Horizon Parking wouldn't let me pay, now are charging me more. What can I do ?

Rocketmagnet2

A little while ago, I received a parking ticket from Horizon Parking, after I overstayed at a Tesco carpark. After checking that they were correct to give me a ticket, I went on to the web site to pay. I entered my PCN and reg number, and the site said "Status: cancelled" and "Amount due: £0.00".

So I thought that the fine had been retracted.  Later I received another letter in the mail saying that, since I hadn't paid, the fine had increased. So I went back onto the site, entered my details again, and was again told that the status was cancelled, and the amount due was £0.00. So, I thought this must be some mistake on Horizon's part. I tried to call them and talk to a human, but that's not a service they offer.

I emailed them proof of the situation, but now they have passed the fine onto a 3rd party debt collector, and refuse to talk to me any more.

What are my options here?

Many thanks in advance

Hugo

(Image removed by Forum Team)

Herzlos

Keep the screen shot, send it to the debt collector once asking them why they are chasing a £0 debt, and then ignore everything else that isn't a Letter Before Action or court activity.

DE_612183

are they definitely the same PCN ?

Rocketmagnet2

DE_612183 said:

are they definitely the same PCN ?

Yes, they are the same PCN. They must be, because this was a rental car, and I only ever parked it in Tesco once.

Fruitcake

You have left your VRM and PCN number showing. Some unscrupulous person or persons unknown could do a lot of damage with that.

Le_Kirk

You say it is a rental car, how did you receive the PCN?  Was it a notice to keeper or notice to hirer?  Did the rental company just pass on the PCN to you or did they send the tear-off slip back to Horizon naming you as hirer?  Once you have it in your own name as Hirer you can deal with it.  Are you sure the hire company has not paid it?

Rocketmagnet2

Le_Kirk said:

You say it is a rental car, how did you receive the PCN?  Was it a notice to keeper or notice to hirer?  Did the rental company just pass on the PCN to you or did they send the tear-off slip back to Horizon naming you as hirer?  Once you have it in your own name as Hirer you can deal with it.  Are you sure the hire company has not paid it?

I received the PCN in two ways. Firstly it was forwarded by email from the rental company. Secondly I received by my paper mail from Horizon. The hire company did not pay it. Actually, they charged me a £40 admin fee.

Rocketmagnet2

Herzlos said:

Keep the screen shot, send it to the debt collector once asking them why they are chasing a £0 debt, and then ignore everything else that isn't a Letter Before Action or court activity.

Does this put me on solid legal ground?

Le_Kirk

Rocketmagnet2 said:

Le_Kirk said:

You say it is a rental car, how did you receive the PCN?  Was it a notice to keeper or notice to hirer?  Did the rental company just pass on the PCN to you or did they send the tear-off slip back to Horizon naming you as hirer?  Once you have it in your own name as Hirer you can deal with it.  Are you sure the hire company has not paid it?

I received the PCN in two ways. Firstly it was forwarded by email from the rental company. Secondly I received by my paper mail from Horizon. The hire company did not pay it. Actually, they charged me a £40 admin fee.

OK but is the PCN now a Notice to Hirer in your name?  If you get this overturned, I believe you can recover the £40 admin fee. Is the hire company part of the BVRLA?  Check your hire documents carefully and see what it states about parking charges NOT fines and penalties because your PCN is neither.

Half_way

A little while ago, I received a parking ticket from Horizon Parking, after I overstayed at a Tesco carpark. After checking that they were correct to give me a ticket

Nope, not correct , no more correct than i can say that by going onto this website you are agreeing to pay me £100 ( reduced to £60 for early payment)

Were you shopping at tesco for the time the vehicle was in the car park?

So I thought that the fine had been retracted.  Later I received another letter in the mail saying that, since I hadn't paid, the fine had increased.

Not a fine, you have not been fined, Horizon can not issue fines,  Horizon are not in any way anything approaching an authority ,also you have not had a penalty

I received the PCN in two ways. Firstly it was forwarded by email from the rental company. Secondly I received by my paper mail from Horizon.

 
A PCN is not to be confused with a PCN and its important that you understand the difference, even more so with a hire/lease car

one is a parking charge notice , which is not a fine, and is not a penalty, typically issued by unregulated private parking companies where no independent appeals system exists ( yet)

 the other is a PCN which is a Penalty Charge notice issued by a local authority which in turn is backed up with legislation and an independent appeals system (all be it one that can involve jumping through various hoops)

IThe hire company did not pay it. Actually, they charged me a £40 admin fee.

Why on earth have they charged you £40??

Please post the exact words of the agreement - particularly the bit about fines and penalty's ( of which a private parking charge is neither)

Coupon-mad

Complain to Tesco Dundee and insist this is cancelled.  

Once it is, prove that to the lease firm and get the £40 refunded.

This was never to be paid and wasn't legit or fair.  No-one pays these. A cinch to beat by appealing as registered keeper or hirer (in your case) at the time.  But equally easy to get Tesco to cancel it.