Blue badge, but got parking ticket

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 do 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, and are more or less trying it on.  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?

Coupon-mad

The bad news:

Private parking charges are enforceable.  So you need to stop ignoring them in most cases.

These horrible bullyboy firms can and do take people to court including those with Blue Badges, so your info us out of date.

BUT 

The good news:

1. The Equality Act does apply;

2. The law is changing to regulate these rogue parking firms by 2024;

3. You can/must now ignore UKCPS;

4. You can/must ignore Debt Recovery Plus;

5. You can get it cancelled by complaining to the landowner.

KeithP

thepeachyone said:

Every letter is addressed to The Company Secretary, then my name. I am not a company, not sure why they do that. 

Who is the Registered Keeper of the vehicle?

thepeachyone

It's a motability car, my name is on the paperwork.  When you say keeper do you mean owner or user?

KeithP

thepeachyone said:

It's a motability car, my name is on the paperwork.  When you say keeper do you mean owner or user?

I mean who is the Registered Keeper of the vehicle?
I.e. are you the Registered Keeper of the vehicle or is Motability the Registered Keeper of the vehicle?
To put it another way... is your name on the vehicle's Registration Document (V5c) or is motability's name on that document?

thepeachyone

Motability keep the log book, they insure it too. 

Coupon-mad

Are there two threads now that need merging?

chrisw

thepeachyone said:

Motability keep the log book, they insure it too. 

Motability keep the log book but the 'hirer' is the registered keeper.

diystarter7

OP

Is this the same incident please?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6418313/not-displaying-blue-badge-in-shopping-centre/p1

thepeachyone

Yes only one.  Someone said I had posted it in wrong place.

thepeachyone

I have been unable to find who owns the land.