dated 17/03/17

I've heard nothing since the last letter and i'm pretty much expecting them to issue a small claims soon (unless im the lucky one who they don't pursue).

I've had no direct contact with them via email/letter/phone. Not admitted who was driving or anything - straight silence on my part.

Is there anything I should do now? Write back and deny the debt, tell them I wont pay, I will go through the courts etc? After reading through the forums and threads I feel like I've missed out on loads of stuff I should have done to help my case should it go to court.

Going to court does not scare me and I will happily go defend my corner!

If I've missed anything let me know and thank you in advance. Happy to put up the backstory of how I got the ticket if that helps? Didn't want to bore!

Many Thanks!

Coupon-mad

I've heard nothing since the last letter and i'm pretty much expecting them to issue a small claims soon (unless im the lucky one who they don't pursue).

Euro Car Parks never pursue anyone to court.

http://www.bmpa.eu/companydata/Euro_Car_Parks.html

Look how many 'fake PCNs' they bombard people with each year and there is just one appearance at a hearing shown (which might not even be parking/driver related, could be money owed by a contractor or supplier).

Is there anything I should do now? Write back and deny the debt, tell them I wont pay, I will go through the courts etc? After reading through the forums and threads I feel like I've missed out on loads of stuff I should have done to help my case should it go to court.

Relax. You got lucky, in that it's only ECP. I've ignored them myself! Never reply to debt collectors. So - unless you move house and have to update an address for letters - ignore unless they break the habit of a lifetime within 6 years and try some small claims (defendable & no big deal).

snnl

Hi Coupon-mad,

Thanks for the fast reply, Thats relaxing to know that they never *touch wood* take anyone to court!

I'll continue to ignore any subsequent letters from DRP+ etc. If in the highly unlikely event a claim comes through i'll pop my head back in to this thread for further advice!

While I have your attention, and before i start another thread, i do have another fake PCN issued by PCM for a ticket at Bluewater (this car is used by various people) from 5/12/16

This one, however, is only on the 1st Debt collection letter from TRACE (slacking compared to DRP+).

Are these guys equally as toothless as ECP? they have a few more court hearings than ECP when i looked on the BMPA website:

Again I guess its a case of ignore?

Thanks so much for your quick and informative help!

Coupon-mad

While I have your attention, and before i start another thread, i do have another fake PCN issued by PCM for a ticket at Bluewater (this car is used by various people) from 5/12/16

This one, however, is only on the 1st Debt collection letter from TRACE (slacking compared to DRP+).

Are these guys equally as toothless as ECP?

PCM are more likely to try a court claim via Gladstones so you would be best trying to get it cancelled by the landowner by complaining to Bluewater assertively saying you and your family will never shop there again, etc. Attach receipts/bank statement as proof of purchases that day and don't take no for an answer!

In fact you could try the same with the Euro Car Parks one by complaining to Shorne Woods Country Park.

snnl

Hi Coupon-mad,

Thanks for the advice, I may look in to that tonight! These things are such a pain! how on earth an industry can run like this is amazing!

snnl

Hi all,

Little update, so, I wrote to Kent Country Parks to complain about the 'PCN' that was received by 'a family member' from ECP whilst visiting Shorne Woods Country Parks and how I'd like them to get this PCN cancelled after an honest mistake by the family.

I explained the situation in detail via email (I can post this in full if it helps) – explaining that the family drove and parked at the park in ‘family car A’ but the person who bought the ticket mistakenly put in the reg of ‘family car B’ which, obviously, was at home on the drive and never went to the park.
This happened as the person who bought the ticket usually drives family car B and automatically put that reg in without thinking.

After nearly two weeks I have had a reply from the country parks email address:

“Dear XXXX
!
Firstly apologies for the delay in replying to your email.
!
In order for me to investigate further, please could you ask the family member to whom the PCN was issued to contact us direct at !Country@kent.gov.uk!providing the vehicle registration the PCN was issued to and the vehicle registration number they entered, along with a copy of the pay & display ticket for the day of visit in December 2016 and a copy (photo is fine) of the PCN ensuring the PCN number beginning PCN 8888 is clearly visible.

Kind Regards

XXXXX”

How do I go about replying to this? In my original email I Just referencing it as “a family member got a PCN”. Obviously, I don’t want to name the driver encase they go to the PCC and say “XXX was driving but we want it cancelled” and the PPC refuse and now know the driver!

But would I look stupid now saying it was issued to me the RK, (who was not the driver) after only ever saying it was a family memeber at the start?

Sorry its Monday and a bit confusing! Any help to get the right words out are appreciated.

Thanks!

Redx

you should bear in mind that the driver is not necessarily the one buying the paid for ticket , an occupant of the vehicle (or anybody , including myself) could have bought the ticket on the day and input an incorrect registration

any wordings should be in that manner , that an occupant or a family member bought the ticket, here is a copy or photo etc and they can clearly see the fact that the fee was paid , albeit an incorrect VRM was used

there is no need to talk about the driver of either vehicle

123Peanut

Hi guys,

So on April 3rd I went to Hounslow Euro car parks and paid for 1 hour via the phone line and went for dinner with my fianc!es parents. When it got close to the cut off time I called the phone number to add more money as I thought I'd be back 10 minutes late. Instead I was about 15 minutes late. This car park has a camera system and issued me a bill for staying too long and this was sent to my home address. I ignored it and the second letter but now DRP are involved asking for the new debt of £135 or they are threatening to advise their client to take court action. The cut off date for the bill is tomorrow 31st may.
I haven't responded at all to either of the companies.
I'm seeing conflicting advise on here.
Anyone know what I can do??

Coupon-mad

I ignored it and the second letter but now DRP are involved
I'm seeing conflicting advise on here.
Anyone know what I can do??

Yes...you should not have ignored it. Please read the NEWBIES thread (at the top of the forum) post #1 shows you what you should have done.

Post #4 shows you now, to ignore debt collectors. Because you missed the appeal stage.

NO POST TELLS YOU TO PAY.

123Peanut

@ Coupon-Mad. You think I should just ignore them now and not do anything about it??

123Peanut

I read so many posts saying to ignore it from the beginning. Oh crap now what am I going to do!!????