NO NO NO! No longer about to feed these "monsters"!

Fruitcake

If you are inside the appeal window, usually 21 days with an IPC scammer, then you should send the initial appeal template in blue text from the NEWBIES. What you can't use in an appeal is that the charge is too harsh.

Personally I would send a late appeal if I was outside the appeal window.

nicky_boo

Thanks Fruitcake. I think I will try to contact to college if I can reach to someone who can cancel the charge. Otherwise, I may pay.

nicky_boo

Hi all,

After thinking about this more, I get more angry with the situation and more grateful for the help that you all have been giving me here patiently. As I said, a lot going on at the moment in my life and I was feeling ready to give in feeling very guilty for what I have done - surely not to be ever repeated.

The car park was a College Car Park - it is a permit only car park as I wrote before. There is one thing I found out but forgot to mention, Council website says the following:

• College Student Car Park can be used after 6pm week days and is open to the public all day during weekends and college holidays. Enquiries regarding the college car park should be directed to the College.

That must have been the reason I didn't get a ticket before as I went there for the first time during the Easter holidays. Loads of other mothers had parked there so the second time round it being late on Friday, I thought it should be ok. Confusing, right? Who has time to find the sign in a large car park by a playground, read the small print and investigate when the college is open and when closed when you have a little one in the car raring to go to the playground in his sight and play? (lessons learnt of course) I only had a look at the two cars on sight to see if they had any permits in the window and they hadn't - well apparently all was electronic.

So now, I decided not to be a prey. Although tempted to ignore the letter and not enter in any correspondence with these guys, I will follow the advice on this site and send the appeal letter as it is. 

However I have one last question until an LBC (hope it doesn't come), if I call or write to the college explaining what happened and admitting I was the driver, wouldn't this put me in a difficult position with UKPS? 

Thanks for your time and help.

nicky_boo

Fruitcake

You are already in a difficult position with an unregulated scammer because they want your money. Nothing you do can make it worse. A successful landowner complaint will have the opposite effect but don't miss the appeal window.

Get pics of the site and signage. If they are confusing then they are obviously inadequate.

KeithP

nicky_boo said:

However I have one last question until an LBC (hope it doesn't come), if I call or write to the college explaining what happened and admitting I was the driver, wouldn't this put me in a difficult position with UKPS? 

Yes, that might not be the best way of putting it.

Perhaps you should use phrases like "we visited the car park".

Avoid using the words 'I', 'me', myself', etc.

The idea being not to give away the driver's identity.

D_P_Dance

 As I said, a lot going on at the moment in my life and I was feeling ready to give in

I am glad to see that you have decided to fight this.  It will perhaps be a learning experience which you will enjoy.  

nicky_boo

Thanks D_P_Dance. Previously you had said that my chances of winning an appeal was very slim. I interpreted this as I would definitely be taken to court and lose and pay up for all the extra costs on top of all the emotional torture preceding the LBC. Seeing your encouraging words now makes me think I perhaps misinterpreted it? I wonder what percentage of PCN victims they take to court, do you know?

Some update from my side: I went to the college and spoke to the receptionist who was on the phone with another parking victim when I arrived. She said she received 3 calls on the subject just this morning and this is something to be resolved with the parking company and not with the college.
She also said that the signs were renewed and more signs were put up last week! I found this interesting as my PCN was issued before then. I went to the car park to take photos as per the forum recommendation and yes, there were bigger and better and many more signs than ever before!

No need to say, my template appeal got rejected very quickly based on the private land argument that scares me. I don't want to be the minority person to lose this battle. I searched the forum and cannot find a similar case. I hope private land argument is not an exception to fight the private parking companies campaign. If so, can someone please let me know now?

KeithP

What's 'the private land argument'?
Every parking event that we deal with on this forum is about parking on private land.

Having an appeal refused is standard.

Next you can expect debt collectors letters - which can be ignored.

Ralph-y

"spoke to the receptionist who was on the phone with another parking victim when I arrived. She said she received 3 calls on the subject just this morning and this is something to be resolved with the parking company and not with the college. "

she is wrong and is fobbing you off ....... this needs to go higher up the chain to be sorted. This is your priority ......

What is the college name?

if you did not get pics of the signs then google streetview will hopefully help.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6252019/google-street-view-gsv-tutorial#latest

  1.    Drag and drop the yellow ‘Pegman’ onto the desired street. (To do this, left click on the yellow man at the bottom right of the map and, keeping the mouse button held down, drag him across the screen, only letting go when you are on top of the road or place you want to look at. If it doesn’t work for you the first time you will need to try again!).
 2.    When the man lands, the map changes to show you street imagery, and a dark grey box appears at the top left of the map.  Click the tiny clock symbol in the dark grey square – see screenshot below.
 3.    Use the slider that appears to go further back in time, then click on the small map above the slider. Street View will then show you historical views. You can change the year by clicking on the slider again. You can also navigate your way around Street View just as you would in a more up-to-date map.
 4.    To exit Street View, click the back (left) arrow in the original dark grey box.
 5.    N.B.Historic imagery isn’t available for everywhere in Street View.

Ralph

nicky_boo

Thanks KeithP. I started to give the receptionist the big speech about private parking companies but she looked confused and I thought there was no point. The college doesn't want non-permit holders there so I assume people higher up the chain would not be willing to help - no idea how to reach them past the receptionist anyway. 

Ralph-y, thanks for the instructions but I did it the good old way of physically being there (don't worry, I parked elsewhere this time) I took photos of all the NEW signage. They are all very clear. Private Land Terms and Conditions is the main heading. In the main text, it says vehicles must have a valid online permit. Parking is only permitted from Monday to Friday during term time only. (although not written on the sign, it is available to general public at other times - a quick reminder we were there after 4pm on a Friday).  (After I wrote this, I understood you meant historic photos of the signs. Amazing advice! Thank you. I can now see the previous poorer signage! )

KeithP - that is what I meant by private land argument (permit only, we fly parked etc...)