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We have received a PCN as students

Hello there, me and my girlfriend have bought our very first car and didn't inform our landlord. I go to university and doing my first year while my girfriend still goes to college.
We received a permit by post but as our landlord did not know about us owning a car we did not get the fob to open the car park gates to park the car there. Basically there are two spots with the same number, and we parked the car on the other bay that is outside the car park. Yesterday, on 29th Nov we received a PCN claiming that we failed to show a valid permit, though we thought thats the only spot there is with that number (of course yesterday evening we walked around the whole thing and found the hidden car park with our spot to park).
My question is if I should just pay out the fine which is £60 or should I appeal for it? The only evidence we would have is that as my girlfiend just got her license and we never owned a car before, plus our landlord didnt show us where to park, we couldnt find the correct bay to park in. I find it ridiculous to pay such fines as a student who can barely afford to rent the place itself, not to mention the charges they claim us for! Any help would be greatly appreciated!

P. S. Landlord refused to pay the charge as he/she said it is not their fault, which is ridiculous.

Comments

  • fisherjim
    fisherjim Posts: 5,980
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    It's not a fine it's an invoice.
    Who issued the charge?
    The excuse you have quoted about never owning a car won't work forget it.

    Have you read the newbies thread yet?
  • On the invoice it says CPM, it shows they are a member of BPA and IPC
  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 41,256
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    domissz00 wrote: »
    On the invoice it says CPM, it shows they are a member of BPA and IPC

    Full name please. Many operators use the same acronyms.

    Central Parking Management
    Countrywide Parking Management
    UK Car Park Management
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
  • tacpot12
    tacpot12 Posts: 7,894
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    If the landlord didn't tell you where to park, how were you to know the system in use? Where there signs, or were you given an printed information about how the system worked? If there are two parking spaces with the same number, and no one tells you about the one behind the gates, how do you know are not parked in the correct spot? Definitely worth appealing on the basis of inadequate signage and explanation.

    If you displayed a permit, but the permit was not for the space you were parked in, but you could not know this due to inadequate signage or instructions, I can't see you losing if this went to court.
    The comments I post are my personal opinion. While I try to check everything is correct before posting, I can and do make mistakes, so always try to check official information sources before relying on my posts.
  • Fruitcake
    Fruitcake Posts: 58,155
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    edited 30 November 2019 at 9:57AM
    It is not a fine.

    If you intend to appeal then you should edit your post to remove any hint to the driver's identity. Only ever refer to The Driver and The Keeper, who are two different people.

    As above, we need to know the full name of the PPC.
    They can be members of both trade associations but only registered with the Accredited Operator System of one.

    All of this is explained in the sticky thread for NEWBIES that asks you to read it before posting.
    I married my cousin. I had to...
    I don't have a sister. :D
    All my screwdrivers are cordless.
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  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    My question is if I should just pay out the fine which is £60

    It is not a fine, it is an invoice from an ex-clamper to compensate them for the alleged harm they suffered when you did what you did. Pay them not a penny unless a judge so orders it.

    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP after the election, as it can cause the scammer extra costs and work, and has been known to get the charge cancelled.

    Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, 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.

    [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted[/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

    Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies.[/FONT][/FONT]
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
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