Struggling with ws, 11 days to deadline

Tiredofparkingfine

Hi there,

In Oct 2020 I received a Parking ticket from globe protection for being on a private land.

Its a very small tarmaced area just off the pavement. I was waiting there for 10 minutes whilst my kids went to the shop.
I did not see the the notice or the camera at all on entry(as you'd have to look up to see it). 

I appealed to the ppc and apologised explaining how I didn't see the notice and I was only there 10 mins, however my appeal was rejected. I really thought £60  was very 
Unfair for 10 mins and it was a genuine mistake.

After searching loads online I came across parking fines Ltd who had very good reviews. I paid them £18 to avoid paying the fine. They gave alot of assurance that I won't be paying a penny after this and everything is being taken care of. However that has proved wrong.

7 months later I received a letter from the County court and fine has gone upto £250.
I filed a defence on mcol and now I have received the directions questionnaire.

I am stuck what to do now, please can someone help.

Will I have to pay more than £250 if I loose?
A hearing fee of 25? Or more?

Next I will have to create a WS from what I've read.....I have no idea on how to do that.

Fruitcake

If you look at reviews of paid for parking charge fightback companies, you will find that some have stopped trading, and left parking victims in the lurch.

If you ever get caught again, you know where to come to get free advice.

Please tell us what you put in your defence. Ideally copy and paste it here.

Have you found the guide to court written by bargepole that is in the second post of the NEWBIES sticky "Announcements"? You need to read this and work out where you are in the process. This explains how to submit the DQ. Do not miss any deadlines.

You don't pay the hearing fee, the claimant does, although it is not always required especially if the hearing is by 'phone/video chat.

properly defended, even if you lose you won't have to pay more than £175 - £200. (The latter includes the hearing fee if charge).

Have a look here at examples of witness statements.

Witness statements: 2 transcripts re parking firms' false 'costs' - Recorder Cohen QC judgment 2021 — MoneySavingExpert Forum


You can't introduce new defence points into your WS, so if it wasn't in your original defence, you can't include it in your WS ... except,

You can introduce unfair contract terms as per the Consumer Rights Act 2015 even if that wasn't in your defence. That means you can mention fake add on debt recovery fees that have not actually been incurred by the PPC. This is usually £60 - £70 on top of the original charge (usually £100).

You mention the driver didn't see the signs so you already have inadequate signage covered. Get pics of the site and signage asap to include as your exhibits  in your WS.

You will need to be creative about anything else an try to include other points. For example you might be able to say that since the signs weren't prominent, the site boundary wasn't obvious. Not knowing where you are or aren't allowed to park is an unfair contract term and therefore breaches the CRA 2015.
Do you get the idea?

All of this is after you have complained to the landowner/retailer and asked them to get the claim cancelled. This is always plan A and is never too late.

Redx

Read the second post in the newbies FAQ sticky thread near the top of the forum in announcements , it has advice on filling in the N180 DQ you received ( if it came from the CCBC in Northampton , not the DQ from the claimant )

Post a copy of the defence that was submitted below

Obtain and post pictures of the signage below

Post a redacted copy of the claim form below , ensuring we cannot see VRM details or name and address or claim reference etc

That newbies thread also gives advice on preparing your own witness statement in several months time too

You won't be paying the hearing fee , unless you lose in court

The figure on the claim form is the most it I'll be , but probably about £60 or £70 less once th spurious charges are removed , that's if you lose in court , you pay nothing if you win

Tiredofparkingfine

Dear sir/madam
I received a £60 fine for waiting in my car for less than 10 mins
for my children on a private land without realising it was
private land.
The area is a very small area off the pavement and you would not
realise you've entered unless you looked up and saw the camera
and notice. There is nothing at the entry suggesting your
entering a private land.
On receiving the fine I appealed as I thought £60 was unfair for
being on the private land without realising for less than 10
mins. I apolgised and explained how my eyes didn't go on the
camera and notice and how I couldn't afford to pay that. However
the appeal was rejected.
As I had great difficulty paying that I looked online for help
and came across a company who I paid £18 to sort this out for me.
The reviews were very good for the company and it was also on
metro. They assured me I have nothing to worry about and it is
sorted.
Six months later when I received this court letter I was shocked
and emailed the company who are not helping me now. So I am stuck
now and there's no way I can afford to pay £245.
I don't work.
I just don't know where I can get this money from.
Since receiving this letter I have been going through so much
stress and worry than I am unable to sleep and do my normal daily
activities.
Please could I request you to understand i didn't realise it was
private land and i was there for less than 10 mins and I do not
have money to pay this.
I could have just waited on the Pavement but I didn't realise the
signage and camera at all which is why I waited there.
Had I seen it I would have never entered the area.
Also please take into consideration that I have been scammed by
the online parking company and now i am in a very bad situation.
After this incident I have become so fearful whilst driving that
I may enter a area without realising its private land and get
fined again.
Please reconsider this.
Your help will be much appreciated
Thank you

Thats the defence I posted

D_P_Dance

It is not a fine. . Please read thenewbies and complain to your MP.

Tiredofparkingfine

Fruitcake said:

All of this is after you have complained to the landowner/retailer and asked them to get the claim cancelled. This is always plan A and is never too late.

Firstly, Thank you so much for your reply 
I appreciate it so much.

I'm unsure how to do this as I don't know who the landowner is. Any idea how I can find this out? And would I speak to them verbally?

D_P_Dance

I'm unsure how to do this as I don't know who the landowner is

Use a search engine.
.

Tiredofparkingfine

This is the picture of the the claim form
(Removed by Forum Team)

Redx

Tiredofparkingfine said:

Fruitcake said:

All of this is after you have complained to the landowner/retailer and asked them to get the claim cancelled. This is always plan A and is never too late.

I'm unsure how to do this as I don't know who the landowner is. Any idea how I can find this out? And would I speak to them verbally?

Read the guide that Umkomaas posts every week on here , it has all the options for finding out landowner details !

Ideally you should complain by email , or by letter

Is that the Defence above ? Because it looks more like a witness statement !!

A Defence should look like the defence template listed in announcements , but too late to change it now

Tiredofparkingfine

Yeah thats was my defence.
I found this forum a bit late.

Tiredofparkingfine

Will I still be okay with that defence?