VCS Notice

greekmike

Hello there,
Please forgive me as I'm totally new here and need some advice. My questions are probably likely to be answered somewhere else in this forum but I'm not very technical and I'm a bit lost.
I'm a resident at an apartment complex and I'm the owner of the property. We use VCS as patrol as previously we've had issues with unauthorised parking from the general public. My permit expired but I hadn't noticed. I own the flat and the allocated bay that I was in. The caretaker said that he put my permit in my postbox but I've emptied it and its just not there. VCS slapped a "myparkingcharge.co.uk" on my windscreen. I logged in and appealed it. I've read that I should not have done this as I've now incriminated myself by leaving my details. However as I own the property and already have a permit (expired) in my windscreen, my defence is that I actually physically own the space.
I've had to ask for a replacement permit to be issued as I've no idea what happened to the original. My postbox is always left open as I buy loads of stuff on Ebay or Amazon and sometimes my mail has fallen on the floor so I suspect it may have fallen out. I've not heard anything from VCS yet as i only replied today. The management company have been helpful in contacting VCS to suspend any further charges until I get a replacement so its not as if i can conceal my identity from VCS.
I'm wondering how likely VCS are to persue this as I'm the owner of the flat and its allocated space and there is no way they have lost £60 and need to charge me for this.
I'm a locum optician and my rate is £250 a day weekdays and £300 Saturdays. My diary is booked up 3 months in advance so I would charge them for any lost days if I end up in court as i work 6 days a week.
They pulled a similar stunt 2 years ago by delaying issuing the replacement permits and then posting them out when i was on holiday. I appealed and they dropped it.
Sorry to ramble here, I'm just wondering if anyone has any suggestions or how likely they are to be a pain in the !!!! or take me to course cos I ain't paying.
Thanks in advance

Coupon-mad

We use VCS as patrol as previously we've had issues with unauthorised parking from the general public.

There are better ways than using a protection racket. Kick them out.

I'm a resident at an apartment complex and I'm the owner of the property. My permit expired but I hadn't noticed. I own the flat and the allocated bay that I was in. The caretaker said that he put my permit in my postbox but I've emptied it and its just not there.

Why on earth are you displaying a permit?

Get rid of the parasite, your bay should be opted out of the stupid racket. Get a £20 parking post.

You should write and show your ownership of the bay, tell them you have primacy of contract and they are about to be fired. Glad you are not thinking of paying this, but get rid of the 'outrageous scam' (Hansard, Parliamentary debate this month on parking firms).

DO WATCH THE DEBATE:

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5787731

Put the wheels in motion to remove them.

This 'cowboy' (see Hansard link - 2.2.18) industry is skating on thin ice. These are some comments made by the MPs in Parliament concerning the unregulated parking industry, where just 2 weeks ago, residential parking tickets were singled out, as were the IPC Trade Body (who this lot belong to):

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-02-02/debates/CC84AF5E-AC6E-4E14-81B1-066E6A892807/Parking(CodeOfPractice)Bill

''Rip-offs from car park Cowboys must stop''; unfair treatment; signage deliberately confusing to ensure a PCN is issued; ''years of abuse by rogue parking companies''; bloodsuckers; ''the current system of regulation is hopeless, like putting Dracula in charge of the blood-bank''; extortionate fines; rogue operators; ''sense of injustice''; unfair charges and notices; wilfully misleading; signage is a deliberate act to deceive or mislead; ''confusing signs are often deliberate, to trap innocent drivers''; unreasonable; a curse; harassing; operating in a disgusting way; appeals service is no guarantee of a fair hearing; loathed; outrageous scam; dodgy practice; outrageous abuse; unscrupulous practices; ''the British Parking Association is as much use as a multi-storey car park in the Gobi desert''; and finally, by way of unanimous conclusion: ''we need to crack down on these rogue companies. They are an absolute disgrace to this country. Ordinary motorists and ordinary residents should not have to put up with this''.

These are the exact words used, so you should quote them to your MP in a complaint and ask him/her to contact Sir Greg Knight MP if he wants further information about this scam.

If you have to lobby your managing agent to rid the car park of this firm, sobeit.

Get rid, now, before their feeding frenzy before the Bill stops their worst business practices.

pogofish

You should start by reading the Newbies Sticky at the top of this forum - it will inform you and lay out your remaining options for seeing this off.

greekmike

I!!!8217;ve been looking for this !!!8220;newby sticky!!!8221; and not sure where it is as I!!!8217;m not massively familiar with this forum. I was aware that it existed and that I should read it as I didn!!!8217;t want to waste people!!!8217;s time but I can!!!8217;t find it. Sorry for being an idiot. Can someone cut and paste the link?

fisherjim

greekmike wrote: »

I!!!8217;ve been looking for this !!!8220;newby sticky!!!8221; and not sure where it is as I!!!8217;m not massively familiar with this forum. I was aware that it existed and that I should read it as I didn!!!8217;t want to waste people!!!8217;s time but I can!!!8217;t find it. Sorry for being an idiot. Can someone cut and paste the link?

It's the second thread down!!

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=4816822

Umkomaas

greekmike wrote: »

I!!!8217;ve been looking for this !!!8220;newby sticky!!!8221; and not sure where it is as I!!!8217;m not massively familiar with this forum. I was aware that it existed and that I should read it as I didn!!!8217;t want to waste people!!!8217;s time but I can!!!8217;t find it. Sorry for being an idiot. Can someone cut and paste the link?

If you're using an iPad/iPhone go to 'Settings' > 'Keyboard' and switch off 'Smart Punctuation' to get rid of all those !!!8220s and the like. Otherwise reading future posts from you will be purgatory.

The_Deep

Read what happened when another frauster ticketed an owner.

https://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?377246-UKPC-liable-for-trespass-**SUCCESS**

You could make life very difficult for VCS. Read up on misuse of data held by the DVLA. Tear up your permit immediately, write again to the PPC referencing Davey, and send a Cease and Desist letter, copying it to your MA, call an EGM to ditch the PPC. Do not appeal, you own the land, encourage them to take you to court. The world is your lobster.

Read these

http://parking-prankster.blogspot.co.uk/2016/11/residential-parking.html

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/residential-parking/

Watch this

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

and complain the the strongest of terms to your M.P.

waamo

Parking companies need to earn money to survive. They can't patrol an area for free.

Once the problem parkers are gone then their biggest revenue stream goes. This means that in order to survive they need an alternative revenue stream. Invariably that means targeting the residents.

You are now their only source of income. You have two choices really. Start paying them or get rid of them. The ticketing will get worse as they seek to maximise revenue.