Parking fine. Britannia 14 min stsy

Stethop

Not sure whether to feel annoyed or sorry for my son.  He parked in a multi story for the first time (New driver got a car in March just before lockdown).  Parked up, had a chat with his friend, went to get his money out and realised they’d left bags at home so no wallet or phone  (no means to pay) once realised immediately left the car park but after the 10 min grace period (about 14 min 5 seconds).  Appealed on the basis had no means to pay rejected and now told to go to POPLA or pay up.  Is there any point in him appealing or Should  he just pay (well me as he is a student and has lost his job due to COVID).

beamerguy

It is your right to appeal to POPLA but of late, they tend to be good friends with PPC's and that extra 4 minutes, they will probably back the PPC.   No worries, POPLA are now an old dinosaur due to be replaced by government 

Britannia will grab all extra minutes to make money, Covid has damaged parking companies

DO NOT PAY .... it will drag on for months if POPLA reject it.   Next step is Debt collector letters which are full of rubbish adding even more money.  That's OK, THEY ARE IDIOTS and you simply ignore them, just laugh at them when they arrive. NEVER EVER PHONE OR WRITE TO THEM unless you have a bad habit of chatting to scammers.

Next step is the dodgy legal, BWLegal, that Britannia passes the case to.  This is where it all goes belly up for Britannia because BWLegal will add on a fake amount and make wild stupid suggestions ....... BWLegal currently enjoy getting spanked in the courts for Abuse of Process and that is because they add unlawful amounts and to be blunt, the courts are fed up with the scam that they dispose of them quickly for Abuse of process
Main ABUSE OF PROCESS thread
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6014081/abuse-of-process-district-judge-tells-bwlegal/p1?new=1

The signage in the car park is very important and you must take pictures and also take note who is the entity shown as Britannia operate under different names.  That entity must be the same as that shown on the ticket

MothballsWallet

It might be best if your son signs up here and posts himself so we avoid a situation where you're an intermediary as things get missed off or misunderstood. Have you read the NEWBIES thread as there's a post in there about POPLA?
We also need to know the name of the PPC and the name of the car park.

Redx

Mitigation won't win an appeal , neither will no means to pay either

Any win will be on a legal technicality , especially when it's bilking , he did not pay Britannia for their service , so broke the terms of the parking contract he accepted on private property

If he is appealing , the newbies FAQ sticky thread near the top of the forum tells you and him everything you both need to know

D_P_Dance

Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP., it can cause the scammer extra costs, and in some cases, cancellation. 

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 later this year,

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these companies, 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/of these Private Parking Companies.

Coupon-mad

Is there any point in him appealing.

Yes.  One way to beat Britannia is to do a POPLA appeal like the winning ones in POPLA Decisions (the later posts of that thread...not the start!) that say there is no landowner authority in the name on the signs and that he suspects the contract is with the wrong legal entity: Britannia Services Ltd. 

Read the forum, it's usually a winner but of course never do a single point POPLA appeal.

or Should  he just pay (well me as he is a student and has lost his job due to COVID).

Absolutely categorically NO.  I am a mum and I feel sorry for him, this is the fault of the industry and they need to allow a consideration period (on arrival) plus a grace period (to leave) not just one useless five or ten minute period.