Appealing solicitors demand for payment

mang22

Hi,

I was hoping someone could advise me on the stance I have on appealing a ticket (I have just been contacted by the solicitors and been given the option to dispute the charge)

I was giving a ticket from a private company after parking on my university campus without a permit, however, before parking on campus my parents emailed the head of parking at the university requesting an urgent temporary permit, on the grounds of medical issues (I attached a medical note to the email).

I parked on campus with the belief I was going to receive a permit that day however, the university did not reply for nearly 2 weeks, at which point i decided to leave university for the term due to not having a permit and my medical issues)

My appeal is that i did in fact attempt to obtain a permit and therefore attempted to mitigate against receiving a penalty charge. Do I have any stance?

Thanks.

Guys_Dad

Probably not on these grounds, I am afraid.

What did the Uni say re your charge?

Redx

it is too late to appeal it , but you can dispute it

there was never any penalty charge

the PPC issued an invoice , a parking charge notice

who was the PPC?

who are the solicitors ?

mang22

The parking company was total parking solutions and the solicitors are I E Legal Solicitors.

The overleaf of the letter states I have the option to pay the debt to avoid legal action, or contact them if i have a dispute.

Coupon-mad

Are your medical needs likely to continue for at least 12 months and do they affect your daily life, such that parking on site would be a reasonable request, given your condition? If so, you are covered by the Equality Act 2010, are considered to (very likely) meet the definition of disability. No need for a Blue Badge, don't let them fob you off with that crap...

You must write a complaint to the Uni and the Solicitors, like in this thread where I've just suggested the complaint to make:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5682398

You would just have to change the wording a bit but it's very similar.

Not an APPEAL. A complaint under the EA.

Please show us your draft first, no flowery introduction, no please/thankyou, no begging. A complaint. After all, the Uni is also liable for being very slow to reply to a clear disability need and a request for a reasonable adjustment, they ignored it, you suffered detriment. That's not legal.

Redx

mang22 wrote: »

The parking company was total parking solutions and the solicitors are I E Legal Solicitors.

this seems to be a new kid on the block but we have seen a few of their letters talked about on here recently

this one was today https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5682497

it doesnt help you but its an indicator that others are having similar issues with them

mang22

I think what you're saying is very much applicable as my medical needs are ongoing and a request for parking was reasonable. The university, when they eventually applied stated 'they would obviously wish to provide reasonable support' and asked for us to call them. However, as they replied 2 weeks after and I had already left and no longer needed the permit we did not contact them again, im not sure whether this would therefore affect any complaint i was to make?

Coupon-mad

Not at all. You had the need at the material time. You MUST make the complaint.

Be confident, you are covered by the EA, sounds like to me (I used to work in two disability advice positions, one as an overall Manager of the service - I am not an expert but I do know the law on this). You have a right to a reasonable adjustment to be made retrospectively and for the Uni to move quickly to call their dogs off, before you sue THEM.

mang22

So do i respond to the solicitors telling them I am going to make a complaint to the uni and then write to the uni?

Coupon-mad

No.

Obviously write to both (the same letter) showing that it's gone to BOTH, so they can panic.

mang22

Ok thank you.

I am a bit confused though as to who I address, am i responding to the letter from the solicitors with the complaint addressing the university? or do i need to not respond to the letter and just make the complaint and address the solicitors letter within that?