Smart Parking pcn help req

Jigglyjohnson

Hi everyone
I've had a look through the newbie section but I'm still overwhelmed by the whole pcn thing. I usual just pay the pcn asap. But this time I felt I was being charged unfairly.

Background is as below.
Used a car park which was part of a social club as we had a work football match to play. I parked up eventually and then purchased a ticket for the time required and made sure the registration was correct on the ticket. After the match the changing rooms where locked and the groundsman had the key the manager went to get the groundsman to unlock this took circa 10 odd mins and I grabbed my stuff and left.
Few weeks later the customer who's car it was sent through the parking ticket to my work and I got a slight ticking off I therefore without a thought phoned smart parking and had it transferred to my name and they sent a charge through the post. I appealed this and failed as I stated the 17 min over stay was out of my control as room was locked and I had no way to either remove the vehicle or pay for extra parking time. I then went to popla and restated this and added the cost of the fine was about 20 pound a min. Popla rejected my appeal as information I had later added wasn't in the original appeal. I have since had a letter to pay from smart parking which I again ignored and have since had a debt recovery letter demanding payment asap or face further fines etc.
Have I done right or is there anything else at this stage I need to do? From reading this website I see debt recovery firms have no power to take money from people but where do I go from here now ??
Many thanks for any advise

Fruitcake

Unfortunately you have done just about everything wrong. Luckily Not so Smart very rarely do court, so hopefully you will be lucky. Unfortunately they have six years to start court proceedings if they decided to change their habits.
You are now in ignore mode unless you get real court papers.

Read the sticky thread for NEWBIES to find out all about this unregulated scam, then complain to your MP using the info you will have found in post 1 of the NEWBIES?

What happened when you complained to the landowner?

Jigglyjohnson

I didn't com0lain to the land owner as I was unaware of getting it cancelled by the landowner

So do I send the debt recovery agents the letter as set out in the newbie threads ?? Or just ignore

Coupon-mad

where do I go from here now ?

Ignore them, you handled the appeal wrong, so ignore debt letters. All hot air.

Next time come here & read the NEWBIES thread, which is not that hard to understand and has a copy & paste template appeal...you'd have had it cancelled just by using the forum appeal and not blabbing about who parked. No need for POPLA, it would be won 1st go!

I usual just pay the pcn asap.

Eh?

Why would anyone do that? Even a Council PCN is appealable, with pepipoo help (different process). Don't PAY them just because they offer a laughable ''discount''.

We offer 100% discount.

Jigglyjohnson

Thanks for the advise I have kept the debt letter just for evidence but will not have any contact with these guys. If i get any more from smart or solicitors I shall add to this post and get your advise before I put my size 12s in again

Thanks again

nosferatu1001

Nope, only come back if you get
Letter before claim
CLaim form

Examples of those are on the forum, so you can see easily when you have such a document.

Jigglyjohnson

I know I was advised to only come back if a claimmletter was sent through the post but after some more advise

I have had several letter from a debt recovery company called debt recovery plus. They gave me till 25th dec to pay but I've just had another letter through from another debt recovery agent called zenith collections is this normal for more than one debt collection company to start chasing me ?? And how long will this normally go on for ??

Regards

Alex

KeithP

Read the small print at bottom right of that letter.

Does it say something like "Zenith is a trading style of Debt Recovery Plus Ltd"?

The guidance still stands - ignore debt collectors letters.

Can go on for up to six years I guess - they have up to six years to pursue a claim through the courts.

Jigglyjohnson

Hi

Thanks for the reply
Yes I've just checked and you are correct the writing does state zenith is a trading name of debt recovery plus. So they use a different name as a scare tactic I take it

I shall file with the rest 6 years is a long time
What's the chances of them actually going to court wouldn't it cost them more to go to court than the cost of the ticket ??

Redx

nobody can answer that, all we can say is they dont do court , YET !

if you can predict the next 6 years there is a PM in Downing St that needs to know the details of the future B word that also needs some help with clairvoyance because she hasnt a clue what is happening in 2 months time , never mind in 72 months time

meanwhile, expect more debt collector letters and demands,but our advice remains the same, IGNORE unless you get an LoC and/or an MCOL within 6 years

DRPL = ZENITH = PCS , all the same debt collection agency, all powerless

Coupon-mad

Jigglyjohnson wrote: »

Yes I've just checked and you are correct the writing does state zenith is a trading name of debt recovery plus. So they use a different name as a scare tactic I take it

All of this is already in the NEWBIES thread post #4 in the ''ignore the debt collectors, please don't post about them'' section - including a link to a 2012 thread about DRP and Zenith sharing a fake signature.

Why is anyone on this forum still discussing this seven years later as if it's new?
It might be different if it wasn't covered in the sticky thread, but it has been there all the time. Please read the 4th post of the sticky thread.

What's the chances of them actually going to court

You'd be the first - we all know that from all other Smart threads.

wouldn't it cost them more to go to court than the cost of the ticket

It does cost litigious PPCs more than the PCN, yes. But Smart don't sue anyone, so there really is nothing that needs adding to this thread, unless they change their habits one year. If they do, you know where to come!

Count yourself lucky you are learning about the scam with a non-litigious PPC. Keep all letters in a file marked 'not so Smart scam'.

And always read signs, word for word, in every car park, retail park and private road.