Spring Parking Ltd. for Residential Parking

L91

Morning all,

I’m looking for a bit of guidance. I’ve read previous threads etc. And find them really informative, however I’m still needing a little help with clarifying certain information.

I’ve moved into a rented property in Nov 18, I rent of a housing association who act as the landowners of the properties and parking etc. The parking is permit holders only parking and I received 1 permit for my own vehicle.

The PPC is Spring Parking Ltd. And it’s fair to say I am having a real nightmare with these people.
To date, I’ve received 3 PCN’s from them. 1st was given to the Painter and Decorator for not displaying a valid permit, I ended up paying this and payed £55.00. I did speak with the “place manager”, who is responsible for the area and works for the housing association, who stated he would not help to cancel the ticket and instead sent me 1 visitor pass (which I argued should have been sent earlier) which wasn’t very helpful after the fact.

The 2nd PCN was issued 2 weeks ago for “not displaying a valid permit”, however I stated that I had the permit on the sun visor and it was clearly seen, the person who ticketed me even took a close up picture of my permit. I emailed Spring Parking Ltd. and received an abrupt and unprofessional response stating that I need to display my permit “on” the windscreen and not “in” the windscreen, contrary to their signage that states “permits must be displayed clearly in the windscreen”. Spring Parking Ltd. acknowledged that the permit was displayed but refused to cancel the PCN as they wanted it “on” the windscreen. They stated that at the back of the permit it clearly states that all permits must be displayed “on” the windscreen, which it does (when I looked). However, this is contrary to their signage that is a cause for confusion and misinformation. Also they don’t have signs on the entrance to the car park, they only have 4 signs dotted around the car park, which I thought was a breach of the BPA CoP. I’ve taken this further and appealed it through POPLA, awaiting a decision.

The 3rd ticket was issued yesterday, again stating “not displaying a valid permit”. I forgot to display the permit – it’s turning into a real nightmare all this. The landowner who I rent off are not interested, Spring Parking Ltd. Seem to operate out of their BPA CoP, what are my choices here? It’s really starting to get me down and financially it’s causing me trouble. I want to get the PCN cancelled, it was an honest mistake and one that can happen to anyone, I’d had a long shift at work and just wanted to go home and relax, but you can’t even do that without getting a PCN.

Also, a side note. The signs displayed state that vehicles “must be parked in designated bays”, we don’t have designated bays, it’s just park where you can. Also, there’s no signs on the entrance to the car park as mentioned earlier. I’ve looked at my tenancy agreement and all it says in relation to parking is that I must only park a roadworthy MOT’d and insured vehicle on the car park, nothing about being contractually obliged to adhere to permit parking or Spring Parking Ltd’s signage, or even that parking is permit parking only.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards
L91

The_Deep

Firstly, if the HA are a registered charity, (most of them are), complain the Charity Commissioners. Sceondly, complain to your locsl Council Housing Officer, thirdly, complain to your MP. Privare Parking Companies have no place in residential car parks imo.

It is the will of Parliament that these scammers be put out of business. Hopefully that will take place in the near future. The Bill has passed through the HOC without hitch, and goes to the Lords soon. In the meantime involve your MP, the poor dears are buckling under the weight of complaints about these scammers. Read this one which I wrote earlier

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 of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially 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 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.

L91

Thank you. I've checked and the HA isn't registered as a charity. I'll keep digging, might send an email to the place manager explaining the situation. But, if like last time, i'll probably be fobbed off.