PCN for partial reg number on ticket

mb2509

Hello everyone :j

We received a PCN from Britpark a few months back, for parking 'without displaying a correct and valid ticket'. This puzzled us as we were sure we had bought a ticket and thankfully had the copy in the car still.

I emailed Britpark back with a scan of the ticket, showing that we had paid for a ticket, and that the £60 fine was therefore unfair. Their response, which we received today, stated that only the last three digits of our number plate was on the ticket, and therefore we are in breach of the terms and conditions. They have offered us to settle the issue for £20 within 14 days.

Should we accept the reduced amount and put this issue to bed, or should I dispute this further (or ignore)? Personally I think it's harsh given;

- They incurred no loss from us using the car park as we paid for the duration of our stay
- Their computer data must show all of the vehicles in the car park at that time, and they can therefore match the last three digits we entered on the ticket with this data/registrations in the car park at the time
- Some car parks I have used in the past only require the last three numbers of the reg, if this wasn't allowed in this particular parking area, should the machine accept a three digit reg number?

I've seen numerous questions asked where someone has entered an incorrect registration number, but no instances similar to ours. Is anyone able to shed any light?

Thanks all :beer:

Castle

Did they issue you with a POPLA code/

KeithP

Send the blue appeal template from post #1 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread.

Send it without any changes or additions.

Send it as the keeper.

mb2509

Castle wrote: »

Did they issue you with a POPLA code/

No, they have given us three options;

1) Pay the reduced fine
2) Do nothing and they will then pursue us for the full amount
3) Appeal to POPLA

mb2509

KeithP wrote: »

Send the blue appeal template from post #1 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread.

Send it without any changes or additions.

Send it as the keeper.

noted, thanks for the guidance

KeithP

mb2509 wrote: »

No, they have given us three options;

1) Pay the reduced fine
2) Do nothing and they will then pursue us for the full amount
3) Appeal to POPLA

Read their response again.

Are you absolutely sure there is no PoPLA verification code supplied?
Maybe in an attachment?

Without that code, their option 3) is impossible.

mb2509

KeithP wrote: »

Read their response again.

Are you absolutely sure there is no PoPLA verification code supplied?
Maybe in an attachment?

Without that code, their option 3) is impossible.

Apologies, the POPLA code is at the top...

System

Go back to BritPark and say that you will drop your POPLA Appeal (£27 cost to them) if they drop the charge. Add that even if you lost at POPLA, a court would see this as de minimis**.

Add that your offer is NOT without prejudice. Keep a copy for the future.

** Courts do not like people rushing to court for minor issues such as this and you should call their bluff. Their £20 offer is them trying to look reasonable whereas you are being even more reasonable by saving them £27 for a POPLA appeal.

beamerguy

I agree with IamEmanresu

For them to offer just £20 indicates that they know
they are on a loser .... which they will be.

They just cannot give up scamming can they ?

It's a no brainer really for BritPark

Even if you lost at POPLA, in the end they would probably use
one of the useless dodgy legals who will make a pigs ear
of a case and you end up winning with costs against them

It's a no brainer BritPark

Castle

Here's what the courts will say:-
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=74442585&postcount=28

The_Deep

If thy took this to court, imo they would struggle.

Most judges would probably regard this as such a minor breach of a contract as to be trifling, and the Law does not concern itself with trifles.

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.