CP Plus rip off

armo85

I've got a ticket for a shop's car park. They say I parked for 2 hours and 4 minutes and only paid for 2 hours. I entered the car park (according to their cameras) at 11.35 and left at 13.40. I've actually got my ticket, which says I purchased the ticket at 11.38. If I was leaving the car park at 13.40, then I was only 2 minutes over! Is it unreasonable that they're charging me £50!??

I plan to appeal. Do I send in my parking ticket? Or will they argue I was over by 2 minutes and therefore owe the money?

The_Deep

If they tried to take you to court they would not only struggle but probably get a huge wigging from a judge. If what you say is right I think that you can safely ignore it. Read this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_minimis

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and another company have already been named and shamed, as has Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each year). They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

Hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned.

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the HofC recently.

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

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by Christmas.

pogofish

Before doing anything, you need to carefully read the Newbies Sticky at the top of this forum.

It will inform you fully about private parking and lay-out your options for challenging it.

fisherjim

No you don't owe them anything they are scammers and they know it, they are just trying it on.


Do as Pogo says and get clued up from the newbies thread, use the tried and tested route suggested.


They know very well that grace periods come into play, their ANPR system logs time on site, in which case you were 5 mins over but still totally within the BPA COP, who you should also be complaining to that one of their scamming members is pulling a fast one.

twhitehousescat

CP plus are a member of the BPA , you might want to ask they why the KEEPER has been sent an invoice when the driver parked within the guidelines of the BPA code of practice (grace periods)

basicly

If a driver is parking without your permission, or at
locations where parking is not normally permitted they
must have the chance to read the terms and conditions
before they enter into the !!!8216;parking contract!!!8217; with you. If,
having had that opportunity, they decide not to park but
choose to leave the car park, you must provide them with
a reasonable grace period to leave, as they will not be
bound by your parking contract.
13.2 If the parking location is one where parking is normally
permitted, you must allow the driver a reasonable
grace period in addition to the parking event before
enforcement action is taken. In such instances the grace
period must be a minimum of 10 minutes.
13.2.a Vehicles are not permitted to park under the grace
period in spaces designated to specific users for example
Blue Badge holders. At all times vehicles must have
appropriate and valid permit e.g Blue Badge on display
for enforcement officer to inspect.
13.3 You must tell us the specific grace period at a site if our
compliance team or our agents ask what it is.
13.4 You should allow the driver a reasonable period to leave the
private car park after the parking contract has ended, before
you take enforcement action. If the location is one where
parking is normally permitted, the Grace Period at the end
of the parking period should be a minimum of 10 minute


however I suspect that the wrong VRN has been entered at machine

edit:

they say you paid for 2 hrs

time to complain to the BPA that this company are conning low life scum , who are not adhering to bpa code of practice

watch the whitewash puddle form

waamo

Send the template in the Newbies thread. When your initial appeal gets turned down you can mention grace periods to POPLA.

BPA members are supposed to give a 10 minute grace period.

Guys_Dad

DO NOT SEND THEM THE TICKET !!!

Send a copy by all means, but just let them know that you are aware of the Code of Practice and they can whistle for any payment.

You don't need the template, but double check if you had to enter a Registration number that you did it correctly (O & 0, 1 & I for example)

twhitehousescat

Guys_Dad wrote: »

DO NOT SEND THEM THE TICKET !!!

Send a copy by all means, but just let them know that you are aware of the Code of Practice and they can whistle for any payment.

You don't need the template, but double check if you had to enter a Registration number that you did it correctly (O & 0, 1 & I for example)

I reread the post several times , the OP says they accept he paid for two hours , so VRN must have been correct

Guys_Dad

twhitehousescat wrote: »

I reread the post several times , the OP says they accept he paid for two hours , so VRN must have been correct

Then it's whistle for it, you COP-ignoring PPC !

Coupon-mad

They say I parked for 2 hours and 4 minutes and only paid for 2 hours.

I think you are making an assumption. they are not saying that.

Send the template in the NEWBIES thread, there is a reason for using it especially with people like you who would otherwise blab about who was driving by saying ''I paid'' or ''here is my ticket, I only stayed...''.

CP Plus are a complete cinch to beat at POPLA when they send postal PCNs, because they are not POFA ones. This is what the NEWBIES thread is for - all explained there.