Thank you - Notice of discontinuance received

Fruitcake

Well done, especially without the need of starting a thread.
Thanks for letting us know. 

Timeouts

Coupon-mad said:

I really hope the contract for the Single Appeals Service is given to a competent body like TPT or London Councils.  No idea who is pitching for it but you can imagine that POPLA, the IAS and possibly Wright Hassall (all of whom have failed the public) or even roboclaim solicitors might be trying to make it look like they are competent to run an ADR and are independent. Sigh.

After all the effort, that's my worst nightmare that the Government award it to a party that is not independent or fair.  I truly hope a decent party has put itself forward.

Government cannot afford to screw up now, they will be hurting millions of motorists / voters

sowb269

Thanks for the comments. I have already written to update my MP after he tried to help out earlier in the fight. I asked him what he can do to help stop this practice. I will update when I receive a response.

D_P_Dance

I received the red warning letters asking for £60, £100, £160, rising to £235 including admin and court costs

In other words, including unlawful amounts..

They have wasted  your time, mow waste theirs, read this

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/legal-system/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

Le_Kirk

Well done to you for persistence and a brilliant outcome.

Coupon-mad

sowb269 said:

I just wanted to post a thank you to all of the contributors to this forum. Having followed the advice, I have just received a "Letter of Discontinuance" after 18 months of fighting.
I had parked up in a car park 'policed' by Excel Parking Services". I had 3 passengers who left the 'site' to sit a driving theory test, I went to the cinema to buy tickets and then went to McDonalds, both of which are on 'site' to wait for them to return. I paid cash and did not have any receipts. A parking attendant 'observed the driver leaving site'.
I did the online appeal to Excel and then IAS (which despite the acronym, are far from independent). I wrote to my MP who wrote to the MD of Excel and also to Savilles who were the land owners. 

Throughout this process I received the red warning letters asking for £60, £100, £160, rising to £235 including admin and court costs. Excel sent their own version of a 'Letter before Claim" which I ignored. They then got ELMS Legal to write to me to try to put some more pressure on me. 

They then served a genuine "Letter Before Claim". I followed all advice on the forum about the general defence letter with added costs plus my own unique defence circumstances. I received the court letters back and a date for the hearing was set.
During this process, infuriatingly, ELMS Legal sent another letter "Without Prejudice Save as to Costs" letter, offering me a reduced cost of £135 to settle to "save the court's precious time" which I thought was ironic as it could have been settled MUCH earlier than this. I obviously declined / ignored.

Yesterday, I received a "Notice of Discontinuance" from ELMS Legal. 

So, to anybody going through this charade of a process, please stick with it. It works and if you are in the right, see it through to the end. I have had many a late / sleepless night over this but the 'win' has made it all worth it.
Thank you again to all the contributors!!

I hope you’ve come back and seen my earlier post but if not:

Now there is an important task to do in August: 

The final Government Consultation into the level of parking charges, discounts, false ‘debt recovery add-ons’ (that no PPC actually pays)...

...and the Appeals Charter - that should IMHO result in full cancellations not enrich the PPCs by £20 or more because it would just encourage spurious PCNs that should never be issued...

... is now open!

See separate thread:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6286801/government-consultation-re-level-of-private-parking-charges-now-open

This forum’s regulars are encouraging email submissions with evidence and photos, letters attached to illustrate what happened to you and why you are answering the way you are.

Please tell your family and friends to encourage colleagues who have had these spurious PCNs and claims to email their evidence to the MHCLG as shown in the Consultation and not just do the tick boxes. 

The Government want evidence - victims must give it to them.  DON’T MISS IT.