Parking Fine - Wise Campus - Bristol

Gridiron_Grump

Hello all

I have had a browse around the "Newbie" threads, and also browsed through some other threads on here that match some keyword links to my situation, but haven't really found a similar situation to allow me to relate....so.

Background:

For many years (around a decade) I played and coached sport at Filton Wise Campus. Parking here was was always FOC with no restrictions. Over the last few years, I have only visited as a spectator, so maybe a couple of times a year. Last year I probably didn't visit at all. This summer (June 18) I was invited along to watch one of the teams i used to play for, on a Sunday afternoon. The chap who invited was also club chairman at the time. I also chatted with another coach for a long period of time, who also works for wise (neither mentioned Wise was now 'Pay to Park'). I was at the game for about 2.5hrs. Genuinely didn't observe any parking signs, but equally, there was no cause to look for any either, as why would any frequent visitor prior to 2018, as it wasn't a pay to park venue in the previous 10 years or so.....hence giving you the background, to explain this.

Letters:

UKCPM:
2 weeks later (End June) I got my first letter from UKCPM PCN - £100 fine, £60 if paid within 14 days. After giving my mate a hard time for him not giving me the heads up, he told me to ignore it, which from the general "buzz" around private parking, I full intended to do this, and did.

1 month later (End July), 2nd Letter (Red) from UKCPM - £100, will increase to £149 if not paid in time. It had pictures of my car arriving and leaving. I have Ignored this letter.

DRP:
Then follow 3 letters from DRP, every 2 weeks, from beginning of September. £160 fine (different to the £149 increase 'threat' above). 7 digit reference no., starting 54#####. I have ignored all 3 letters.

GS:
Now on to the GS letter, from looking at other threads, this seems to be the "fake" latter used by DRP, as it shares the same reference, as mentioned above. This came through last week, and seems to state the same things other letters i have seen on here state: PvBE, Rights for 6 years. Pay the £160 now. Don't contact GS, contact DRP to discuss...etc. Currently, I am also planning to ignore this letter.

Decisions?:

So, again from reading, it seems that a court summons in inevitable, as that seems to be what GS do. Will i get a CCJ, again from reading, no, as if I go to court and lose and have to pay, I will simply pay by the terms agreed in the court (Please so correct me if I am wrong). I personally don't have allot of time from "prepare a detailed defence", so am trying to understand the potential time required and weighing this up to a worst case scenario fine (not sure what this would be £160+fees.......£300-£500 at worst?), to see if I would be just as well to prepare the minimal mandatory info (what ever this may be) for the day. I say this, as again, I have noticed you guys mention in other threads that this would all require allot of time, research and work.

I am not particularly worried about court or losing a days AL, but I am also fairly blase to this as I am not sure of my "strength" in defence, as "I didn't know I had to" probably wouldn't wash in court, even if the Judges hate the "cowboy" regime.

Any honest opinions would be appreciated.

Kind Regards
GIG

KeithP

You seem to have a good idea of what is going on.

You are now at the stage of ignoring everything except a Letter of Claim or official court correspondence.

The_Deep

It is not a fine, it is an invoice for damages they claim you have caused them by breaching a contract which they allege you agreed to. They are claiming an extra £60 which is not allowed in Law.

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week), hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem has become so widespread that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers.

Sir Greg Knight's Private Members Bill to curb the excesses, and perhaps close down, some of these companies passed its Third Reading in late November, and, with a fair wind, will should become Law next year.

All three readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 6-7 hours), and published in Hansard. MPs have an extremely low opinion of the industry. Many are complaining that they are becoming overwhelmed by complaints from members of the public. Add to their burden, complain in the most robust terms about the scammers.

Stardoll_2

My husband took me and our daughter to the WISE campus on 16th November to watch a performance. I wish I'd driven myself and parked now!
My husband dropped us off in the drop off/pick up bay where you have 20 mins free. As I use a wheelchair he unloaded this and off I went being pushed by my daughter. My husband then left the site.
I texted him after the performance to come and collect us which he did again using the drop off/pick up space. After loading the wheelchair into the boot again we left the site.
A month later we received a parking fine which showed photographs of the initial entry and the final exit but not the times he left and came back in-between.
I appealed with a screenshot of my text messages to him to collect me and also sent them copies of there information regarding the 20 minute drop off time. But today we have found out that the appeal has been unsuccessful.
I have one witness who saw him parked in the drop off/pick up area to collect us but I don't know what else to do to prove he left.
I could pay the fine of £60 but its the principal that if the ANPR didn't recognise him leaving the first time and then coming back this is so wrong and I'd like to know if this has happened to other people as then something needs doing about it.


I'm now considering going to independent appeal-what do you think my chances are of being successful. Any advice would be helpful please.
Thanks in advance.

Fruitcake

Stardoll, you should read the sticky thread for NEWBIES then start your own thread if you need further help.

You should also complain to the landowner and your MP about this unregulated scam.

It is not a fine.

Nobody will suggest you pay a bunch of scammers.

If the scammers are IPC members, there is no point in appealing again. The NEWBIES explains this. It also explains why it is safe to ignore debt collectors, but not real court papers.

Le_Kirk

Stardoll wrote: »

My husband took me and our daughter to the WISE campus ....... <SNIP>

Fruitcake wrote: »

Stardoll, you should read the sticky thread for NEWBIES then start your own thread if you need further help.

Once you have read the NEWBIE sticky and searched for "Double Dipping" you can then start your own thread if you still have specific questions.

Gridiron_Grump

Thanks for the previous responses by the way.

Was hoping that they may have given up, but received what looks to be a LBC in the post today. It’s been a long while since I had a read through this, but I think this is where I can no longer ignore? Though late in the day I will be complaining to the campus and also finding my local mp and complaining to them (though not 100% sure what to say to MP.)

What would be the general advice at this stage?

Umkomaas

Gridiron_Grump wrote: »

Thanks for the previous responses by the way.

Was hoping that they may have given up, but received what looks to be a LBC in the post today. It’s been a long while since I had a read through this, but I think this is where I can no longer ignore? Though late in the day I will be complaining to the campus and also finding my local mp and complaining to them (though not 100% sure what to say to MP.)

What would be the general advice at this stage?

How to deal with a LBC, and all other processes now court proceedings seem to be underway, is detailed in the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #2. Much of this section of the sticky has been written by legally qualified posters.

Gridiron_Grump

Evening all

I wanted to check with you guys whether the letter i have received from GS is legit, but I cannot work out how to upload an image? Something to do with being new? Unfortunately, the simple copy and paste didn't work.

Cheers
G_G

Le_Kirk

Use a picture hosting site such as tinypic or imgur and you will receive a URL. Post this here like this: -

hxxps://tinypic.co...............

............ and someone will make it live for you.

Umkomaas

Gridiron_Grump wrote: »

Evening all

I wanted to check with you guys whether the letter i have received from GS is legit, but I cannot work out how to upload an image? Something to do with being new? Unfortunately, the simple copy and paste didn't work.

Cheers
G_G

Does the letter give you 30 days in which to respond, and are there a number of information pages and financial forms attached? If so it’s a full-blown LBC.

If the above doesn’t apply, and/or the letter tells you to pay Debt Recovery Plus, then it’s a scam perpetrated by DRP utilising a Gladstones letterhead.