Parking charge notice from PCM

daffydill1

Hi guys. I received a PCN from PCM a few months back and currently being harassed with letters and emails from TRACE. 

I have read the newbies thread and in preparation and anticipation of court action I have submitted a SAR to PCN and duly received everything asked for. 

I contacted the landowner, London & Quadrant (PCN received in Newham borough but private land) but they refuse to help. 

I contacted my MP who contacted PCM but received the response over the weekend and as expected, they aren’t budging. 

The letter to myself and my MP states that if we are unhappy about the response then we can take it further to the IAS. Should I bother?

I’ve read a lot of threads on here and people are always advised to contact their MP’s about these predatory companies because parliament are aware of how shady their practises are but what exactly do I say in this complaint to my MP? What am I asking for exactly?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you 

Umkomaas

The letter to myself and my MP states that if we are unhappy about the response then we can take it further to the IAS. Should I bother?

Ordinarily you only get 21 days from the date of the PPC's original rejection letter, but if they have offered that to you (and confirmed that offer in the letter to your MP) I'd take them up.  Firstly, PCM UK are noted for dipping out via cancellation when faced with dealing with an IAS appeal, secondly, we have seen a much more positive rate of success at the IAS recently. You will need plenty of evidence to attach to an IAS appeal. 

I’ve read a lot of threads on here and people are always advised to contact their MP’s about these predatory companies because parliament are aware of how shady their practises are but what exactly do I say in this complaint to my MP? What am I asking for exactly?

@D_P_Dance is the main advocate of this approach. Hopefully he'll pick this up and help you with his advice.  🙄

D_P_Dance

You have told us that you have already contacted  your  MP.  MPs have the ear of councillors, councillors can make life difficult for these companies.  They can talk to local newspapers and radio stations. 

Le_Kirk

daffydill1 said:

I have read the newbies thread and in preparation and anticipation of court action I have submitted a SAR to PCN and duly received everything asked for. 

You haven't actually said what the alleged contravention was.  Parking without permit, ticket or permission, overstay, not paying at all ....... The reason would help.  I hope you mean submitted the SAR to PCM.  What is the exact name of the PPC?

daffydill1

Le_Kirk said:

daffydill1 said:

I have read the newbies thread and in preparation and anticipation of court action I have submitted a SAR to PCN and duly received everything asked for. 

You haven't actually said what the alleged contravention was.  Parking without permit, ticket or permission, overstay, not paying at all ....... The reason would help.  I hope you mean submitted the SAR to PCM.  What is the exact name of the PPC?

Hi, it was parked without a permit. However the signage which PCM (parking control management) refer to was actually obstructed at the time the vehicle was parked. There was an item of clothing around the sign so you couldn’t see anything and the car was parked at 1am in the morning. 

I actually have a photo of this with the time and date stamp because a photo was taken for social media, and it clearly shows that the sign was obstructed, but they’re having none of it and it was rejected by the IAS during the appeals process too

And yeah I meant I submitted the SAR to PCM and not PCN! 

Umkomaas

You are in limbo right now to see if PCM issue court proceedings.  They are not uber litigious, but they do issue claims from time to time. They have six years in which to do so. Suggest you ignore anything from Trace, but come back to the forum if you receive a formal Letter Before Claim or an actual claim via the Northampton CCBC. 

Coupon-mad

If you have been offered the NON STANDARD IAS that costs £15 do not touch it with a bargepole.  The 3rd post of the NEWBIES thread makes that clear.

Le_Kirk

daffydill1 said:

Le_Kirk said:

daffydill1 said:

I have read the newbies thread and in preparation and anticipation of court action I have submitted a SAR to PCN and duly received everything asked for. 

You haven't actually said what the alleged contravention was.  Parking without permit, ticket or permission, overstay, not paying at all ....... The reason would help.  I hope you mean submitted the SAR to PCM.  What is the exact name of the PPC?

Hi, it was parked without a permit. However the signage which PCM (parking control management) refer to was actually obstructed at the time the vehicle was parked. There was an item of clothing around the sign so you couldn’t see anything and the car was parked at 1am in the morning. 

I actually have a photo of this with the time and date stamp because a photo was taken for social media, and it clearly shows that the sign was obstructed, but they’re having none of it and it was rejected by the IAS during the appeals process too

And yeah I meant I submitted the SAR to PCM and not PCN! 

That is a defence then (unclear signage) and with photos for your witness statement stage.

daffydill1

D_P_Dance said:

You have told us that you have already contacted  your  MP.  MPs have the ear of councillors, councillors can make life difficult for these companies.  They can talk to local newspapers and radio stations. 

I exhausted every stage of asking for my MP’s help for this. They emailed me apologising but stated that nothing else can be done now because the PCM refuse to budge. I also contacted the landowner which was a right hassle to figure out who exactly they were, (London and Quadrant I believe) but they told me that because they employ PCM to deal with parking related issues, that they refuse to intervene and this is their final decision on the matter. 

I hadn’t heard from PCM since the MP interactions so I just forgot about it really, that is until today when I received an LBC. 

daffydill1

Umkomaas said:

You are in limbo right now to see if PCM issue court proceedings.  They are not uber litigious, but they do issue claims from time to time. They have six years in which to do so. Suggest you ignore anything from Trace, but come back to the forum if you receive a formal Letter Before Claim or an actual claim via the Northampton CCBC. 

Okay yes I’m at that stage now 😬 

I did ignore the several letters received from Trace and then received the LBC from Gladstone’s today. 

I’m so sorry but I totally forgot about this thread and I don’t really use MSE much and now I opened another thread on the same topic 

daffydill1

Le_Kirk said:

daffydill1 said:

Le_Kirk said:

daffydill1 said:

I have read the newbies thread and in preparation and anticipation of court action I have submitted a SAR to PCN and duly received everything asked for. 

You haven't actually said what the alleged contravention was.  Parking without permit, ticket or permission, overstay, not paying at all ....... The reason would help.  I hope you mean submitted the SAR to PCM.  What is the exact name of the PPC?

Hi, it was parked without a permit. However the signage which PCM (parking control management) refer to was actually obstructed at the time the vehicle was parked. There was an item of clothing around the sign so you couldn’t see anything and the car was parked at 1am in the morning. 

I actually have a photo of this with the time and date stamp because a photo was taken for social media, and it clearly shows that the sign was obstructed, but they’re having none of it and it was rejected by the IAS during the appeals process too

And yeah I meant I submitted the SAR to PCM and not PCN! 

That is a defence then (unclear signage) and with photos for your witness statement stage.

This is good to know, during the IAS appeal stage (after PCM rejected my initial appeal) they stated that they can’t take into considering any specific circumstances or parking events but I am glad to know that the Courts will not take that approach