PCN from Parking Control Management

MadMunk

Nope.  They had submitted to the courts that they would not be in attendance and were happy for it to be heard on papers a few weeks prior to the hearing along with their witness statement.  It was my own misunderstanding that when I got this notification it said "Claimant" and I wrongfully assumed that it would just be a Gladstone's rep in court and nobody from the parking company.  

Hertford Magistrates Court.  Forgive me, I did not note the judges full name.  Is there a way I could find that out?  Am I yet to receive some important documentation that will contain it?

MadMunk

@YankeeBrit

To pad out my day in court.  I had parked in a nearby Tesco 20 mins before my hearing (2 hour stay).  I got to the court to discover 3 bookings, all for the same 1 hour slot in the court I was in.  The usher told me I may not get seen yet for another hour.  It would be ironic to get a parking charge while being taken to court for a parking charge eh?  As it turned out, I was taken in within 30 minutes.  Win! (point of note for readers, make sure you park somewhere and give yourself 3 hours just in case)

I took my seat and brought out my full bundle of paperwork, witness statement, defence (both originals), all original evidences etc etc.

The judge briefed me on the case being brought before me and gave an initial review of both the claimant's case and my defence.  He reviewed the witness statement of the claimant and said that he had already seen enough to decide this case.  Regardless he asked if I had a copy of my witness statement with me as he had not received a copy in his documents.  I provided my 115 page hardcopy bundle of WS and evidences galore.  This was mildly confusing, so we broke it into the judge with my WS getting to certain points and me handing the specific evidences to him in order to show timelines of events and corroborate the facts.  There was particular interest in the breach of the PAP, the devious changing of a single reference number to denote a different claim brought before the court.

This went on for 10 minutes or so and the judge said he had seen more than enough.  Primacy of contract enjoyed by a resident such as myself who has displayed a permit, regardless of its readability is sufficient.  The operator is fully aware that I am a resident and own permits (as evidenced in my WS), that the vehicle is also registered to the same address.  There is no cause to pursue me. 

YankeeBrit

Thank you.

Umkomaas

Nice one, great result, super outcome. Thanks for feeding back - we need feedback to tell us if our advice still works. You'd be surprised (perhaps) at the number who milk the forum for all its worth, then just CBA to inform us of the outcome ......... that is, until they fall foul of another PPC, as undoubtedly they will before too long, then expect and demand the same level of forum help as they received previously!

Take everything, give nothing!

MadMunk

We're all different, with our own priorities.  But credit where it's due folks.  If you weren't here, I would not have won.  Simple as that.

Thank you one and all

Coupon-mad

Nicely done!  Great news!

Do stick around and take part in the DLUHC's current final steps: 

(a)  'call for evidence' (open now - see the DLUHC IA DISCUSSION thread) then

(b). their final Public Consultation once they are ready to finalise changing the private parking playing field for the better.


Happy to have helped - but it us a team effort and we relied on you to win on the day!

I'm glad I'm retired and have time to post here and (since 2020) had fun calling out the PPC Industry on the DLUHC Steering Group too - what a joy that's been. it's very rewarding.  You can only imagine what I've called out in the last 3 years, eyeball to virtual eyeball !

MadMunk

YankeeBrit said:

That's great news and a cause for celebration. However, can you please pad out the details of your day in court? What did the judge actually say? Whilst you say Gladrags didn't show up, did they send a rep to argue on their behalf?

Which court and which judge?

Had some paperwork through yesterday @YankeeBrit.  I had "Judge Lewis" at Hertford Magistrates Court.

Coupon-mad

Very good result @MadMunk

Please help with the August 'call for evidence' which has now become (on this forum at least) a clarion call for photos evidencing 'good' car parks that function with "LOW or NO £ deterrent":
:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6463361/dluhc-private-parking-code-government-launches-call-for-evidence-discussion-thread/p16

Keep these coming during August please!

- signs where the PCN is under £70

- signs altered with cheap stickers, ideally not £100 levels though

- large car park locations with no PPC infestation, showing a lack of carmaggeddon like this example:
http://parking-prankster.blogspot.com/2016/05/bank-holiday-carmageddon-at-asda.html?m=1

- polite signs from the retailer/business at sites with no PPC, especially at bays where you can also show that no-one is abusing the site...