Have I said too much already?

Nimravus

I only found this forum when I was searching for Park With Ease's website with the intention of paying a parking charge, so I may have already blown it! Still, here goes...


I parked at a wildlife sanctuary a couple of months ago, where I expect to pay £2 into a machine that has ANPR cameras. On this occasion, the readout said that my vehicle registration wasn't recognised, so without any immediate means of being able to pay, off I drove.


I received a letter dated 03/11/2018 from PWE saying I owed them £50, giving their appeals email address, which I contacted yesterday to confirm the details above. Their reply was that other drivers had paid before and after me, so their equiment wasn't at fault, and anyway I should have paid the £2 by contacting them within 48 hours of parking up, which I hadn't done, so tough.


A few emails down the line, they finally answered my query about paying a reduced fee of £25 within 14 days, stating I had missed that option as they first wrote to me middle of October. I have not received that letter, but they say they're not responsible for local postal services (I've told them that I'm not, either!), so tough.


I have offered to pay the £25, saying that this is simply to settle the matter on amicable terms, not stating that I accept I am obliged to pay it, but they say, again, tough: they want the £50, and I'm welcome to appeal to the IPC.


So, on the one hand I've offered to settle, even if less than they are now demanding, on the other they've rejected that offer. Should I, as I had intended, pay the £25 and then weather the storm? Or reply to them that as they've rejected my offer, it is withdrawn, and then weather the storm?


How stormy is it likely to get, do you think? It's not that I can easily afford to pay the £50, but I'm tempted to pay and just not have the hassle, which I do understand is their business model.


Thanks in anticipation :-)

Coupon-mad

I only found this forum when I was searching for Park With Ease's website with the intention of paying a parking charge, so I may have already blown it!

No, at least we stopped you paying a scam! Wow, no-one here PAYS these things!

How stormy is it likely to get, do you think?

Worst case scenario is if you were one of the rare 1% here who actually lose a defended court claim. 99% win, and most cases never go that far. And that's not awful, either.

I would now start ignoring them. No risk of a CCJ so no storms as long as you tell them in writing if you move house in the next 6 years.

Nimravus

Thanks, C-M


I did look at the NEWBIES thread, but it didn't really sink in. I'll look at it again tomorrow at a reasonable time, and in the meantime tell them my offer is withdrawn.

Nimravus

I'm still struggling, I'm afraid!


I've looked at the Newbies thread and nothing there seems to tell me what to do in my position, which I'm sure is not complicated and I'm just being dense!


I've told Park with Ease (PWE) that I've withdrawn my offer to pay £25 and they've replied that they will continue to pursue the matter. I've heard nothing since 15/11. Should I just wait and see if they contact me again, or should I submit an appeal directly to PWE?


If appeal, what grounds should I use?

onlyfoolsandparking

Based on what you've already been advised you should go into 'ignore' mode, yes you'll get a ream of scary looking letters suggesting if you don't pay the planet will collapse OR your own world will end, this is of course complete rubbish and intended to scare you into paying, problem is for many it works, they do pay mores the pity.


I don't believe you've caused yourself any problems by offering £25, not sure I would have wrote/emailed to withdraw it though and as has also been advised this particular scammer don't do a lot of court claims so to recap you can:


A, Pay the £50 (not advised here ever)
B, Carry on with the letter Ping-Pong (which will gain you very little by the way)
C, Go into ignore mode (but keep one eye open for a genuine LBA/LBCCC)
D, Keep reading here to learn more about the game your now in.


If it was me C and D are the answer

Coupon-mad

Do nothing.