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PCN not issued

Bethan22
Posts: 3 Newbie

Hi, I wonder whether anyone has had a similar experience or can give advise on the following:-
My husband recently received a letter from a debt collection agency for £170, in which it stated we had had a parking violation whilst we were on holiday in Cornwall,the car park in question is in Mousehole.
This notice was received on Monday 5th July but it was the first time we had learnt of any violation and the incident apparently occurred on 22/5/22.
I have emailed the debt collection agency as we did pay for 2 hours parking for which I had the receipt so we were somewhat mystified but we apparently stayed longer than the time . I do accept this may have been the case as we were securing our dog, fastening seatbelts etc but we were making ready to leave and had anyone entered the car park,which wasn't full,we would have given up our place .
I explained we hadn't received the previous PCN notice so we're pretty astonished to receive this letter.
I have emailed the car park owner and stated our situation too that we haven't received any previous notice and requested proof that they did send something to us.
They have referred us back to the debt agency but have agreed to accept the lower amount of £60 if paid within 48 hours.
I have asked my solicitor for advise after receiving the original letter but would be interested to hear if anyone else has experienced similar and whether it is a scam to obtain more money through fear factor of a debt agency letter?
Thank you
My husband recently received a letter from a debt collection agency for £170, in which it stated we had had a parking violation whilst we were on holiday in Cornwall,the car park in question is in Mousehole.
This notice was received on Monday 5th July but it was the first time we had learnt of any violation and the incident apparently occurred on 22/5/22.
I have emailed the debt collection agency as we did pay for 2 hours parking for which I had the receipt so we were somewhat mystified but we apparently stayed longer than the time . I do accept this may have been the case as we were securing our dog, fastening seatbelts etc but we were making ready to leave and had anyone entered the car park,which wasn't full,we would have given up our place .
I explained we hadn't received the previous PCN notice so we're pretty astonished to receive this letter.
I have emailed the car park owner and stated our situation too that we haven't received any previous notice and requested proof that they did send something to us.
They have referred us back to the debt agency but have agreed to accept the lower amount of £60 if paid within 48 hours.
I have asked my solicitor for advise after receiving the original letter but would be interested to hear if anyone else has experienced similar and whether it is a scam to obtain more money through fear factor of a debt agency letter?
Thank you
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Comments
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You don't need a solicitor to deal with this. Jeez, he/she is going to charge you much more than what the parking firm are asking, and the chances are he/she will have little to no experience about how to deal with a private parking charge. We know far more here.There is no need to deal with debt collectors, and definitely no need to fear them. They are powerless and are restricted to sending you silly letters. Just ignore them and their correspondence. Please read the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, fourth post, to learn about debt collectors and private parking.Which parking firm is involved?Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .
I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street2 -
Please just read the NEWBIES thread first.
Is it Armtrac or Alliance Parking, or who?But you won't be paying. Forget that!
They have referred us back to the debt agency but have agreed to accept the lower amount of £60 if paid within 48 hours.I have asked my solicitor for advise.Oh dear, hopeless. Sorry, solicitors have no idea.PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD0 -
It's initial parking ltd. We bought the ticket on a just park app which we downloaded there, with the collaboration of another couple as we'd neither used it before and both struggled to download. As I say we accept we didn't immediately leave the car park but we didn't realise that would be a violation as we'd not seen anything to advise of this and we were back at the car by the required time.
I am anxious that if we don't pay we will end up in court,I always park legally ,but feel we should have been notified by PCN and earlier instead of a shocking debt collection letter!0 -
Is the address shown on your V5C (logbook) your current address? Please check, don't guess/assume, especially if you've moved home in the past 2-3 years. It's to that address, supplied by the DVLA to the PPC, they send the initial PCN.By how much time do they say the overstay was?instead of a shocking debt collection letter!There is nothing 'shocking' to concern you in a debt collector letter. The forum has been laughing at the silliness of what they threaten for years. Again, ignore a debt collector's letters.
Shonky, yes, shocking, no!Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .
I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.
Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street1 -
But the debt letters are just to be laughed at; they aren't shocking and are part of the scam.
You haven't yet read the 4th post of the NEWBIES thread, methinks?
Then search the forum and show me any thread where Initial Parking have sued anyone? I can't recall one. This is nothing at all, and you certainly do not pay to make the laughable £170 demands go away!
What we do need you to do is read more, including the top thread by MSE_JC so that you are alerted to the whole backgroubd and new Government regulation and charge capping. that we need YOU to help get over the line this Summer.
Bet your solicitor told you nothing about the new law and instead told you that you'd entered into a contract and that you had to appeal...PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD0 -
No actually the solicitor did say they'd look into whether it was a scam. Happy to join any group that will prevent further letters being sent by other unsuspecting people,I have contacted my MP as well about the initial contact as I do feel it's totally unacceptable behaviour.
Will read all the info you have suggested and will let you know what my solicitor says.
Thanks for advise
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If you have checked your V5C (as advised by @Umkomaas and it is correct and it is Initial Parking Limited http://www.initialparking.co.uk, then complain to the BPA that Initial have gone straight to debt collectors before sending the PCN.
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