2 escalated parking tickets

lilprodigy

Hi im new to mse but have had a look at the newbies thread, just wanted some advice for my situation as i am really not feeling strong in fighting against these parking tickets.

Id parked in a car park near my town centre (mecca bingo car park), ive been parking here for a
few months as ive just passed but people have been parking here for years as they stopped issuing tickets and everyone presumed it was free.

I parked in the car park around mid october to use the tram stop in order to get to university, i didnt notice the signs as theres also the signs from previously about being given fines (obviously these signs have been present for years and so it made me oblivious to the new ones). So obviously i did not buy a ticket or buy it online as theres no ticket machines anyway so i presume you buy it online.

I didnt know about the parking fine and so parked there again for the same reason around 3 days later and then a while after recieved 2 parking ticket from MINISTER BAYWATCH.

i didnt pay within the tempting 14 day period where both fines would be £60. Now it has escalated to the point where each fine is £155 as its past the £100 stage aswell. So its £310 for both!

There are loads of people getting the same fine as they sprung up the fine randomly without notice im guessing to get a lot of money out of people, few of my own friends have also got the same fines, one person i know has recoeved 6 of these fine so its 155 for each one!

I phoned them up yesterday and gave my card details and set up a monthly plan to pay £20 a month, they said they will phone me again to confirm everything and get it started. I only found all of these things on mse today and so was wondering if anyone can help my situation, taking into account ive agreed to pay 20 a month but could revoke my permission when they call me to confirm.

Umkomaas

You seem to have left this far too late. You could have easily beaten this by appealing to POPLA. Just please confirm the dates of the parking events.

If you are too late you have a couple of choices:

1. Pay up and get it out of your life (this is a money saving forum, so that would not be our preferred route).
2. You ignore it (after cancelling your finance plan with them) and see if they pursue this via court. Defending yourself is not very difficult, but you’ll need to do plenty of research beforehand, to get up to speed so that it isn’t difficult for you. If it goes to court, you have a chance of winning, but you also have a chance of losing. If you lose, almost certainly the cost order awarded to MB would not be as high as £310, even with 2 tickets in play. Maybe £250?, but you can never second-guess a Judge.

There is always one other option we recommend - that is to complain to the landowner, but I’m not sure how this might work for you with Mecca, given you’ve been fly-parking there to catch a tram.

lilprodigy

The date of contravention were 6/10/17 and 9/10/17, the date of issue of the fines were 12/10/17 and 17/10/17.

If i go to court wouldnt i have to hire a solicitor or something??

lilprodigy

(Type in bmpas insight into minister baywatch in google and click first link) i cannot put a link in as i am a new user.

The website above shows the number of cases taken to court by minister baywatch it seems very rare. Do you think its likely theyd take me to court taking into account the 100+ other people that have been fined in the first couple week they introduced it?

And if it doesnt go court what do you think would happen?

If it went court would i have to hire a solicitor or something? Never been involved with police or court etc...

Umkomaas

The date of contravention were 6/10/17 and 9/10/17, the date of issue of the fines were 12/10/17 and 17/10/17.

Were these ANPR camera captured parking tickets or windscreen attached tickets. I suspect the former, but please confirm.

If i go to court wouldnt i have to hire a solicitor or something??

You mean spend £500 to avoid paying £310? Sounds like a plan! I presume you’re not doing accountancy at Uni?

Nope, you do it yourself. This isn’t the criminal court, think more Judge Rinder but minus all the theatricals. No wigs, no gowns, no jury, just you, the judge and a rep for MB.

lilprodigy

They were cameras nothing attatched to the windscreen

Believe it or not im studying law at university haha

Hmm so its not as formal as i thought

Umkomaas

The website above shows the number of cases taken to court by minister baywatch it seems very rare. Do you think its likely theyd take me to court taking into account the 100+ other people that have been fined in the first couple week they introduced it?

Predators are unpredictable, so hard to give a firm answer. They are mildly litigious, but they can’t take everyone to court. I guess the more tickets you have, the odds narrow.

And if it doesnt go court what do you think would happen?

You’ll get hassled by debt collector letters, but they are harmless. They can’t come knocking on your door, they can’t do anything other write you more and more scary letters - read the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #4 about debt collectors.

Umkomaas

Believe it or not im studying law at university haha

Hmm so its not as formal as i thought

Jeez, you should eat this! Couldn’t you use the experience as the basis for a thesis with your course tutor taking an interest. In your shoes I’d be refusing to pay it and jumping at the chance of getting some experience of defending a case (and what better case than your own) and appearing at court.

lilprodigy

Im in my second year and havent really learnt much so i couldn't tbh

Umkomaas

lilprodigy wrote: »

Im in my second year and havent really learnt much so i couldn't tbh

There are loads of people who haven’t the foggiest about anything ‘legal’ who’ve defended their own cases - just ordinary people, with help from us here, many of whom are probably nowhere near even as ‘legal-savvy’ as you are (or should be).

lilprodigy

Okay so basically if i cancel the finance plan, would i be writing an appeal? Even thought i didnt buy a ticket?

Ive seen how many people you guys have helped thats why i created the account for some help.

Im not legal savvy at all haha my course cover more how to apply law not learning the actual law