HELP NEEDED. group nexus and now debt recovery plus

KeithP

To who it may concern

Dear Sirs would be more appropriate.

Fruitcake

pamaco said:

This is what I'm going to send to them, probably not good enough but I don't do this kind of stuff and really don't know how else to word it.

To who it may concern Dear Sirs,

I am writing this email as I understand yourselves, ParkJockey are the owners of Westgate car park in Basildon. I entered the car park back in March and was unable to find a space so exited the car park. I then re-entered the car park shortly afterwards and once again couldn’t find a space so left the car park. 

Nearly 2 months later I received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from Group Nexus who I understand are the company controlling your car park. The PCN was issued was for £90 and the letter explained that it was now at this high figure as I failed to pay the original offer of £50. After researching this car park online it appears there is a social media group with many members explaining the same issue  that this is a common problem and it would appear Group Nexus are trying their hand at regularly issuing issue the higher figure first which they are not supposed to do.

I immediately contacted Group Nexus and admitted to being the driver on the day but also explained the two entrances separate visits into the car park and that I didn’t receive the initial PCN. I received an email back saying they have no evidence of me entering and leaving the car park on 2 occasions which I have since discovered is also a common problem with private parking companies and are upholding the PCN so will be rejecting my appeal. At no point did they explain the question regarding the first missing PCN so I contacted them back again. They finally responded to my question and told me it had been sent and they attached it to the email for me and said they would honour the £50 fee. I explained to them that they may have now breached the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and supplied someone with my personal details as they would not explain to me where this had been sent. obtained my personal data without a valid reason for a parking event that did not occur.

I am now receiving what I can only call threatening letters from Debt Recovery Plus explaining that if I do not pay the now increased amount of £160 I could be taken to court. This not a fair act in my opinion and after doing hours of research I can now see that ANPR cameras are actually able to miss entrances and exiting of cars “double dipping” and in this circumstance is clearly the case. The use of ANPR cameras has been banned by the UK Government in council and local authority car parks because it has been deemed to be unfit for purpose. I believe unregulated private parking companies such as Group Nexus use these cameras because the errors caused by them generate income.

I have proof in the form of smartphone tracking data that I left the car park after the initial visit and returned later, and this will be produced in court should it be necessary. 

I am extremely upset with how Group Nexus has handled this whole situation and with all this in mind and the fact I did not actually park in this car park I am finding this whole process extremely stressful. I am currently suffering from ill health and this is now adding to my worries. 

I have been advised to send you this email and am hoping that this is something you will be able to assist me with. I look forward to your response.

Yous faithfully

I have made a few suggested changes to your letter of complaint above that I hope will help, including the comments from other posters. 
I think your first draft was very good and it had all the important information needed. It was polite yet factual. 

Please also complain to your MP about this unregulated scam. I would also ask you to come back to this forum in a week or two when the new government parking code of practice should be available for public consultation. We need as many people as possible to have their say.

D_P_Dance

Some reading

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5550336/double-dip-parking-list-of-cases

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.

Le_Kirk

At no point did they explain the question regarding the first missing PCN so I contacted them back.

Maybe try this as it scans better: -

At no point did they explain the question regarding the first missing PCN so I contacted them back again.

pamaco

Fruitcake said:

pamaco said:

This is what I'm going to send to them, probably not good enough but I don't do this kind of stuff and really don't know how else to word it.

To who it may concern Dear Sirs,

I am writing this email as I understand yourselves, ParkJockey are the owners of Westgate car park in Basildon. I entered the car park back in March and was unable to find a space so exited the car park. I then re-entered the car park shortly afterwards and once again couldn’t find a space so left the car park. 

Nearly 2 months later I received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from Group Nexus who I understand are the company controlling your car park. The PCN was issued was for £90 and the letter explained that it was now at this high figure as I failed to pay the original offer of £50. After researching this car park online it appears there is a social media group with many members explaining the same issue  that this is a common problem and it would appear Group Nexus are trying their hand at regularly issuing issue the higher figure first which they are not supposed to do.

I immediately contacted Group Nexus and admitted to being the driver on the day but also explained the two entrances separate visits into the car park and that I didn’t receive the initial PCN. I received an email back saying they have no evidence of me entering and leaving the car park on 2 occasions which I have since discovered is also a common problem with private parking companies and are upholding the PCN so will be rejecting my appeal. At no point did they explain the question regarding the first missing PCN so I contacted them back again. They finally responded to my question and told me it had been sent and they attached it to the email for me and said they would honour the £50 fee. I explained to them that they may have now breached the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and supplied someone with my personal details as they would not explain to me where this had been sent. obtained my personal data without a valid reason for a parking event that did not occur.

