PCN for Incorrect letter in Reg No. - is it worth appealing to the IPC or should I just pay it

AvrilMarie

I bought a permit for a month in a car park next to my business run by London Parking Solutions.  There was no pcn on the car by I got a letter through the post about a week later.  I checked my receipt as I had paid by phone and noticed I had input GD instead of GU in my reg no.  I immediately contacted PayByPhone to amend my reg no. And appealed the ticket through London Parking Solutions Ltd. but they declined my appeal because ‘I had not displayed a ticket on my dashboard’. I phoned them and spoke to a really non understanding person who basically told me it was my mistake and I had to pay.  I’m also worried that there may be other tickets to follow as I had been parking there for a month.  Please advise me what to do - it was a simple mistake and I do have a receipt for the £50 I paid for parking.

Fruitcake

Never 'phone an unregulated parking company referred to as scammers, rogues, and bloodsuckers by MPs across all parties.

Previously the advice has been not to appeal to the Kangaroo Court (IAS) that only allows 4% of appeals, but lately that advice has changed.

Nobody here will suggest you pay this, especially if there are more in the pipeline.

Have a look at this tweet by the IPC, then in your appeal you should demand to know why the PPC are not following the IPC's "mantra" by installing typo proof systems to ensure an incorrect VRM cannot be used.

The International Parking Community (IPC) on Twitter: "@_TheIPC's mantra is that no motorist should be marginalised - or humiliated! (See news article below) @_TheIPC's award nominated "Get Your Reg Right" campaign urges the manufacture of #typoproof #parking payment systems as a moral duty. #mondaythoughts https://t.co/izGqyc1wO0 https://t.co/ztH9lbYpX2" / Twitter

The IPC said that it is a moral duty to ensure that it is impossible for a motorist to use an incorrect VRM.

The International Parking Community (IPC)

@_TheIPC's mantra is that no motorist should be marginalised - or humiliated! (See news article below)

@_TheIPC's award nominated "Get Your Reg Right" campaign urges the manufacture of #typoproof #parking payment systems as a moral duty.


What happened when you complained to the landowner?

Have you complained to your MP yet about this unregulated industry?

AvrilMarie

Hi Thank you for your advice, I haven’t complained to the landowner, I will find out who it is and do that and also to my MP, or the MP for that area.  Unfortunately the council have made all the roads near my business for resident permit parking only, which I cannot obtain, so I am now forced to use car parks which are very expensive.

It is the IPC that I now have to appeal to.  I am thinking I will appeal but feel I have to pay the ticket before it goes up to £100, as I cannot afford to pay that.  Also suffer badly with anxiety which is having a big impact on me because of this.

Thank you for your help.
Avril

Johnersh

I did a thread on this just recently. Search for it. 

Current guidance is that this type of error should result in no more than a £20 admin fee, current government consultation that it should be £0 and there is some case law to suggest it should be zero on the basis that all applicable charges were clearly paid.

Even if they notionally increase it to £100 whilst you challenge it, the actual prospect of having to pay that, in your particular circumstances, is highly unlikely.

Nevertheless everyone's appetite for risk and anxieties are different and that's a fair point. 

D_P_Dance

You complain to your MP.  

Hav you read this

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/de minimis

Many judges have thrown out similar claims as a waste of court time.

Coupon-mad

AvrilMarie said:

Hi Thank you for your advice, I haven’t complained to the landowner, I will find out who it is and do that and also to my MP, or the MP for that area.  Unfortunately the council have made all the roads near my business for resident permit parking only, which I cannot obtain, so I am now forced to use car parks which are very expensive.

It is the IPC that I now have to appeal to.  I am thinking I will appeal but feel I have to pay the ticket before it goes up to £100, as I cannot afford to pay that.  Also suffer badly with anxiety which is having a big impact on me because of this.

Thank you for your help.
Avril

No, you don't.    Promise us you will not.

@Fruitcake and @Johnersh have told you what to put in the IAS appeal.  There is no template for an IAS appeal (because that won't work) but you MUST use the IPC's own words against this chancer of a parking firm and I suspect they will not contest the IAS appeal.

AvrilMarie

 Thank you everyone, for all this valuable advice.  I am going to contest the ticket with the IPC and I will write to them today.  I may even put up the draft letter here so you can have a look at it.  I’m not used to doing this sort of thing and it will help with my anxiety to know I have done it correctly as you have suggested.  You have all been extremely helpful and it is very much appreciated.  Kind Regards Avril

Chico_talent

Hi, I fought a PCN over an incorrect reg.  They took me all the way to court and then discontinued a month before the court case.  If you search my profile for my post, there will be a dropbox link to all the paper work i did for my case that you may find helpful. It includes case law and other legal arguments that should help you win your case