Blue badge penalty, not council, debt recovery plus

thepeachyone

Hi I have a blue badge for a mobility problem, I am also autistic. I got a parking charge notice in August with a photo of the back of my car in a local shopping centre, from UKCPS Ltd. Nothing stuck on the car, just a letter through post, saying I hadn't displayed my blue badge. I thought I had displayed it, I fo not normally forget. I thought these parking charge letters weren't legally enforceable, so I ignored it. I think I had 2 maybe 3 letters.

Now I have got a notice from Debt recovery plus saying I owe 170. I'm now slightly worried. Every letter is addressed to The Company Secretary, then my name. I am not a company, not sure why they do that.  

The letter says if I do not pay or set up a payment plan or make contact in 7 days we will assume you have chosen to ignore this letter and legal recovery actions will begin. You have lost the right to appeal the charge by not responding sooner.

I thought these private parking charges weren't the law, I also thought that it was the Equality Act that applied here, and if I am entitled to a blue badge it at the time of the incident they couldn't take me to court. Can 

someone please clarify please?

ontheroad1970

This is best done in the parking subsection.  Alert a mod and they will move it there...

thepeachyone

Mod 

Should it be in parking subsection??

If so please move it.  

Herzlos

Did they actually provide any evidence that you didn't display a blue badge? These companies have form for taking pictures from angles which hide the badge. Their entire business model is issuing dodgy invoices and hoping will just pay up.

Under the Equalities Act 2010, you're allowed some leeway due to the disability without needing to show the badge.

Often replying the parking scam company with a photocopy of the blue badge is sufficient to make it go away, though they are likely to be difficult now and try to scare you with court stuff. It's worth noting that it's unlikely court will happen over a single incident and if you defend it properly you won't have to pay anything.

It's also worth contacting the owner of the car park, as they'll have the ability to tell their agent to stop.
It also won't hurt to contact the local press about blue badge holders being harassed by predatory companies.

Boat_to_Bolivia

@thepeachyone it might just be easier and quicker to start a new thread in the Parking Tickets, fines and parking forum, than wait for this to be moved.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

Then edit the title of this thread and rename it 
DUPLICATE THREAD, PLEASE IGNORE or similar.

thepeachyone

Herzlos said:

Did they actually provide any evidence that you didn't display a blue badge? These companies have form for taking pictures from angles which hide the badge. Their entire business model is issuing dodgy invoices and hoping will just pay up.

Under the Equalities Act 2010, you're allowed some leeway due to the disability without needing to show the badge.

Often replying the parking scam company with a photocopy of the blue badge is sufficient to make it go away, though they are likely to be difficult now and try to scare you with court stuff. It's worth noting that it's unlikely court will happen over a single incident and if you defend it properly you won't have to pay anything.

It's also worth contacting the owner of the car park, as they'll have the ability to tell their agent to stop.
It also won't hurt to contact the local press about blue badge holders being harassed by predatory companies.

No evidence shown to me that blue badge wasn't displayed.   All they sent was rear of car.  I didnt keep it though and it was a while ago.  I didnt think they would contact me again.   I thought it was a strategy to not respond to these notices, so they didn't know the name of the driver.  That's why I didn't send a photocopy of my badge.  The letter says I'm too late to appeal.  I'm a bit confused to be honest.

poppy12345

You will receive more help on the parking tickets/fines section of the forum, as others have advised. I see you haven't posted on there yet so please do that.