Two pcn due to disability, 1 cancelled the other referred to debt collection! Discrimination?

Stillookinafterthepennies

Hi everyone.
I have done as suggested and read the sticky and rules prior to posting this but I am not able to concentrate due to my health issues and am awaiting treatment in hospital which is limiting my ability to think straight. So please can I ask for some advice as I've tried to sort out these parking charge notices but from what I've read I've not done it correctly.
To try and summarise I took my elderly disabled mum to Morrisons in February and prior to the pandemic we were regular customers when our health allowed us to get out of the house, the rest of the time we get online deliveries from other supermarkets.
Between us we both have multiple health issues and my mum has been disabled since I was a child. I also have suffered declining health over many years and lost my job a couple of years , due to illness. We both have pain fatigue mobility issues and my mum has sightloss which she is still adjusting to, I also have crohns disease and other inflammatory bowel disease plus arthritis and chronic anaemia.
Back in early March we started shielding due to the high risk as mum has heart disease and diabetes. I received two pcn letters from Euro car parking, within a day or two of each other stating we had overstated in Morrisons car park. I applied directly to ecp, explaining that I was unaware of the changes in the time allowed to park and that due to both our health issues it was out of our hands to get out any earlier. I apologised as I explained that I am concerned as a driver regarding the safety at the entrance as there is a newish McDonald's there plus there are more often than not children who ride their bikes up and down the retail park area and pop out in front of drivers it seems to be a "game" they have done it for some time so I am always very careful around there and I did not notice the changed sign regarding reduced time from 3 hours to 2.5 hours. As mum is adjusting to her sight loss she needs extra time and more help to shop. On one of these dates I also had to leave the store as mum needed food and had left her diabetes medication at home. It's about 5 mins to our house so I got her some food and went to get her medication. On top of this I get daily pain and have to spend a long time in the toilet when I need to go. I explained all of this in my appeal and uploaded a screenshot of my credit card statement showing l had paid for groceries on these dates and was a genuine customer. I did not think to photograph mum's blue badge. I had a letter or email saying the first charge was cancelled as a" Goodwill gesture" but further charges would not be cancelled. I was puzzled as both arrived together and are for the same reason? During this time I had a flare of my inflammatory bowel disease and then a recurring infection which caused a lot of pain. We also had a family bereavement.
I did a blunder when looking at pools site as it said on hold from 6th April and I did not register my appeal with popla as I thought it had to be done later. Shortly after I started receiving letters from debt recovery plus asking for £155!  I got advice from Citizens Advice who suggested I reply and keep them updated as I didn't know what to do as I am in a lot of debt since losing my job. I then got another letter threatening court, so asked (based on cab recommendation) for a 30day hold to be placed on any further action whilst I awaited debt advice from cab. Drp said no but they would make a note of my request.
When I awaited the debt advice I'd asked popla to consider a late appeal and submitted evidence of my medical issues causing me poor concentration, they refused to allow a late appeal!
In the meantime I've continued to receive harassing letters from drp and now another debt collectors called zenith. During this time my health got worse plus mum had a sudden further deterioration in her vision requiring emergency review in hospital which took many phone calls to sort out. I also had intermittent internet access and was unable to receive emails for many weeks.
Due to the stress my mum said she will pay it but I can't believe they would uphold a ticket for not being able to leave within a time limit due to being ill and disabled! We both feel it's discrimination!
On top of this 2 years ago my mum was robbed in Morrisons, she had her handbag on her mobility aid and I was with her.  The cctv showed the man unwinding her bag strap off the handle whilst we checked the date on some meat which was when her eyes were deteriorating, yet Morrisons did nothing mum lost sentimental items, money and all her Christmas saving stamps for the store as she had been ill so still had them in her bag, it was very traumatic as the security staff said there was 24 minutes of cctv showing him following us around the store prior to committing this awful crime whilst mum was sitting on the mobility scooter! I do not want mum to pay the cost for this yet I am in serious debt and cannot afford it. Cab were going to try and help me to offer a small monthly payment but after they did my budget on the phone I'm in a negative balance each month so things are lot worse than I thought.
I am stuck as to what I do now I had a letter stating if I pay in 14days they will reduce it to £133 but I think the time has already lapsed as it arrived after bank holiday and was dated a week before then plus I was waiting for my budget to arrive and the 30day hold was just ignored. Will they just take it to court next? I have not complained to Morrisons but have read that I should have done so at first not sure if I still should try?
I'm so sorry this is extremely long and if anyone can help I will be very grateful.
Thanks in advance for any help..
Take care

Coupon-mad

 I've continued to receive harassing letters from drp and now another debt collectors called zenith.

