PCN in Scotland with identified driver

stumblesblusters

I got a PCN late last year from G24 after not paying for parking in a Scottish car park (the machine was broken and had a message on it saying there was no charge for parking). I appealed on these grounds and it was rejected. Since then I've been receiving the customary escalation letters and BWLegal are now threatening court action. As I live in Scotland, I thought I was safe, but in the appeal I confirmed I was the driver (please don't @ me, I didn't know about this forum before sending in my appeal!). It's a one-off penalty; I'm not a repeat offender. Starting to get the collywobbles about not paying the £160. I haven't engaged since the original appeal. Any advice about whether I should do anything welcome.

Not_A_Hope

If you live in Scotland you can ignore. The law currently is different up there. They may bluster and threaten but eventually they will give up.

Grizebeck

Do nothing 

Fruitcake

The PPC cannot claim costs of under £300 in Scotland, so they won't take it to court because they won't get anything for their troubles.
They will (probably) try it on with someone who has received multiple PCNs.

Be aware that keeper liability will be introduced in Scotland in the near future. Well done to your dear leader who on the one hand says she want's independence, yet on the other has decided to import a law from England and Wales that allows someone who was not in the vehicle at the time to be liable for a charge from an unregulated parking company.

stumblesblusters

I'll take a deep breath and do nothing then. Thanks for the incredibly rapid response!

Coupon-mad

stumblesblusters said:

I'll take a deep breath and do nothing then. Thanks for the incredibly rapid response!

I concur - IGNORE IT.

But things are changing in Scotland in a year or so (new private PCNs only; new rules, new/better appeals processes, and horrific 'keeper liability' as we have South of the border!

We need you to respond to a public consultation that relates to the levels of parking charges planned for the whole of the UK.

So, please don't leave us yet!  Stick around.

As a genuine PPC victim of aggression, sharp practice and an 'extortion' attempt to threaten to add £60 or £70 - please diarise to come back and respond robustly to the UK (Scotland too) Public Consultation on the level of parking charges and banning of the false added DRA 'fee' that too many honest motorists currently fall victim to.

It will need consumer input (powerful voices) but change is afoot. It's taken about 5 years to get to this stage:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6333036/breaking-news-government-has-announced-the-statutory-code-of-practice-and-enforcement-framework/p1

And then the industry threw victims' money at it and blocked and delayed it - explained here:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/79310609/#Comment_79310609

Please now Bookmark BOTH threads and set up email alerts on your posting profile, so that you get an email alert when we post there, as we will, once the Public Consultation opens later this year, once the new Ministers are fully appraised.

We need people like you and your driving family & friends to respond in high numbers! You have a personal story to tell about the culture of getting a DRA to add a pointless £60 (hiked up to £70 now) for their own profit, to be let loose to intimidate people.

Wolfie123

As always good advice. Please include me in any notifications that require support to eradicate these cowboy parking thieves.

Coupon-mad

It will happen only if you bookmark the threads I said, and set email notifications. 

stumblesblusters

I've bookmarked and checked my settings, thanks. It's the least I can do. 

Old_Slobberchops

stumblesblusters said:

I got a PCN late last year from G24 after not paying for parking in a Scottish car park (the machine was broken and had a message on it saying there was no charge for parking). I appealed on these grounds and it was rejected. Since then I've been receiving the customary escalation letters and BWLegal are now threatening court action. As I live in Scotland, I thought I was safe, but in the appeal I confirmed I was the driver (please don't @ me, I didn't know about this forum before sending in my appeal!). It's a one-off penalty; I'm not a repeat offender. Starting to get the collywobbles about not paying the £160. I haven't engaged since the original appeal. Any advice about whether I should do anything welcome.

You are still safe to ignore this, even if driver is named, or any other correspondence. There is very little chance of single tickets going to court in Scotland because no costs recovery are allowed to any claim under £300, all court fees have to be paid up front and advocate cots have to be added in. None of these costs are recoverable so it just isn;t sensible spending £300-400 chasing a claim for a £100 PCN. But don't get multiple tickets. These may go to court if you get more than a couple. You'll get the usual deadbeat debt beggars threatening fire and brimstone, you might even get lucky and get DCBL telling you they'll take you to English County Court. It's all blather and usually  fizzles out in around 9 months.

Jenni_D

stumblesblusters said:

(the machine was broken and had a message on it saying there was no charge for parking)

Did you take a photo of that message? As that would be a killer defence even if they were stupid enough to try a court claim.