Increased PCN charges

Miniduvet

Background: PCN issued via ANPR and sent in post. Additional charges letter issued and also sent in post. Both sent to partners address as vehicle I was driving was his, registered at his address. Since 24th March (lockdown) partner moved in with me. We’ve only returned to his flat once as not essential travel which is when we found these letters - 5 weeks into lockdown. Because of the time lapse, we missed the 14 day period to pay £60 before it increased and missed appeal date. 

I parked for 26 minutes they want to charge £60 for the privilege. Hands up, oversight on my part. Normal charges are 60p for the period i entered/exited the car park or £4 for 12 hrs. I took a chance and wrote directly to company enclosing a £4 cheque covering more than my parking time and explained above re lockdown and the delay in dealing with it all. Apologised profusely for my oversight. REJECTED! They refer to the PCN being left on the car, it wasn’t, was in the post. Appeal not within time frame so they won’t accept but this was out of my hands. They won’t deal with any further correspondence from me. Im in a difficult position. I feel if I have to pay anything it should only be original charge of £60. I don’t feel I should have to pay any additional charges as there are exceptional circumstances. I can’t pay online as it includes the additional charges and the won’t communicate with me. Called customer services and always go through to engineer. Help!!!

Scrapit

You can pay or you can fight. Depends if you are prepared to pay. Fighting can be difficult and time consuming. It may take up to 6 years to conclude. You will need to research and may need 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? The course of action is yours to choose.

Half_way

ignore the above advice this is an open forum and has had input from parking company employees/persons with an interest in the past (some is the regulars may remember the sock puppet/ n. martin / trevor whitehouse era) fighting it is reasonably straightforward.


First of all, let's start at the top, do you know who's car park this is? or the location of the car park?

what is the name of the parking company?

plus don't worry you won't be paying a penny

D_P_Dance

Please take Scrapit's advice with a very large pinch of salt.  He/she is outlining the very worst case scenario.  Most people manage to get these cancelled with our help, and some even manage to get the PPC to pay them for their hubris.  

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.

Scrapit

Half_way said:

ignore the above advice this is an open forum and has had input from parking company employees/persons with an interest in the past (some is the regulars may remember the sock puppet/ n. martin / trevor whitehouse era) fighting it is reasonably straightforward.


First of all, let's start at the top, do you know who's car park this is? or the location of the car park?

what is the name of the parking company?

plus don't worry you won't be paying a penny

Ignore it at your peril. Its information that can be gleamed from this very forum. Its useful to make a decision in how to proceed. Op you seem satisfied with a lower rate, the advice on here will most likely mean you wont pay any thing. I know what id prefer but the dexision on how to proceed is yours.

D_P_Dance

Ignore it at your peril.

Why?  What will happen?

Scrapit

D_P_Dance said:

Ignore it at your peril.

Why?  What will happen?

The op would be making an ill informed decision.

Le_Kirk

Miniduvet said:

I took a chance and wrote directly to company enclosing a £4 cheque covering more than my parking time and explained above re lockdown and the delay in dealing with it all. Apologised profusely for my oversight. REJECTED! 

Did they send back your cheque with the rejection or have they cashed it?  Is the parking company a member of BPA or IPC?  Did you get a POPLA code with your rejection (and returned cheque)?

Redx

The original charge was £100 , reduced to £60 for early payment , it didn't increase at all , it reverted to what it says on the PCN and sign

Name the parking company and name any firm issuing debt collector letters too

Coupon-mad

Which parking firm? 

Your appeal was awful (sorry) and you named the driver.  I was going to post to suggest to you, how to have that PCN issued to the other address, to start the appeals process from the start again, but that's off the table now that you appealed and apologised (oh dear).