I am now receiving what I can only call threatening letters from Debt Recovery Plus explaining that if I do not pay the now increased amount of £160 I could be taken to court. This not a fair act in my opinion and after doing hours of research I can now see that ANPR cameras are actually able to miss entrances and exiting of cars “double dipping” and in this circumstance is clearly the case. The use of ANPR cameras has been banned by the UK Government in council and local authority car parks because it has been deemed to be unfit for purpose. I believe unregulated private parking companies such as Group Nexus use these cameras because the errors caused by them generate income.

I have proof in the form of smartphone tracking data that I left the car park after the initial visit and returned later, and this will be produced in court should it be necessary. 

I am extremely upset with how Group Nexus has handled this whole situation and with all this in mind and the fact I did not actually park in this car park I am finding this whole process extremely stressful. I am currently suffering from ill health and this is now adding to my worries. 

I have been advised to send you this email and am hoping that this is something you will be able to assist me with. I look forward to your response.

Yous faithfully

I have made a few suggested changes to your letter of complaint above that I hope will help, including the comments from other posters. 
I think your first draft was very good and it had all the important information needed. It was polite yet factual. 

Please also complain to your MP about this unregulated scam. I would also ask you to come back to this forum in a week or two when the new government parking code of practice should be available for public consultation. We need as many people as possible to have their say.

Wow, thank you so much for taking the time to read this and spend time helping me, and thank you to Le Kirk & Keith P too. D P Dance, I have already complained to the MP in the Basildon district but they said they will only e able to help me if I fall under their constancy which I don't but I sent it to my MP too. I haven't heard anything back yet and am not expecting anything as the car park doest fall under their jurisdiction. I defiantly want to complain to the DVLA as I think its disgusting that they are able to supply these people with our personal information and by doing this not only have Nexus got my details but so have DRP. I will send this letter and come back on here when I have an update. Thank you all so much once again.

Redx

Your MP should be passing on your complaint to the MP in Basildon (the location) , plus writing to the various companies , plus passing it on to the Mhclg etc as well , in other words earning their salary by taking it on and involving the others too

You should have realised that as a constituent of your own MP , they are your point of contact and it all flows from them

pamaco

Hi all
I would just like to inform you all that after an email to the land owner and an email back to Group Nexus my PCN has been cancelled. I just want to say a massive thank you to all that helped and gave assistance, I really, really appreciate it. 

Redx

Excellent news , plan A worked again , plus the complaint's to the MP,s too

Now make sure you fill in the public consultations for the new CoP

Coupon-mad

pamaco said:

Hi all
I would just like to inform you all that after an email to the land owner and an email back to Group Nexus my PCN has been cancelled. I just want to say a massive thank you to all that helped and gave assistance, I really, really appreciate it. 

Great news!

AND - get ANGRY and GET EVEN about this scam!   Please now make a real difference because not enough people have:

A TASK FOR SEPTEMBER:

The Government is (this month only) consulting about a new statutory code of practice (CoP) and framework to rein in the rogue parking firms.  Read and comment on the draft CoP proposal and the enforcement framework consultation, and get everyone you know to do the same.

You will need to register to comment on the CoP and enter an occupation even if you are retired or a homemaker, but otherwise it is easy to navigate, and comment upon each section/subsection individually. You can save comments to edit later and or submit comments once you are happy with them.

https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/projects/2020-00193#/section

You do not need to register to comment on the enforcement framework which can be found here. It has a link on page 5 to make comments.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/913272/Code_Enforcement_Framework_consultation.pdf

At the very least, we say the parking charge level should be £50/£25 or higher level £70/£35, as per Council PCNs in E&W.  

And we say the added fake 'debt recovery' costs are just double counting the cost of letters and MUST GO.  Remove that layer and you remove the ‘drivers’ behind the race to court.

HOW TO DO THE SUBMISSIONS:

Responses into the PAS 232 and MHCLG framework documents are not completely straightforward:

On the MHCLG response, you have to answer the questions on a 1-5 scale from strongly agree to strongly disagree, and then put some commentary. No way to upload documents or alternatives.

 

On the PAS 232, you have to click on each clause and sub-clause to put your comments, and a suggested rewording of their draft.  You can see comments which other people have written! 

 

But, when you click ‘submit’, a message pops up to say your comments have been received, but that only applies to the particular clause you have just addressed.

 

You have to click ‘submit’ separately for each individual clause response.

 

Some people will be caught out by this but can revisit it and add further responses up to 12 October.