Despite paying cash into PDT I am being pursued for non-payment

Umkomaas

I now realise I need to ask in more detail because if it did not register the £1 I paid into the machine there must be a discrepancy in the cash it collects.   I'd want to explore the records between the last time it was emptied of cash and the next time, which could be days apart. 

I wouldn't disappear down this rabbit hole. They're never going to give you that level of detail, even if they've reconciled to the nearest £1. You are not entitled to it via a SAR as it's not 'personal data'. 

Ortrud

Thanks, everyone, for your prompt, interesting and varied comments. 

I haven’t written to my MP yet because I wasn’t sure what to complain about in what might appear to be a my-word-against-theirs situation, but I suppose the idiocy of being threatened with a £270 “fine” for an alleged £1 fault is the line to take.  Trading Standards, now you come to mention it, are obviously worth trying too. 

It helps so much to have your objective views on the matter.

D_P_Dance, can you kindly elaborate on your thinking about a counter claim?  What is the data breach?

D_P_Dance

D_P_Dance,   ...   What is the data breach?  

Under the Data protection Act you have certain rights to privacy.  Have they been breached?  All the information you need is available by googling, 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6327163/despite-paying-cash-into-pdt-i-am-being-pursued-for-non-payment#latest

Not_A_Hope

Ortrud the fact that the signs don't mention the PPC now trying to scam you out of £270 is a good defence. I am not sure how much effort you should put into a counter claim or what for as it will be a high bar to cross. 

My my son did something similar on another car park and did not see the requirement to input his reg. He put his £1 in and it gave him a ticket which he displayed. Despite showing the PPC the ticket they would not accept his appeal against the invoice. We fought the court claim and the PPC did not attend the telephone hearing leading to a win and expenses.

If I were you I would focus on the location, visibility, terms and conditions of signage and compare what has happened in your case against the new Code of Practice that PPCs will have to abide by. Lots of good ammo there to help fight your case including the banning of fake additional costs which no doubt Minster Baywatch have added

Ortrud

Three years since I last had contact with Gladstones about alleged non-payment of a parking charge, they have just sent me a Letter Before Claim – yet they’d sent me one back at the time of the alleged offence, to which I replied in very brief terms, and they acknowledged it.  (Later they said my response didn’t constitute an defence.)

Is an identical response all I need send them again at this stage, or should I go into detailed aspects of my defence, including denying I had a contract with Minster Baywatch? 

I take it the advice about not using Gladstone's Reply forms to respond still holds good.

 

kryten3000

Send the usual response, don't go into details at this stage.

Not_A_Hope

Later they said my response didn’t constitute an defence.)

Any appeal would be made to the parking company. Gladstones are not interested in the reasons a parking charge was issued. They just want your money. Any defence would be submitted to the court if they decided to proceed with a claim.

Ortrud

Thank you both