Accidental small underpayment

Jimsnap

I have an unusual problem. I asked the 'officer' at Ladywell car park in Birmingham how much the parking charge was. As it was in the evening he told me it was £6 until the following morning, I was in a hurry as I was late for a show at the Hippodrome so I ran to the machine paid in £6 in coins and put the ticket in the car without even looking at it.
I had a PCN when I returned 3 hours later. It seems although I paid £6 only £5 registered and I was only given one hour. I assumed one coin was rejected but in my rush I never noticed and simply pressed the ticket button after inserting 6 £1 coins.
 My view is that I was clearly trying to pay and had in fact overpaid for the hour the machine actually gave me and that it would be unfair to 'fine' me for such.
My question is obviously how to proceed? I've read many examples in the Newbies thread but none that cover these circumstances.
Do I appeal to the operator ( Walton Wilkins, trading as Premier Parking Logistics, PPL) or is this considered a waste of time?
Thanks in anticipation

Redx

Always appeal a private PCN , regardless of the outcome 

Save your story for a judge , if it gets that far (the newbies thread does tell you that what happened on the day is irrelevant for any appeal)

nosferatu1001

The newbies thread specifically tells you NOT to look for the same exact circumstances. 

D_P_Dance

From what you have told us, if they were daft enough to take you to court they would very likely come a cropper.   If they did, dio not forget, they owe you for the overpayment

Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP, 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.

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.

t

Jimsnap

Because I actually paid to park and it's possible the machine was at fault, (I have the ticket showing £5 was paid for only one hour) do you think I should appeal now or wait 21 days?

D_P_Dance

This might be worth a complaint to Trading Standards, clearly there was a fault with the machine.  

Redx

I don't think it makes any difference because they will reject any appeal anyway

But if this was a windscreen PCN as mentioned earlier , appeal as keeper on day 18

If it's a postal PCN , then any delay is irrelevant

Not outing the driver is the most important thing at this moment

MistyZ

In addition to the above .... the land owner or land management company responsible for the car park may be much more reasonable.  Have you found out who they are and complained vigorously to them yet?  They can cancel PCNs and often do.  Sounds to me as if the car park is quite separate from the Hippodrome ... or is it?  In any case, start digging around to find out who the landowner is in order to complain to them ASAP.

Redx

This is PPL , not Excel , and Wilkins has priors for underhanded tactics

Ppl will state that the payment should have been checked , plus the ticket , at the point of sale

Yes it could be a faulty machine and six coins were deposited and taken , but it's just semantics and ppl won't care at all , they smell blood and are circling like the shark they are

For IPC members we normally say appeal as keeper on day 19 , not day 26 , due to the IPC setting the time at 21 days and not 28 days

Hopefully when the Mhclg change the system and cop things may change

MistyZ

Oh gawd, have edited my post & going for the caffeine before I get anything else wrong!  

Le_Kirk

MistyZ said:

Oh gawd, have edited my post & going for the caffeine before I get anything else wrong!  

It happens - don't worry about it.  We read and respond to so many posts, it's easy to read one and have a different PPC in mind and then the fingers take over the brain! I only wish my fingers could spell!!!!!