Just Equita letter – No PCN

siananigans

Hi Forum,
I've read through the Newbies Sticky and lots of other posts related to ParkingEye and Equita issues, but unfortunatly I'm still a little confused what action to take. I'd really appreciate a quick steer on which way to go so I can do some more research and move forward.

I received a letter from Equita (hand delivered) the title of which was 'RE: ParkingEye Limited – Outstanding Parking Charge' demanding payment of £145 for an unpaid parking charge. They refer to myself as <Keeper/Hirer/Driver>. They say that ParkingEye have written to me recently regarding the unpaid charge and as it hasn't been paid the matter has now been passed to Equita.

The issue is is that this is the first correspondance I have received from either ParkingEye or Equita. I haven't received any PCNs, nor did I get a windscreen one. The letter does not give any information on when/where the charge took place, only reference numbers and pin numbers. I used these to log into the ParkingEye website to see the information on the charge (bad move?) and it relates to a stay in the famous Chelmsford Riverside Retail Park (of the Beavis case), 6 months previously. The alloted time scale is max 2 hours, the car was parked for 2hr 49min as many shops were visited and lunch was had.

I also (having read the forum I now realise foolishly) called Equita for more information. They were rude and unhelpful and hung up on me. I didn't give them any more information than they have on the letter they sent me though.

Because a PCN was never received I now don't know whether to go down the dispute / POPLA route, or whether to write to the head of one of the many stores visited that day and try and get them to cancel the charge? And as the car park the charge relates to is the one from the Beavis case, would I have a leg to stand on re. correct legible signage as in the dispute template? Presumably they would have made this car park infallable when it comes to disputes?

Any help would be massively appreciated.

Huge Thanks.

Umkomaas

Because a PCN was never received I now don't know whether to go down the dispute / POPLA route

POPLA isn’t open to you - too late.

whether to write to the head of one of the many stores visited that day and try and get them to cancel the charge?

PE actually pay over £50,000 pa to the pension fund landowners to enable them to ‘farm’ this car park, I don’t think at this location they would be beholden to any of the retailers.

Presumably they would have made this car park infallable when it comes to disputes?

You would assume so. But, paradoxically in this case, it looks like that infallibility could really be a ‘plus’ for you. You might reasonably ask why, given that it’s The Riverside and PE’s penchant for rushing to litigation, have they not issued with court papers, rather farming this out to debt collectors, which is not their usual route to litigation.

The answer may be somewhere in this - during the summer months there was clearly a cork up in PE’s processes for issuing Notices to Keepers, being issued too late to hold any keeper liable. We have seen many such tickets over the past few months, and I suspect yours is no different.

So what to do? I suggest you follow our standard advice for dealing with debt collector letters - just ignore them, but file them. PE have 6 years to press a claim through the small claims court, but I suspect this one is going nowhere. Come back if you get anything more from PE, but not from Equita, they are powerless and can do nothing apart from send letters or give you verbal abuse (as you now know), if you phone them!

beamerguy

"called Equita for more information. They were rude and unhelpful and hung up on me. I didn't give them any more information than they have on the letter they sent me though."

And Equita and the other creepy debt collectors
wonder why we say IGNORE THEM.
They all have bad manners and are ignorant

Nobody wants these droids to be rude and it really is
a sign of being a cretin

If they hand deliver any more rubbish, you are fully entitled
to warn them about trespass

Coupon-mad

Complain to the Matalan Manager in person, no writing letters. Go in and go from Store to Store till you get one who will cancel. whether you shopped there or were 'just browsing', start with Matalan as we know they didn't have a good word for ParkingEye at the time.

siananigans

Thanks very much all. I guess we play the waiting game now!

pappa_golf

stand back , think!

date of incident

equita involvement

hand delivered


something is not correct here , as PE would normally have simply started court action by now ,

siananigans

Papa golf – is there anything else you would suggest? Something I'm missing? I'm very new to this situation but you seem to have some insight. Any help is greatly appreciated!

pappa_golf

yes , I am suggesting that there is ca reason that PE have not progressed to court , both PE and equita (debt collectors) are owned by capita , and PE use equita if they have made a "!!!! up"

I suspect they have in this case , much as you can see a pic of your car , can you confirm that you have not moved house OR just bought the car ? does your the V5 (not licence) show you present address , and was this correct at the date of the event .

siananigans

Pappa golf – Yes we had moved house and hadn't updated the V5 at the date of the event. Driving licence was up to date though.

pappa_golf

siananigans wrote: »

Pappa golf – Yes we had moved house and hadn't updated the V5 at the date of the event. Driving licence was up to date though.

forget driving licence

as this would have been a ANPR type ticket , info extracted from DVLA within 14 days of event

mail fowarding?

be carefull , PE could start action at last known address and obtain a default .

siananigans

Thanks very much Pappa Golf. We had a break in mail forwarding (out of our control) for about 6 months which included the time of the event. In light of what you just said about PE starting action on the previous address, would you advise paying? We were told above it is too late to appeal.