UKPC Letter with ANPR

Action_Man

I have tried to read the Newbies thread so apologies if I have got this wrong - I note that often the comments seem to be to start my own thread rather than hijack others, so here we are.

A few weeks ago, the driver popped out at lunchtime to run an errand and on return to the office, all the spaces were taken up (this is a known issue at work, but I imagine hardly relevant here). Parking on the commercial estate is dreadful anyway, so the nearest parking space available is the nearby retail park, so he parked there - have done it before after all.
As the keeper of the vehicle, i returned home on Friday to get a letter from UKPC Ltd stating that he had overstayed by 39 minutes and was being charged £60 if paid within 14 days. On this letter are two CCTV images of my car arriving at 1238 and leaving at 1617.
Naturally I am a bit irritated by this as there is nowhere else to park close to work (half a mile walk otherwise) so I am wondering what to do next.

I can't see the above being taken as sufficient grounds to base an appeal, however as I am familiar with this car park as well, i am having difficulty remembering any signage at the entrance to the retail park, is this a good place to start?


Any and all advice welcome, this kind of thing is out of my usual comfort zone so thanks in advance

LoneStarState

Firstly, it would be best to anonymise your first post so that it is in the third person using terms such as "the driver", "the keeper" etc. No me, myself and I.

UKPC signs for retail parks are usually dreadful with the penalty for breaching terms usually very well hidden in a huge slab of small text.

It would be important to note that what has been stated above should not have been done by the driver in the first place as it encourages recruitment of these parasites by retail parks and the like. Was the retail park used at any point? I assume no.

There's an appeal template in the newbies thread for the first stage of appeal. Do not modify and send that in the first instance.

It would be good at some point to get your own photos of the signs if it is near the driver's workplace to rebut stock photos from UKPC when the time comes at POPLA appeal.

Coupon-mad

I can't see the above being taken as sufficient grounds to base an appeal, however I am having difficulty remembering any signage at the entrance to the retail park, is this a good place to start?

Nope, just send the template appeal from the NEWBIES, no need for a thread.

If you can prove you ever shop at the retail park, and/or did buy something that day too or anytime recently, make a complaint to the retailer Store Manager first and as it's a first overstay, ask him/her to step in and cancel it.

DO NOT SAY YOU PARKED & WENT TO WORK. NONONO.

Guys_Dad

First of all - date of alleged incident and date of Notice to Keeper and

(2) is the car leased?

Action_Man

I will be visiting that car park later today to have a look for myself for signage.

"Was the retail park used at any point? I assume no"
The retail park is used on a very regular basis for the correct use, but not on this day i think.
I am sure this was a one off, it certainly wont be happening again!!

The alleged incident was 25th Sept, the NTK was dated 2nd Oct, arrived 5th Oct. The car is not leased.

Guys_Dad

Action_Man wrote: »

I will be visiting that car park later today to have a look for myself for signage.

"Was the retail park used at any point? I assume no"
The retail park is used on a very regular basis for the correct use, but not on this day i think.
I am sure this was a one off, it certainly wont be happening again!!

The alleged incident was 25th Sept, the NTK was dated 2nd Oct, arrived 5th Oct. The car is not leased.

So served within time. Thanks.

LoneStarState

Hi AM


Ok so there is regular custom at this site. In which case you should definitely consider a landowner/retailer complaint as well if you can find out who owns the car park land and is allegedly giving UKPC authorisation to manage the car park. Maybe ask one of the shop managers, or ask the local council who pays the non domestic rates for the car park. Failing that land registry will tell you for a small fee.


The complaint should still not allude to who was driving, while showing your genuine patronage (CC bills, till receipts etc.) and threatening to take custom elsewhere if this harassment of you as registered keeper isn't stopped. This complaint should be done in parallel with appealing to UKPC. The earlier a complaint is raised the easier it is to be cancelled.

Coupon-mad

The retail park is used on a very regular basis for the correct use

So in you trot today, dressed smartly like for a job interview, with that proof of patronage and ask to speak ONLY to the Store Manager (no-one else).

Be confident and polite, but annoyed about the harassment, focus on that.

Show your bank transactions as a regular customer and just vaguely say you can't find the receipt from the actual day, NO SAYING why you parked there even if they ask, move the conversation on and say you can't find a receipt but found your previous ones and you feel harassed, etc. and you are shocked if the SM can't cancel this scam.

The SM can cancel it, so keep pressing...either that or the Retail Park owner/agent can.

The_Deep

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 House of Commons recently

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

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

Action_Man

I have now received the response from UKPC, surprise surprise, my appeal is denied. I have the usual options 1, pay, 2 appeal to Popla or do nothing and it will go to the Debt recovery agent.

One thing they mention is that there is sufficient signage. Having been back there, the sign at the entrance to the car park is at right angles to the direction of travel, is ten feet up and not very big - maybe A3 size? I took some pictures, are these worth anything?

KeithP

Those pictures will be useful to include in your PoPLA appeal, won't they?