VCS Bristol Airport - LBC Stopping in a zone where stopping is prohibited

cathcartzigel

The registered keeper didn't commit the offence and didn't want the appeal to be in their name so I had no option other than to provide my name and opt for 'keeper' of the vehicle where VPS prompt for this information on their appeals form. My relationship rather depended on me taking this route and I'm already in hot water for spending so much time today researching and not 'just paying the fine'!

I have checked the VCS contract map and the alleged offence occurred in the same location as the victim Fruitcake refers to (ie outside the VCS zone of authority).  I'm mentioning this in the DVLA complaint and will also write to my MP as I read up about that on the IPS code of conduct page today. 

beamerguy

My relationship rather depended on me taking this route and I'm already in hot water for spending so much time today researching and not 'just paying the fine'!

STOP ?   You are being scammed by a company which COVID is causing them a BIG problem and will continue for them.

WHOEVER is telling you to pay a scam, I would suggest they are prime suspects to having their bank account emptied ......  if they are prepared to deal with known scammers

cathcartzigel

The reality for most people (and the whole premise of the industry business model) is that it is easier to pay the penalty and move on.  I do have some sympathy with this perspective if your main motivation is to just get the problem to go away. It's difficult for many to spend time doing research, figuring out what you're dealing with and to hold your nerve with the looming threat of court action. It will have been cheaper for me to pay the fine in all honesty but I hate being swindled.

Umkomaas

Are VCS corresponding directly with you now?  Have they issued a formal 'Notice to Keeper' to you?

cathcartzigel

As expected received a very standard response from Bristol Airport about my complaint.  The gist of which is "we employed VCS, they are accredited, they have an appeals process so use that".  I have written the following back:   

"I understand the reason why there is parking enforcement in operation at the airport.  I am in agreement that traffic flow needs to be controlled as well as parking rules being observed.  If the driver had been ticketed for these reasons I would not be writing to you. Contact has been made with you because VCS have issued a ticket to a driver for reading a sign upon entry to a car park -  surely not what the airport would consider to be a violation and not what VCS were employed to do. 

 So what I am complaining about is the error that has been made in this particular instance.  I am writing to you as the client of VSC to make you aware of the fact that the parking company you employ have issued a ticket to a driver for reading a notice placed outside the short display car park entrance before entering the car park.  This was not the case of a driver stopping to pick up passengers in a no stopping area which I understand can cause problems. 

 I am making contact with Bristol Airport as the clients of VCS because in the first instance you should be aware of these types of issues.  You have the power to investigate and mediate in this situation instead of just sending a cut and paste template.

 I understand that VCS are part of International Parking Community but this does not mean they are incapable of error and that in such instances you are unable to assist when a complaint is made.  It should be possible for clients to reach out to you when such errors occur and receive more than a standard template response.

 I feed utterly fobbed off by your response as it fails to address the possibility that the driver has been treated wrongly and that you could provide assistance in helping with this. 

 I am aware of the appeals route and do not require information regarding this process.  Instead I was informing you of a parking charge error within the airport grounds.  My expectation was that the Airport as clients of VCS would be willing to investigate and engage with  my complaint.  

 I remain hopeful that you will reconsider your original response and at least view the photographic evidence that supports that the driver stopping to read a sign"

cathcartzigel

VCS issue a Notice to Keeper to the registered keeper of the vehicle (not me).  In the appeal which is in my name I wrote that I was the Keeper of the vehicle (but not the Registered Keeper of the vehicle which was another option, the other being Driver)

DoaM

Did the VCS appeal rejection come to you by post or email? If by email then they're probably blissfully unaware that you're not the RK ... you're naively assuming that they even read your appeal. If it was an email rejection then any further written communication will go to the RK. If it was a postal reply then you may have hooked this away from the RK (and saved your relationship).  

Note: It would be better to refer to Bristol airport as the principal of VCS ... i.e. the employer. This makes it clearer that Bristol airport should be in charge and call the shots, not VCS.  

Umkomaas

DoaM said:

Did the VCS appeal rejection come to you by post or email? If by email then they're probably blissfully unaware that you're not the RK ... you're naively assuming that they even read your appeal. If it was an email rejection then any further written communication will go to the RK. If it was a postal reply then you may have hooked this away from the RK (and saved your relationship).  

 

The question I asked of the OP, who seems to have chosen not to respond to it!

Umkomaas said:

Are VCS corresponding directly with you now?  Have they issued a formal 'Notice to Keeper' to you?

Horse to water ......!

Coupon-mad

Are you a hirer then?  Company car? Rented?

Or was the registered keeper a family member and you wanted to keep them out of it?

Fruitcake

I would have mentioned that you are aware there is at least one other motorist who is being scammed for receiving a PCN when they were also stopped outside the area where the scammers are contracted to scam.

This is a serious breach of the GDPR and as principal, they (Bristol Airport) are jointly responsible for the actions of their agents.

I would also complain to the DVLA on two counts. The scammers applied for keeper data when they do not have a contract with the landowner to do so, and the DVLA released the data without checking that the scammers had authority to scam. This is a DPA/GDPR breach as well as a KADOE contract breach, so the double complaints need to go to both DVLA departments. This would have to be done in the name of the registered keeper though.

DVLA complaint addresses: -

ccrt@dvla.gov.uk and KADOEservice.support@dvla.gov.uk