No, you will learn from the 4th post of the NEWBIES thread that Zenith are DRP.    Please read it, look at the pretty pictures of all the letters people have collected over the years, and laugh!

You need to relax and stop contacting debt collectors! It's only ECP and they never sue anyone.  You won't be PAYING them anything!  What you have described is disability discrimination.

Promise us you will stay here and STOP asking the CAB what to do, they are clueless. This is not a 'debt'.

I have not complained to Morrisons but have read that I should have done so at first not sure if I still should try?

Yes, to their head office, and copy in your MP as well, they will be interested because the Govt is stepping in right now, so please please please do this (below) this month as well and get all your family to do the same:

Please now make a real difference - 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 because that is unfair and illegal.

Please be heard.  You can bet the hundreds of PPCs will be commenting.

No apologies for repeating this vital 'call for action' to consumers, on every thread this month!

D_P_Dance

This is very likely to be discrimination, read this.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act/protected-characteristics

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.

Fruitcake

What has happened is truly awful. This is indirect discrimination and breaches the Equality Act 2010.

Do complain to the store manager and CEO, especially the CEO, and mention the EA 2010. 

You can safely ignore DRP. They have no powers other than the ability to send you poor quality bog paper.
As for CAB, they are very good at some things, but unfortunately have proven to be clueless when it comes to the unregulated parking scamdustry.

If you want to take this further, complain to your MP and your local councillor. Ask for the complaints to be forwarded to the MP and councillors of the area concerned as well if different.
You could also complain to the DVLA, DVLA KADOE Team, and the BPA.

The more complaints you make, the more likely it is the scamvoice will be cancelled.

I am currently helping someone who was caught because the parking company has arbitrarily reduced the parking limit from three hours to two. On investigation I discovered that advertising consent for the signs stipulated that the parking limit must be three hours. 
Even if you don't get an immediate response from the council, you can say in your complaints something like, "I believe that advertising consent for the signs was on the provision that a three hour limit was provided. Reducing this limit to  2 1/2 is a breach of the Town and Country Planning Act, and a criminal offence. Please investigate and instruct the parking company to cancel this charge and revert the parking limit to the original 3 hours."
Adjust the wording depending on who you are complaining to.

This website gives you contact details and a proforma to contact central and local government officials.

https://www.writetothem.com/

This is my thread that includes a sample complaint letter to the DVLA that I used as a basis for all the other complaints I made.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6188459/parking-lie-lidl-travelodge-portishead/p1

Half_way

If this has not been to court then there is no debt, you should complain to the parking company stating the disability issue, telling them they must cease, or you will consider taking action jointly against them and their principal, you should also tell them that they need to take immediate action on improving their processes as their behaviour in dealing with your issue is unacceptable,  so that this will never happen to anyone else, and you expect a full unreserved apology.

 See what they come up with

 next take the complain to morrisons, informing them that they are jointly and severally liable for the actions of their agents

Stillookinafterthepennies

Hi all
My apologies for not replying sooner...I have been very unwell, unfortunately my health is not good and I need some treatment in hospital for the anaemia which I am hopeful will be soon. I have also had a painful infection which I cannot take oral antibiotics for, so as a result I have not been able to do anything this week to sort out this parking issue. I will however try my best to get an email together to send to Morrisons CEO and my mp and I cannot thank you all enough for your help and support..
I will keep going with this and let you know...
Thank you all again
Take care and stay well
xx

Coupon-mad

I am sorry to hear that but am glad you are complaining by email to Morrisons and your MP.  Attach a copy of the letters so they can see, and make sure you explain this is disability discrimination.

If you are up to it, or if family members are, please encourage them to add your experience and thoughts to the Public consultation I linked already - there are two parts to it and it's vital people like you are heard.

How about pointing your MP to the consultation and asking him/her to contribute to it too?