Hospital parking charge

Catherine1984

Hospital parking charge

Hello all,!

I am a member of staff at an NHS hospital where the parking is managed by gemini solutions. As I work part time I use a scratch card system to pay for parking. A couple of mo ths ago I arrived late for work and forgot to put my scratch card in the window. I received a parking ticket but stupidly forgot to appeal it and have now received a letter from a debt recovery service asking for £150. I feel like I may just need to write it off as a mistake and pay it but thought I'd ask here first in case anyone has any solutions. Thanks

Redx

complain to your HR and get it cancelled


IGNORE the debt collectors

Umkomaas

No silver bullet, do as Redx advises. Gemini are pretty harmless. Your last option is to pay them. If you want to unnecessarily chuck £150 at anyone, I'm happy to give you my bank details!

Coupon-mad

I feel like I may just need to write it off as a mistake and pay it

ABSOLUTELY NOT. No-one pays Gemini. Get the Facilities Manager to cancel it sharpish.

Fruitcake

If you are a member of a trade union, get your rep involved.
As of now you have an MP to whom you should complain.
Point out that NHS staff are in short supply and this sort of behaviour by an unregulated scammer employed by the hospital trust is a guaranteed way of deterring existing staff to stay and new staff to join.

At every stage, to whoever you complain, mention this.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Also mention that the former Secretary of State for Health and Welfare, Sir Jeremy Hunt, stated that parking should be free for everyone at the point of service in the NHS.

There is nothing stopping you from sending in a late appeal to the scammers using the appeal template in blue from post 1 of the NEWBIES.

Post 4 of the NEWBIES explains why it is safe to ignore debt collectors.

The_Deep

There are strict government guidlinrs which must be adhered to, read this

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles

Have they complied? If not they may struggle if this goes to court.

[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 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]

Catherine1984

Thanks everyone. I have taken it up with the facilities team at work today. Debt collectors continue to phone but currently ignoring them!

steve1500

Catherine1984 wrote: »

Debt collectors continue to phone but currently ignoring them!

How have debt collectors got your phone number.

Which Trust

Catherine1984

No idea. It is my husbands phone number as he is the owner of the car so I assume via DVLA?

Redx

Being owner is irrelevant

The DVLA keep registered keeper details , not owner details

The V5C states on the front that it is not proof of ownership

The DVLA do not divulge phone numbers , that would be a breach of the GDPR , plus I doubt that they have telephone numbers for keeper's

Coupon-mad

The DVLA never give out phone numbers. The PPC or their debt collector has done a 'soft' trace to find it, using credit reference agency records.