Hermiston Gait Retail Park scam, Edinburgh

GingerBarbie

Hi,

Received an "invoice" from the parking scammers operating out of Hermiston Gait Retail Park. Company's calling itself UKPC on the invoice. Claims we were parked not per the rules, but the signage wasn't clear at all so would rather spend £££s if it gets to a sherriff court than just give them £ because the scammers demand it. I know from the forum advice that because it's in Scotland, I should just ignore it, not confirm who was driving the car etc. Great. :beer:

But I've also sent a complaint letter to a few of the retailers I used that day, because I'm so faffed off about the egregousness of the situation . And if they can cancel the invoice that would be lovely.

However:

- Hermiston Gait Tesco manager said she couldn't intervene in the error that day. Letter to Head Office resulted in them saying their parking company will cancel if it's a first offense (I don't think the person writing the customer service response had read that it's a UKPC invoice, not a Tesco owned piece of land).
- B&Q Head Office said it's nothing to do with them, and to contact the landowner of Hermiston Gait.

Unfortunately, Hermiston Gait management appear to be uncontactable... letters addressed to them at Cutlins Road in Edinburgh were returned undeliverable, their phone number goes to a parking company switchboard (not UKPC), half of their website is showing an "account suspended" error...

Their owners appear to be Aberdeen Asset Management.

Has anyone managed to get the land barons of Hermiston Gait Retail Park to comment/intervene?

I'm not sure where to go from here, except wait for the barrage of filth from UKPC to drop through the letter box (I'm not giving them a penny, over my dead body!).

Ebe_Scrooge

Since it's Scotland, just ignore all letters - why give yourself unnecessary grief ? I'm assuming you've not told anyone who the driver was ?

GingerBarbie

Absolutely, careful wording around "the vehicle was parked' with no named driver, it could have been anyone in our party that day. Read the advice here before doing anything basically. Not appealed or contacted the ukpc scammers, will keep all letters etc.

I was hoping to get it cancelled legit by the landowner but since I can't even figure out a way to contact them... I should probably just give up, right?

(And Never ever use hermiston gait again, the !!!!!!!s)

Ebe_Scrooge

GingerBarbie wrote: »

I should probably just give up, right?

I would if I were you - is it really worth giving yourself an ulcer over ?

Just be aware, you'll get about 5 or 6 ever-more-threatening letters over the coming months, culminating in a threat to sacrifice your first-born child to the Lord of Darkness (well, a slight exaggeration, but you get my drift). What you will also get is another letter in about 5 years time, kind of a last-ditch attempt on their part to scare you into paying. Just ignore everything, and take some small satisfaction in the knowledge that at least it's cost them something to produce and post the letters to you. Petty, Moi ??? Never :-)

Johno100

The Managing Agents appear to be McMullen Real Estate, who despite the name seem to based in London.

https://www.mcmullenre.com/scheme/Hermiston-Gait-Retail-Park-Edinburgh/2518/

Very strange that the web address for the Retail Park itself has the status "Account Suspended".

http://www.hermistongait.co.uk/

GingerBarbie

Thanks for the heads up on what to expect in the short term / at the five years Mark.

custardy

Did you park and catch a train/tram?
I couldnt think of a way to spend any lengthy time at Hermiston Gait!

GingerBarbie

No, it was a parking infraction akin to parking over a white line with the bumper of an estate car because the vehicle was on one of the corner bays (i.e. definitely not safer to leave the nose out). Not related to length of time in the car park. The bay markings were severely degraded to the point you can't see them anyway ( I was careful to take a few pics before we left. You can clearly see the markings are virtually worn off, impossible to see when reversing).

Ordinarily I'd have just paid up and said fair enough but in this particular case I feel like someone just walked up and demanded we hand over cash.. robbing !!!!!!!s.

Been shopping there for years but never had this problem. Tesco store manager said it happens all the time to employees and yet no one's doing anything about ukpc.

GingerBarbie

(we were buying heavy items in the Tesco, b&q, went into tkmaxx for a browse, have all the receipts and we were in the whole park for about an hour tops. Also saw the parking attendant hiding behind a bush as we left. It's ridiculous really)

Umkomaas

If the parking gimp really is hiding behind a bush, then ambushing people, get your local press involved. They'd love that kind of story. It will also flush out other locals who've been entrapped to join the protest.

GingerBarbie

Our parking ticket was timed for about 3 min after we entered the first shop, after checking our shop receipt he must have watched our vehicle be put into the bay and almost immediately invoiced it.

Didn't manage to get a shot of the fellow hiding at the other side when we spotted him on the way out - it was at the recycling bin area nearer b&q, on one of the row hedges (ironically the hedges that makes a lot of the corners around the place more dangerous, because you can't see traffic or pedestrians where they block the view).