UKCPS PARKING FINE

Ladyangel299

Hi I received a fine by post back in May this year for parking just over a single bay, which I did in order to get my elderly mother-in-law out of the back of the car and into her wheelchair, we were in the shop less than 10 minutes, I had not heard of your site and so appealed giving them my name and the reasons for parking the way I did. Hence to say they did not uphold my appeal. I then discovered your threads and ignored their pleas for money which is now at £170. I have now received a letter from CST Law (debt recovery plus) demanding money and threatening to take me court if I don't pay by 7th November. I am not sure what to do now - do I wait until they take me to court and appeal to the judge or do I have to pay now?

Half_way

This is not a fine.

 If you had a person with a disability in the vehicle where extra space was required , and no other reasonable adjustment was available to accommodate that then they could be in breach of the equality act ( disability discrimination)

A few questions:

 Name of parking company?

do you have all documents that they sent you?

name and location of car park/retail park?

fisherjim

What does the newbies thread tell you to do with debt collector letters?

Maurice8

Have you used the formal appeal to the regulatory (although not altogether independent) body? That stops the clock ticking (although possibly not if you have got to debt recovery stage — not sure). Another idea: if you really were there for less than 10 minutes, was it a car park where you have 10 or more minutes to pay in and are not charged if you don't stay that long? You would then be deemed not to have parked at all, so they could hardly say you parked improperly. Otherwise, having got this far, you probably might as well stick it out in the hope that they drop the case as being too flimsy! Remember it costs them virtually nothing to keep writing intimidatory letters, but a good deal more to actually go to court.

fisherjim

Maurice8 said:

Have you used the formal appeal to the regulatory (although not altogether independent) body? That stops the clock ticking (although possibly not if you have got to debt recovery stage — not sure). Another idea: if you really were there for less than 10 minutes, was it a car park where you have 10 or more minutes to pay in and are not charged if you don't stay that long? You would then be deemed not to have parked at all, so they could hardly say you parked improperly. Otherwise, having got this far, you probably might as well stick it out in the hope that they drop the case as being too flimsy! Remember it costs them virtually nothing to keep writing intimidatory letters, but a good deal more to actually go to court.

There is no "regulatory body" in the private parking industry it's at debt recovery stage the appeals route is closed though the IAS as you say is not independent or worth appealing to.

Umkomaas

UKCPS are a benign, non-litigious, outfit. Just ignore CST - the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, fourth post, tells you why. Only respond to a vanishingly unlikely formal Letter of Claim from solicitors representing UKCPS, or a court claim from the Northampton CCBC. Come back if you get either. 

Sleep easy!

Coupon-mad

Apart from reading the 4th post of the NEWBIES thread, also read the CST Group thread.

Obviously you wan't be paying nor contacting them.

Grizebeck

Read the newbies.....