NCP - no barrier/ no car reg.

PhoenixBella

Hi. Could I please get some help. I’ve had a lot to deal with lately and stupidly buried my head in the sand when I got a parking charge notice from NCP.  I’ve now received a letter from Trace debt recovery demanding £160. This worry of this is more than I can handle at the moment yet I can’t afford to pay £160. 

I parked at a city centre NCP car park.   There were no barriers and I paid for a 1 hour ticket when I entered.  I don’t recall having to put my car reg details in. I remember at the time thinking that was odd as usually you’re now asked for car reg. 

Around 6 weeks after I received a Notice to keeper saying.  ‘Parked without payment of the parking charge.’

They have photos of my car showing the time.   The photos show that I overstayed the hour by 30mins.   I had been rushing around a lot that day and hadn’t realised I’d done this.  I’m confused about the fact that I don’t remember having to put car reg number in so how do they know how much I paid?

I can’t find the ticket itself but I do have the debit card receipt from the machine showing a payment and time. 

Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount they want me to pay them.  I’m sorry if this has all been asked before but would really appreciate any help at a difficult time. 

Thanks so much. 

Redx

That amount is from a debt collector , so ignore it

Read the fourth post in the Newbies FAQ sticky thread

Come back if you get a 30 day LBC or a court claim pack from the CCBC in Northampton

At the moment it's stuck in limbo

D_P_Dance

£160 is more than the law allows, read this

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6014081/abuse-of-process-district-judge-tells-bwlegal

If you did not eneter a VRN when required read this

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_minimisi

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.

Coupon-mad

I can’t find the ticket itself but I do have the debit card receipt from the machine showing a payment and time. 
Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount they want me to pay them.  

You will be paying nothing at all.

Reply to the Letter before Claim,  when that arrives later.  Ignore Trace.

What you should do, is email a SAR to NCP now to get all the photos and letters that you may have thrown away.  Emailing a SAR and what to put and who to send it to, is fully explained in the second post of the NEWBIES thread.

PhoenixBella

Thank you for the replies, I really appreciate it. 

PhoenixBella

Come back if you get a 30 day LBC or a court claim pack from the CCBC in Northampton

At the moment it's stuck in limbo

Hi Sorry to sound daft, but do I just ignore it until LBC - or can I still appeal at this stage? Also if I do appeal should I send a copy of the receipt I had for the ticket I brought or does the identify me?  Thank you.

PhoenixBella

Coupon-mad said:

I can’t find the ticket itself but I do have the debit card receipt from the machine showing a payment and time. 
Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount they want me to pay them.  

You will be paying nothing at all.

Reply to the Letter before Claim,  when that arrives later.  Ignore Trace.

What you should do, is email a SAR to NCP now to get all the photos and letters that you may have thrown away.  Emailing a SAR and what to put and who to send it to, is fully explained in the second post of the NEWBIES thread.

Hi - I have kept the 2 letters they've sent and also the 'debt collector' letter.  Should I still send a SAR? Thank you

Umkomaas

PhoenixBella said:

Coupon-mad said:

I can’t find the ticket itself but I do have the debit card receipt from the machine showing a payment and time. 
Is there anything I can do to reduce the amount they want me to pay them.  

You will be paying nothing at all.

Reply to the Letter before Claim,  when that arrives later.  Ignore Trace.

What you should do, is email a SAR to NCP now to get all the photos and letters that you may have thrown away.  Emailing a SAR and what to put and who to send it to, is fully explained in the second post of the NEWBIES thread.

Hi - I have kept the 2 letters they've sent and also the 'debt collector' letter.  Should I still send a SAR? Thank you

Yes. How do you know what you might not have received?

PhoenixBella said:

Come back if you get a 30 day LBC or a court claim pack from the CCBC in Northampton

At the moment it's stuck in limbo

Hi Sorry to sound daft, but do I just ignore it until LBC - or can I still appeal at this stage? Also if I do appeal should I send a copy of the receipt I had for the ticket I brought or does the identify me?  Thank you.

Too late to appeal as you're at debt collector stage, but why are you concerned about identifying yourself, they already know who you are because they're writing to you at your address?  Isn't that the case?

PhoenixBella

Ok I understand now what you mean about 'not' receiving the letters and requesting a SAR, thanks.
Regarding the debit card receipt for the parking permit. I wasn't sure when or how to supply that as evidence without it implicating me as the driver. (I suppose I could have been the passenger).   
I should also have mentioned that when the ANPR notice to keeper came it was more than 14 days after the parking incident as the Christmas break was inbetween.  
As I've mentioned, I'm dealing with a lot at the moment and I'm not sure I have the ability and time available to fight this. Based on previous experience if I were to respond to an LBC how much paperwork and time would I need to invest to keep fighting -  sorry to ask what seems like a silly question but the anxiety this is causing is horrible.  With thanks

Coupon-mad

Regarding the debit card receipt for the parking permit. I wasn't sure when or how to supply that as evidence without it implicating me as the driver. (I suppose I could have been the passenger).   

Exactly.  Or cover the first name on the debit card receipt if it includes that. 
You need to be the keeper, not the admitted driver, due to this:

I should also have mentioned that when the ANPR notice to keeper came it was more than 14 days after the parking incident as the Christmas break was inbetween.  

Based on previous experience if I were to respond to an LBC how much paperwork and time would I need to invest to keep fighting 

Half an hour to skim read the SAR and look for anything useful such as unclear photos and proof the NTK arrived too late.

Half an hour to copy and add your details and facts as keeper, into the new template defence & email it to the court when you get the claim.

Then see where that takes the case.  After that, a Witness Statement and evidence if the case is not struck out.