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Parking whilst working on site

Hi , I have read your newbies sections.
I was working on a site on behalf of the land owner, part of the works involved barriering part of a causeway off for public safety , now next to where I was working was a disabled nay which I parked in ! Which I also barriered off ! I finished my works and removed the barriers at 9:25am , I went in store to get my paperwork signed , whilst this was happening a ukcps agent ticketed my van for parking in the disabled bay at 9:30am I was on my way by 9:31am , now I’ve appealed this but not your way as I’ve seen this afterwards, anyhow they lost my first appeal , so I sent in a second appeal , while this appeal went in they sent me s raised fine of £100 , I spoke to them on the phone which they said I would get a letter in the post regarding the appeal! I’ve not had a response from the appeal until today when I had the drop letter which is now £160 I phoned ukcps very angrily and was told verbally the appeal could not be dealt with because my letter didn’t include my full name ie mr x. Xxxx not mr xxxxx. Xxxx? Which I thought was rediculous? They then said it was out of their hands as it had been handed to the debt agency so I need to ring them , which I did angrily , foolishly I rang on my mobile and first thing they said was is this the best number to call you on ! Oops they now got my number !! I know you’ll say ignore correspondence but do you think they got a better chance of court because of my actions? I have also thought of contacting the landowner who we was actually working for at the time but I feel stupid because I actually was working out of the disabled bay ?

Comments

  • fisherjim
    fisherjim Posts: 7,111 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Majorpain wrote: »
    I have also thought of contacting the landowner who we was actually working for at the time but I feel stupid because I actually was working out of the disabled bay ?


    For goodness sake you were there on their or their tennents instructions, that should have been your first action!


    Have you read the newbies thread at the top of this forum yet?


    Stop phoning these scammers now, and put the debt collectors number on block or they will plague you!
  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    If you parked in a space which was unavailable to members of the public, how could you have breached a contract. Quite simply, it was no longer a parking space whether reserved for the able or the disabled.

    Personally, I would let them take me to court if they are silly enough, where I would press for unreasonable behaviour costs for wasting court time.

    The whole industry is a scam, relying on threats of court, and the public's ignorance of the Law, A bill is currently before parliament which will regulate the scammers, many of whom are ex-clampers.

    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 Second Reading in the Lords this month, and, with a fair wind, will l become Law later this year..

    All five readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 7-8 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.
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
  • Guys_Dad
    Guys_Dad Posts: 11,025 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Landowner. Landowner!

    Why have you not got him to intervene? This seems so obvious.
  • Spoken to landowner they can’t intervene as it would be hard for them to be seen allowing me to park in the disabled bay !
  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    But surely it was not a disabled bay, it was part of a work site. Didyou not need to park there to access your vehicle for tools/materiel?

    I think that you need to assert yourself here, and if the landowner refuses to help, call him as a witness if this goes to court.
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
  • Le_Kirk
    Le_Kirk Posts: 25,055 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Majorpain wrote: »
    Spoken to landowner they can’t intervene as it would be hard for them to be seen allowing me to park in the disabled bay !
    But the bay was suspended whilst you did your work, ergo you had not even parked in a "car park" as it didn't exist.
  • You cant go softly softly with your approach. you need to learn quickly that parking scammers are only interested in money, they don't let legitimate reasons get in the way of their greed.


    It certainly looks like you followed correct procedure and used 'good practice' in relation to your work by restricting access to the general public, a health and safety breach would be a much bigger problem to deal with than this parking invoice BUT back to the main issue.


    Do you have an instruction to commence work from Landowner, did you put a risk assessment and method statement for the job into the Landowner, if yes (which of course it should be yes) then all this would form evidence for the Judge should it go to Court.


    You really need to get the Landowner to squash the parking cockroaches, they have the power don't let them tell you they don't!


    No point engaging with the parking scammers, your just wasting your time and it can get incredibly frustrating as I found dealing with my parking invoice.


    You had a legitimate reason/s to be there, the parking scum had no right to issue their invoice but that's how they work, have a good look around the forum paying particular attention to the NEWBIES section and learn all about the game you are now having to play.
  • Add the £100 to their invoice.
  • Half_way
    Half_way Posts: 7,545 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Are you self employed, or wee you working for a contractor?
    If your were/are self employed have you been paid for your work?
    Have you thought about charging the landowner for all of this plus your time (labour ) in dealing with it ?
    From the Plain Language Commission:

    "The BPA has surely become one of the most socially dangerous organisations in the UK"
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