Parking fine - help!

OrangeTangerine

Hello,
I have read the newbies sticky - but still require some guidance for my online appeal for the parking charge I received.

Does "Less is more" apply to the first appeal? Just dispute the fine and that's it. Or giving reasons why the driver overstayed their welcome would be better and might be considered....(newborn baby needed feeding and new mum suffering with pains) Or can it be used against the driver when it goes to POPLA?!?
briefly a member of staff was spoken to about the long visit (driver not aware of a.time restriction in place,) and the fast food restaurant visitors were told it will be fine ( (reg number not written down )
I won't be able to check the signage at the site ..Won't know if driver was blind (not seing the signage or if signs are not obvious and confusing ) in order to have the decision overturned.
Your advice is very much appreciated
Thanks!

waamo

If you've read the Newbies thread you will have seen the appeal template. Send it unaltered. Do not embellish at all.

fisherjim

If you really had read the newbies thread you would know:


1 It's not a fine
2 None of those excuses will be accepted by the scammers.
3 The general staff aren't interested in your parking charges, the only person that should be able to do something is the manager.
4 Never reveal who the driver was.
5 Your first appeal has been written for you, don't add anything.





Who was the PPC

MistyZ

Send the appeal template, making sure that you select 'Keeper' from drop-down menu.

At the same time complain to the landowner if at all possible. A landowner complaint / request for cancellation is just about the only route in which mitigation may be relevant. However even then conceal the identity of the driver by using the 'royal we' etc. The PPCs will use absolutely anything they can get hold of against their 'victims'.

The_Deep

As others have said, it is not a fine. It is an invoice for the alleged damage they suffered when you so wantonly attended your baby's needs, instead of abiding by a contract they allege you agreed to. Pay them not a penny unless a judge in a Civil Court so instructs, which, imo, would be highly unlikely.

If the child is under six months old, IIMU that you may benefit from "protected characteristics" under the Equality Act 2010, and service providers must make "reasonable adjustments" to cater for such, read this

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act/protected-characteristics

and, if such circumstances apply, include it in your appeal. Include it in your complaint to the manager, and get your MP on side as well as Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up, and access to the DVLA's date base more rigorously policed, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies. .

Redx

Which PPC issued the parking charge ?

OrangeTangerine

Thank you all for your input. UKPC has send their "invoice".
Manager of the fast food restaurant didn't want to know when we called and kept saying they can't do anything and we have to appeal. We were very close to paying it before we found the Newbies post.
I will just use the template and don't go into detail and save the words for the next stage.
I thought mentioning the real circumstances that might be mitigating for the overstay (new baby requires a feed and one person being in pain) might not fall on deaf ears. But by the sound of it - it does!

fisherjim

OrangeTangerine wrote: »

I thought mentioning the real circumstances that might be mitigating for the overstay (new baby requires a feed and one person being in pain) might not fall on deaf ears.

That is the theory, but the reality is that you are dealing with a nasty scam outfit that is only interested in money, they have been banned on a number of occasions for falsifying information, altering timings on photos, their attendants have even left sensitive information on line, and they have left their log in id to the default allowing the world to log in and see.


Guess what they are still in business and won't be interested in your story, even their addresses are false PO drop boxes, don't be fooled.

MistyZ

OrangeTangerine wrote: »

Manager of the fast food restaurant didn't want to know when we called and kept saying they can't do anything and we have to appeal. We were very close to paying it before we found the Newbies post.

Is the fast food restaurant the landowner? If so, you need to track down their CEO and complain to them, always go to the top.

Otherwise you need to find out who the landowner is and do the same with them. Is the fast food restaurant the only premises served by the car park? If it is shared chances are high that there is an overall landowner or land management company that has responsibility. Might be an idea to ask another shop or outlet there who that is.

A poster who recently got their PCN cancelled by the landowner mentioned the value of 'pester power'. Never underrate that!

Egbert_Nobacon

Don’t be shy - tell us the name of the fast food restaurant so we know their meals come with a £100 surcharge.

At least we can avoid them like the plague.

Coupon-mad

We already should do...if it's McDonalds!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/75670594#Comment_75670594

Here is how someone got one cancelled by persevering with the complaint:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/75520127#Comment_75520127

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5916094/mcdonalds-ukpc-safe-to-admit-to-branch-manager-i-was-the-driver

Don't rush to do the first appeal. Spend the first 2/3 weeks complaining.