Urgent PCN - Euro Car Parks - Please help!

KitikatStrider

Hi forumites,

I just today discovered a letter which my parents had buried under a bunch of paperwork for a couple of weeks. Euro Car Parks had served my father (the keeper) with a PCN to the tune of £100 (£60 if paid within 14 days of issue). My mother was the driver at the time of incident, and had not paid and displayed a permit at a particular car park while parked there for 40 mins. Her reasoning is the council have closed many other car parks in our town or the retail businesses have waived fees during the pandemic as there is need for touchscreens to be able to pay, so she had assumed this one would be the same. She happened to choose one of the only two car parks that are managed by PPCs. Unfortunately I only found the letter today and it had been issued on 29th April - otherwise I would have helped them through the process sooner.

I have read through the newbies thread thoroughly and I think I understand all the steps so have sent the generic appeal template via the ECP appeal website. However, my parents are very traditional and would rather get it over with and just pay the £60 to get it off their minds, as they think it will be a waste of time to deal with through appeals. English is also not their first language so they say they will struggle with all the letters and court writings (which I have already said I will help with).

I would love to hear your inputs and advice on the time cost, emotional cost and stress for going through the whole process (incl. POPLA, debt collection, etc.) so I have a leg to stand on to help them!

Coupon-mad

Complain to the retailer if there is one.

When exactly was the incident?  The NTK is deemed received at the earliest on 1st May.

Appeal in Dad's name as per the NEWBIES thread and give your address and email so he doesn't get bothered by the letters, as long as you have a different address. Then they CAN'T pay it and you can honestly say to your parents that you are dealing with it and they'll likely hear no more.

KitikatStrider

Thanks Coupon-mad for the reply! Pulling my hair out with last minute stress. The incident happened on 24/04 and issued on 29/04 (sorry, should have clarified that in the OP). We are currently living at the same address - corona needs must... As the deadline is so soon, would you advise finding out and complaining to the landowner (I have found the Title Register on the Land Registry) concurrently with the appeal?

Coupon-mad

There is no 14 day deadline, the NEWBIES thread tells people that. 

Don't let them pay!

Give your other address in the appeal even if it's empty at the mo.  The ignore ECP like in the other 2 threads today about ECP...please read them as it saves us repeating why appealing once then NOT doing POPLA is OK for ECP.

Scrapit

KitikatStrider said:

Hi forumites,

I just today discovered a letter which my parents had buried under a bunch of paperwork for a couple of weeks. Euro Car Parks had served my father (the keeper) with a PCN to the tune of £100 (£60 if paid within 14 days of issue). My mother was the driver at the time of incident, and had not paid and displayed a permit at a particular car park while parked there for 40 mins. Her reasoning is the council have closed many other car parks in our town or the retail businesses have waived fees during the pandemic as there is need for touchscreens to be able to pay, so she had assumed this one would be the same. She happened to choose one of the only two car parks that are managed by PPCs. Unfortunately I only found the letter today and it had been issued on 29th April - otherwise I would have helped them through the process sooner.

I have read through the newbies thread thoroughly and I think I understand all the steps so have sent the generic appeal template via the ECP appeal website. However, my parents are very traditional and would rather get it over with and just pay the £60 to get it off their minds, as they think it will be a waste of time to deal with through appeals. English is also not their first language so they say they will struggle with all the letters and court writings (which I have already said I will help with).

I would love to hear your inputs and advice on the time cost, emotional cost and stress for going through the whole process (incl. POPLA, debt collection, etc.) so I have a leg to stand on to help them!

Fighting can be difficult and time consuming. It may take up to 6 years to conclude. You will need to research and may have to write alot. You may be facing a trip to court. You will most likely repeatedly receive threatening letters from "legal" types and debit collectors. Do you want that?

Based on your post the above information, all collated from this forum is a truthful honest factual summary. The regulars dont like it, but it comes from the information they post. Personally I have challenged tickets.

D_P_Dance

Oh dear, your first reply was from our new resident Jeremia.  .  Whilst everything he/she predicts may come about, it would be the very worst case scenario.  We have asked him/her to refrain but he/she  persists.  Please take the post with a very large pinch of salt and read the newbies at the top of the index page.

 This  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. We call it a scam. Pay them not a penny unless a judge so orders it.

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, when life gets back to normal, it will become impossible for those scammers who are left to continue their vile trade, 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.

fisherjim

Scrapit said:

KitikatStrider said:

Hi forumites,

I just today discovered a letter which my parents had buried under a bunch of paperwork for a couple of weeks. Euro Car Parks had served my father (the keeper) with a PCN to the tune of £100 (£60 if paid within 14 days of issue). My mother was the driver at the time of incident, and had not paid and displayed a permit at a particular car park while parked there for 40 mins. Her reasoning is the council have closed many other car parks in our town or the retail businesses have waived fees during the pandemic as there is need for touchscreens to be able to pay, so she had assumed this one would be the same. She happened to choose one of the only two car parks that are managed by PPCs. Unfortunately I only found the letter today and it had been issued on 29th April - otherwise I would have helped them through the process sooner.

I have read through the newbies thread thoroughly and I think I understand all the steps so have sent the generic appeal template via the ECP appeal website. However, my parents are very traditional and would rather get it over with and just pay the £60 to get it off their minds, as they think it will be a waste of time to deal with through appeals. English is also not their first language so they say they will struggle with all the letters and court writings (which I have already said I will help with).

I would love to hear your inputs and advice on the time cost, emotional cost and stress for going through the whole process (incl. POPLA, debt collection, etc.) so I have a leg to stand on to help them!

Fighting can be difficult and time consuming. It may take up to 6 years to conclude. You will need to research and may have to write alot. You may be facing a trip to court. You will most likely repeatedly receive threatening letters from "legal" types and debit collectors. Do you want that?

Based on your post the above information, all collated from this forum is a truthful honest factual summary. The regulars dont like it, but it comes from the information they post. Personally I have challenged tickets.

The OP should note that this poster has no actual helpful advice, just doom and gloom (which the PPC's love on here) and for some unknown reason they try to put you off fighting a scam. The final sentence means very little at all.

Personally I would follow other more informed and helpful advice from regulars

D_P_Dance

Perhaps the above two posts will convince scrapit that his/her posts are not helpful.  

Scrapit

Its only fair and right that posters are fully informed. My post is wholly correct and can be evidenced by others posts on here, including those that have replied so far. Kitkatstrida can make a informed choice using all the informtion available. Best of luck either way.

D_P_Dance

Its only fair and right that posters are fully informed.

Indeed, I agree 100% 

Why not go the whole hog and inform them of the possible consequences of CCJs.  Bankruptsy, unable to get a mortgage, a telephone contract, buy  car, loss of job, unable to insure your property, suicide.  

Scrapit

D_P_Dance said:

Its only fair and right that posters are fully informed.

Indeed, I agree 100% 

Why not go the whole hog and inform them of the possible consequences of CCJs.  Bankruptsy, unable to get a mortgage, a telephone contract, buy  car, loss of job, unable to insure your property, suicide.  

There was recently (witihn the last week)a poster on here that mentioned they had high anxiety. They were vigourously encouraged to contest the ticket. Im not sure that was the best advice, but i left that thread well alone. I see you posted on it though.