Parking appeal gone straight to debt recovery

maxsti15

Coupon-mad said:

Email a SAR to the PPC. It helps later because you get to see their full hand now, and will be reminded what the appeal said, assuming they produce it.

Thank you, I will do this in the morning. So, as it's a camera recognition car park with a ticket machine rather than pay and display, I plan to ask for:

1. ALL photos taken
2. All letters/emails sent and received, including any appeal correspondence
3. All data held in relation to this matter, a full copy of the PCN, NTK

I don't think the following are relevant to this case?

• A list of all PCNs outstanding against you and/or this VRN, and remind them that any claim must be for all PCNs, not several separate claims.

• If the car park was Pay and Display, ALWAYS ask for a PDT machine record from that day, of payments made (VRNs can be partially redacted but insist on getting this; follow it up if they refuse).

KeithP

You tell us "it's a camera recognition car park with a ticket machine".
Does that machine require the vehicle's registration mark to be supplied?
If so, why wouldn't you ask for the machine records confirming that the driver paid?

mscarlyon

@maxsti15 I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you and your poor mum have had to deal with all this extra stress on top of the loss of your dad  . It makes me very angry that these private parking companies prey on innocent, vulnerable people, and don't think twice about sending out frightening letters and debt recovery notices.

You should not have to fight to be heard! I hope you hear back from PALS soon and get this ridiculous charge cancelled immediately. Good luck.

maxsti15

KeithP said:

You tell us "it's a camera recognition car park with a ticket machine".
Does that machine require the vehicle's registration mark to be supplied?
If so, why wouldn't you ask for the machine records confirming that the driver paid?

Yes it did need the registration to be entered. She checked her bank account after and it looked as though no funds were taken. The first card was rejected twice and she tried another card, thought it went through but it didn’t look like it did after she checked having received the parking notice. 

I can ask for the records. 

Our issue is lack of response to appeal and it going straight to £170 and debt recovery. 

Grizebeck

maxsti15 said:

KeithP said:

You tell us "it's a camera recognition car park with a ticket machine".
Does that machine require the vehicle's registration mark to be supplied?
If so, why wouldn't you ask for the machine records confirming that the driver paid?

Yes it did need the registration to be entered. She checked her bank account after and it looked as though no funds were taken. The first card was rejected twice and she tried another card, thought it went through but it didn’t look like it did after she checked having received the parking notice. 

I can ask for the records. 

Our issue is lack of response to appeal and it going straight to £170 and debt recovery. 

Not really an issue since it would have been declined anyway

Coupon-mad

maxsti15 said:

KeithP said:

You tell us "it's a camera recognition car park with a ticket machine".
Does that machine require the vehicle's registration mark to be supplied?
If so, why wouldn't you ask for the machine records confirming that the driver paid?

Yes it did need the registration to be entered. She checked her bank account after and it looked as though no funds were taken. The first card was rejected twice and she tried another card, thought it went through but it didn’t look like it did after she checked having received the parking notice. 

I can ask for the records. 

Our issue is lack of response to appeal and it going straight to £170 and debt recovery. 

Do get the bank account holder to ask the bank to look to see if there was a pending transaction that day that was not collected by the PPC, and therefore fell away as 'declined'.  This is important as we've seen that before (clearly outside of the control of the consumer if PPCs are not going to bother to collect payments made by card in good faith).

95Rollers

Don't engage with the Debt people at all - unless you are feeling mischievous  bored and want to wind them up for a laugh if you are really bored like I was on my break at work in lockdown (my days were pretty dull then on a Friday).

They are powerless- they can't take you to court, send round bailiffs or give you a CCJ which they lie about in their threats!  They don't have the power to quash the claim either as its the only the parking firm who issued the pcn that can do that.

File away any letters and follow the above advice.

maxsti15

Coupon-mad said:

Do get the bank account holder to ask the bank to look to see if there was a pending transaction that day that was not collected by the PPC, and therefore fell away as 'declined'.  This is important as we've seen that before (clearly outside of the control of the consumer if PPCs are not going to bother to collect payments made by card in good faith).

Thank you that's useful advice. I will ask my Mum to check with the bank.

So, for the SAR, should I request the machine record for the day too? I guess it can't hurt.

maxsti15

95Rollers said:

Don't engage with the Debt people at all - unless you are feeling mischievous  bored and want to wind them up for a laugh if you are really bored like I was on my break at work in lockdown (my days were pretty dull then on a Friday).

They are powerless- they can't take you to court, send round bailiffs or give you a CCJ which they lie about in their threats!  They don't have the power to quash the claim either as its the only the parking firm who issued the pcn that can do that.

File away any letters and follow the above advice.

Thank you, yep I don't intend on conversing with them. I've read the reviews online. I did actually get through once but the guy on the phone hung-up on me because my Mum was not with me. I'm better informed now and don't plan on engaging with them further.

Ha, I expect it feels good to wind them up a bit.

maxsti15

mscarlyon said:

@maxsti15 I just wanted to say how sorry I am that you and your poor mum have had to deal with all this extra stress on top of the loss of your dad  . It makes me very angry that these private parking companies prey on innocent, vulnerable people, and don't think twice about sending out frightening letters and debt recovery notices.

You should not have to fight to be heard! I hope you hear back from PALS soon and get this ridiculous charge cancelled immediately. Good luck.

Thank you for this message, it's really nice of you. We've had a horrible year to be honest and could do without the extra job of chasing up all of this rubbish. I'm refusing to hand over the money though, it's disgusting that they are able to operate in this way.