G24 Parking Fine

SMED8

Hello, In March I visited a Sports Direct store which involved parking in a G24 car park.  When paying in store I was told by an employee that the pay machine wasn’t working so I didn’t get a barcode to scan for free parking.  I then left the car park and didn’t think much of it until I got a PCN for £60 and then a follow up asking for £100.  Following advice I found on the internet and also got from phoning Sports Direct I ignored these.  I have now received a 3rd letter (from Trace debt recovery) saying the payment due is now £160.  With the escalating amount they are asking for I have done more research mainly through the MSE forums but I still have a few questions.

I am in Scotland and understand that the advice is to ignore and to send a letter of complaint to the store and also letter my MP. I also understand that I should not name the driver.   When writing to the store should I talk about a family member being in the store and making a purchase?  If I do this I am basically admitting to either me or my wife being the driver.  For information I don’t have the receipt anymore but I do have bank statements showing the transaction.

Also after the 2nd letter we had no correspondence for a while.  I foolishly presumed that they had stopped and threw the letters away and as a result I no longer have the PCN number.  Should I contact G24 to ask for this?  The number does not appear on the 3rd letter I received from Trace. I just wondered if this would be helpful when writing to Sports Direct in order to (hopefully) get the charge cancelled.

Finally, I have read through the sticky and govt site about the amount of the fine but the information appears to be specific to England and Wales and not Scotland.  The initial fine I received was £60 (from memory).  Am I correct in saying that if G24 (or Trace)  were to pursue this this is the amount I would pay if a case was lost and I would not have to pay the extra fees added (currently an extra £100).  I was talking to a friend whose charges escalated to £480 before he negotiated a reduced payment with the parking company.  I am concerned that if lettering SD doesn’t work and I continue to ignore the fees will escalate considerably.

I am aware that the laws are changing in Scotland but I think I am correct in saying this is not in place yet.

Thanks for any help you can give with this.

Le_Kirk

You are correct that the liability as keeper for actions of the driver is still not yet active in Scotland.  Just complain to the store as KEEPER, no need to mention driver and tell them you require the PCN to be cancelled due to their equipment (Sports Direct) being faulty.

Umkomaas

Use the Royal 'we'. 'We were shopping in your store ....... '  But I wouldn't get too concerned about it. You can't guarantee that SD will be arsed enough to contact G24 and even if they do, what they will say. 

Even if G24 have the driver's details, they won't go to the Scottish Courts, more complicated procedure than in England/Wales where they've hardly ever issued court proceedings previously. Unless their claim is in excess of £300, they have no chance of receiving a penny in the Sheriff Court. 

I'd simply forget about it.

Coupon-mad

Well, knowing what is often said about the lack of customer service ethic of SD, I would sit tight and do absolutely nothing, as you are in Scotland. 

No idea why your friend buckled, contacted a scam PPC and paid, if they are also in Scotland. There was no need to respond at all.  You just ignore the debt demands.

Any MP complaint will just get filtered and kicked into touch by the IPC's MP fast-track 'fob-off' portal.

Do nothing at all, except bookmark the top thread by MSE_JC and enable email alerts in your posting profile, so that your voice is heard when the final Public Consultation is open about the level of parking charges and the need to BAN the fake debt recovery extortion.

Otherwise - if the proposed 'fake £70 fees' ban is not confirmed - in Scotland you will find in future, for new private PCNs, in Scotland you will likely be sued 'pour encourager les autres.

Because the Scottish system doesn't allow for court fees to be reclaimed in cases under £300, the fake added £70 will be the only thing that will fund the obscene flooding of your courts. Because the Scottish Govt is piggybacking on the E&W code of practice from 2024, the Public Consultation IS for you to respond to as well as all posters South of the border.

Please bookmark the necessary thread so you get alerted to the Consultation. It won't be till after the new PM gets his or her ministers sorted and in place, I suspect. But it will be this year.

SMED8

Thanks for your help with this.  Before reading them I went into the Sport Direct store (parking elsewhere) and spoke to a manager.  I have to say he couldn't have been more helpful and told me to bring in copies of the letter I had received and a copy of my bank statement and he would email G24 to put a stop to it.  I have since done that.  I will post back with more info on whether the problem has gone away.

I will bookmark and set up the notifications as per your post.  Having spent a bit of time on this forum and seeing the effort that the regular contributors go to to help people  I just wanted to say that it I really appreciate it and I am sure all the others that you help do also. 

Coupon-mad

Great - and that SD manager is better than most!

Umkomaas

spoke to a manager.  I have to say he couldn't have been more helpful

I bet that isn't a requirement of his job description!  Or is Mike Ash now wanting his staff to be helpful! 😄

Well done SD store manager. And a very nice result for you @SMED8. 👍