MET Parking - Debt Collectors

SuperSaver123

Hi,

I have received 2 tickets from MET Parking when I overstayed for 10 and 20 mins on 2 different occassions.

This is through car hire company that I then had it for a couple of weeks while I had my car fixed post accident - therefore MET don't know I was the driver.

I don't want to annoy the car hire company too much but I don't want to pay.

On one of them the debt collectors are involved now. I had some life changing and urgent matters to deal with and this was not a priority in the last 1.5 month.

Can I still appeal with the standard letter? And can I send it despite the debt collectors and should I sign on behalf of the hirer?

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

Dear Sir/Madam,

Re PCN number:

I am the keeper of the vehicle which received this purported 'parking charge'. There will be no admissions as to who was driving and no assumptions can be drawn. I am not liable and I believe that your signs fail the test of 'large lettering' and prominence, as established in ParkingEye Ltd v Beavis. Your unremarkable and obscure signs are in small print and the onerous terms are not readable.

Should you fail to cancel this PCN immediately, I require the following information with your template rejection:

1. Does your charge represent damages for breach of contract? Answer yes or no.
2. Please provide dated photos of the signs that you say were on site, which you contend formed a contract.
3. Please provide all photographs taken of this vehicle.

I am alarmed by your contact and I do not give you consent to process any data relating to me, or this vehicle. I deny liability and will not respond to debt collectors. You must consider this letter a Section 10 Notice under the DPA, and should you fail to respond accordingly, your company will be reported to the Information Commissioner.

I have kept proof of submission of this appeal and will also be making a formal complaint to your client landowner.

If you are a current BPA member, send me a POPLA code. If you are an IPC firm, cease and desist with all contact.

Yours faithfully,

Coupon-mad

Use the version by Edna Basher linked lower down the sticky post, the bit about hire/lease cars.

SuperSaver123

Thank you!

So it must be this one?

Does it not matter that it is past the the appeal deadline?

Should I speak to the debt collectors to tell them not to bother the car hire company?

Dear Sir/Madam
Re: PCN No.
I challenge this 'PCN' as lessee of the car and subsequently request all future correspondence be sent directly to myself at the address listed below:

My street
My Town
My Postcode
I am the vehicle's hirer and keeper for the purpose of the corresponding definitions under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA) now it is proven that in this instance, the registered keeper is not the "keeper" (as defined under POFA), Civil Enforcement has no reason to contact Lex Autolease again regarding this PCN

I believe that your signs fail the test of 'large lettering' and prominence, as established in ParkingEye Ltd v Beavis. Your unremarkable and obscure signs were not seen by the driver, are in very small print and the terms are not readable to drivers.

Further, I understand you do not own the car park and you have given me no information about your policy with the landowner or on site businesses, to cancel such a charge. So please supply that policy as required under the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

There will be no admissions as to who was driving and no assumptions can be drawn. You must either offer me a POPLA code or cancel the charge.

Thank you for your cooperation and I look forward to receiving your response within the relevant timescales specified under the British Parking Association Ltd Code of Practice.

Yours faithfully,
My name

KeithP

Never, never, never speak to debt collectors.


You need to change that template before sending.
It currently mentions a different parking company.

Is your hire company Lex Autolease?

SuperSaver123

Thank you! Is it ok to send it past the deadline?

Thank you!

Coupon-mad

How does it matter? What are you expecting, the purpose is not to get the thing cancelled!

The purpose of replying is to look reasonable later, that you disputed the debt, in case it goes to a small claim and the Judge wants to know you didn't ignore it. That's all.

Why have you copied ''Civil Enforcement...Lex Autolease'' neither of which relate to your case?

Proof-reading the thing, and making sure it makes sense is obviously down to the individual (you). Please don't tell us you didn't read it, because you didn't understand it, as some people say who want to be spoon-fed (not you). The letter is not legalese, all plain English, easy to comprehend what it's saying and why.

Do your own version and off it goes by email. And if the debt collector is DRPlus, you MUST quote their reference (and I do not mean the PCN number) and their email if it is DRPlus, is:

info@drpl.co.uk

SuperSaver123

Thank you!

I have read it and changed these bits for my letter - the rest seems to apply to my case. I just didn't paste in here from my letter but from the original post.

I was actually hoping this would cancel the penalty. Naive me. But I do understand it is unlikely that it will go to court, right?

I have no email address to appeal MET so am sending by post.

Are you saying I should also be sending an email with the appeal to the debt collectors or just quoting their reference in the appeal to MET?

Will the debt collectors possibly come to my address if I send them the appeal by email? Or can I just simply send an email to the debt collectors with their reference saying: the penalty has been appealed. Please contact the relevant department in MET and should you wish to contact me to confirm any information, please do so by email.

Coupon-mad

You have the email for DRPlus - if it is them - I gave it to you.

If it is DRP, they will reply pretending they've looked at it with headings like 'My Findings' and please we don't want to see that computerised drivel ever again, you could Google search and find the DRP 'my findings' letter in seconds!

MET do not try court, so you are safe, and if that changes, we win 99% of defended cases.

Will the debt collectors possibly come to my address

Have you not Googled the difference between debt collectors and bailiffs? Debt collectors cannot and do not 'come to people's address' and knock on their doors, about fake parking tickets. DOES NOT HAPPEN.

This is not High Court Enforcement, not ''Can't Pay, We'll Take it Away'' which is for cases that have already gone to court and exceed £600. THAT'S NOT YOUR CASE!

Relax, we've all ignored debt collector letters - I know I had a collection going back years till I finally binned the pile of trash, when spring cleaning (all about fake PCNs).