NE Parking and Gladstones

jfh72

Hi,
Can anyone help with advice for me and my wife.

She received a Notice to keeper from NE Parking (in March) and wrote back to them by email stating that she didn't believe the alleged parking charge was correct. They've ignored her email and put Gladstones on to her seeking to recover a "debt".

Having got some advice via a work colleague's friend who is a solicitor we again wrote to both companies to dispute the charge and asked for evidence that parking hasn't been paid for. NE Parking rejected the letter and said it was in the hands of Gladstones who in turn sent Court Claim papers to us seeking over £200 in charges.

My wife uses the car park all the time for parking for work and is adamant she paid but doesn't have the ticket as hey sent the NTK seven weeks after the event and she had cleaned out her car. She normally keeps a months worth of tickets just for his reason.

Should we challenge this further or not? Obviously we're worried about the cost of fighting this maybe not winning.

Any help appreciated.

System

Obviously we're worried about the cost of fighting this maybe not winning.

Max about £200 - £230. If she has tickets from earlier then show these to the court. Will simply come down to a) who the court believes and b) who blinks first.

It's a simple case of hassling people to see who will pay out - irrespective of the facts of the case which they make up anyway.

If you don't want the hassle then pay up in the knowledge you are being scammed.

The_Deep

... is adamant she paid but doesn't have the ticket as they sent the NTK seven weeks ...


They may have a problem with this. have you read the stickies?

jfh72

No I've not but will have a look at the Stickies now.

She's got tickets from around the time since she received the NTK. We're happy to pay the usual parking fees she pays if she hasn't paid, about £5, not trying to park for free! We've asked for any evidence that they have eg cctv, but they won't entertain it saying its outside the appeal window but the original email we sent wasn't outside their appeal window

beamerguy

jfh72 wrote: »

No I've not but will have a look at the Stickies now.

She's got tickets from around the time since she received the NTK. We're happy to pay the usual parking fees she pays if she hasn't paid, about £5, not trying to park for free! We've asked for any evidence that they have eg cctv, but they won't entertain it saying its outside the appeal window but the original email we sent wasn't outside their appeal window

You have proof that your wife actually does pay to park so highly doubtful she would miss one day well knowing the rules of the car park.
Nobody would expect a person to retain the receipt for as long as 7 weeks ?
It will be up to the judge to decide on the probability that she paid
The parking company must be able to prove beyond doubt that she did not pay

I assume with the ticket machine, you type in the reg number and if so, it would be ANPR that was used, not CCTV
ANPR checks a car in and out but as shown many times, ANPR is not reliable. Ticket machines also fail to register

Gladstones themselves are incompetent and the courts know
this

Read up about Gladstones and their antics
http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=gladstones

Coupon-mad

Hope she hasn't said who was driving, in any contact?

She needs to read post #2 of the NEWBIES thread and defend this claim as per the info there.

When IamEmanresu says £200 costs if a person loses, that means £200 ALL TOLD - less than they are claiming, I expect. And we almost never see anyone lose. I can't recall a Gladstones one lost after any poster stayed here for advice from start to finish and did everything advised.

NONE LOST that I can recall, and no risk in defending. Worst case scenario is: the keeper might be told to pay. No CCJ, no big deal.

jfh72

Thanks everyone that has responded so far.

Coupon-mad, she did say she paid for the parking but didn't say that she was driving. I'm the only other registered driver for the car.

Quite happy to share letters/emails with anyone who could help or give us advice if possible. The clock started ticking on the Court Claim yesterday.

Coupon-mad

You should show a link here, defendants here have nothing to hide and it's best to get several of us to see it. Many of us don't take pm's (I am too busy at work).

jfh72

Thanks Coupon.

How do I add a link? I can take photos of the letters/documents but can't see how I upload them (using an iPad if that makes a difference).

Think we'll head down to Citizens Advice in the morning. Need to know where we stand with having the case heard in Northampton, can we get it moved to somewhere nearer Blackpool.

beamerguy

jfh72 wrote: »

Thanks Coupon.

How do I add a link? I can take photos of the letters/documents but can't see how I upload them (using an iPad if that makes a difference).

Think we'll head down to Citizens Advice in the morning. Need to know where we stand with having the case heard in Northampton, can we get it moved to somewhere nearer Blackpool.

USE a free hosting site like photobucket to upload
Then when you get the link post it here and change http to hxxp
and we will make it live
Remember to hide ALL personal info.
Best to use a laptop/computer to do this

Don't waste your time with the CAB, they do not have a clue about the parking industry.

The very best help and advice is available here

Yes, you can get it changed to your local court

Coupon-mad

jfh72 wrote: »

Think we'll head down to Citizens Advice in the morning.

Please don't bother...they are clueless on private parking cases. We are not.

Need to know where we stand with having the case heard in Northampton, can we get it moved to somewhere nearer Blackpool.

Seriously? Why ask the clueless CAB about such a simple thing?

You only had to Google basic small claims info (reading a Which? article or a YouGov or HMRC page of info about defending a small claim) or read the info in the NEWBIES thread here, post #2. All cases where a consumer individual is the defendant, of course go to the consumer's local court (if the claimant is a company).

It would have taken you two minutes to Google that to find the answer (because Northampton is merely the central processing point for MCOL). Or you could find the answer in the NEWBIES thread post #2 all about these small claim defences.