Parking Fine

Sophy217

Morning all.

I wonder if I could seek some advice:

My partner received a call from a friend a couple of days ago, with whom she lived with over five years ago, saying that she had a parking fine letter come through. My partner had just recently bought a new car but and as she is in the military had registered it to her mum's address.

Her friend sent a photo of the parking fine which was from the debt recovery service DRP and is now £160.

She is not querying the ticket, and is happy to pay the orginal amount as we remembered how it happened (waiting too long to pick up a friend). What she is querying is that she did not receive the original notice at her mum's address.

When she spoke to DRP they said that under Section 7 of The Interpretation Act is is assumed all mail is delivered and that she will have to prove otherwise.

The question to you all is, does anyone know how this is possible?

Thanks in advance

SmellyMog

First, DRP have no power to do anything but send letters. You may get others from them or another company such as Zenith. They can be ignored (but don't bin them). If you get a letter headed Letter Before Claim or Letter Before Action, or similar then time to take notice as it may be followed by a County Court claim form. BTW, parking companies don't 'fine' people, they issue speculative invoices called parking charge notices.

1) When did the alleged 'parking event' actually occur - and do you have the 'ticket'?
2) which address did the DVLA have on the V5C form for the vehicle concerned at the date of the event?
3) what private parking company issued the 'ticket'
4) was the ticket on the windscreen or did it come by post?

and more questions to come...

beamerguy

Sophy217 wrote: »

Morning all.

I wonder if I could seek some advice:

My partner received a call from a friend a couple of days ago, with whom she lived with over five years ago, saying that she had a parking fine letter come through. My partner had just recently bought a new car but and as she is in the military had registered it to her mum's address.

Her friend sent a photo of the parking fine which was from the debt recovery service DRP and is now £160.

She is not querying the ticket, and is happy to pay the orginal amount as we remembered how it happened (waiting too long to pick up a friend). What she is querying is that she did not receive the original notice at her mum's address.

When she spoke to DRP they said that under Section 7 of The Interpretation Act is is assumed all mail is delivered and that she will have to prove otherwise.

The question to you all is, does anyone know how this is possible?

Thanks in advance

FORGET DRP WHO ARE A TOTALLY USELESS COMPANY
DO NOT TALK TO THEM AGAIN AND NEVER PAY THEM

As far as the Interpretation Act, they would have to prove they even sent it in the first place. (A silly act)

Stupid company who get up to all sorts of tricks to scam money from you

Who is the parking company and was it issued in England, Wales, Scotland or N.Ireland

To put DRP into perspective, take a look at your little toe nail .... DRP have
less power than your toe nail ....... meaning NO POWER
They are all part of the scammers industry

Sophy217

Hi there, thanks for that.The parking company was Smart Parking and it was at a GP surgery in Aldershot, England

beamerguy

Sophy217 wrote: »

Hi there, thanks for that.The parking company was Smart Parking and it was at a GP surgery in Aldershot, England

The amazing "not so Smart"

So was your friend a patient and has she complained to the surgery

SmellyMog

Smart Parking so far don't do court, but keep everything as they have 6 years from event in which to make a court claim (however unlikely).

Sophy217

Thank you SmellyMog and in repsonse to your questions...

1) When did the alleged 'parking event' actually occur - and do you have the 'ticket'? There was no actual ticket something was sent to her mum's address (which was never received).

2) which address did the DVLA have on the V5C form for the vehicle concerned at the date of the event? It was registered to her Mum's address.
3) what private parking company issued the 'ticket' Smart Parking
4) was the ticket on the windscreen or did it come by post? Supposedly sent by post, but not recieved

Am concerned that if we ignore it, it could go to court. She is happy to pay the original fine but just not the escalated costs, as she did not receive the original thing.

Sophy217

She was tryng to do the right thing and waiting outside to pick her friend up after an appointment. She didn't park in a bay but probably spent too much time waiting on a double yellow line perhaps? Is it worth contacting the orginal company and finding proof of the original letter?

beamerguy

Sophy217 wrote: »

She was tryng to do the right thing and waiting outside to pick her friend up after an appointment. She didn't park in a bay but probably spent too much time waiting on a double yellow line perhaps? Is it worth contacting the orginal company and finding proof of the original letter?

They will no longer accept the original amount so there is no point
Best plan of action is for the patient to complain to the surgery and show the DRP letter saying the keeper is now being harassed
Point out to the surgery that they are jointly responsible for the actions of their agents.
Point out that Smart Parking were sacked by Asda last year and since then others have sacked Smart
Insist that the surgery manager contacts Smart to cancel the charge

We have seen this before on this forum and others will be along
shortly to give you further help.