BBC WatchDog “if you are struggling with an unfair parking charge do get in touch”

patient_dream

KeithP said:

patient_dream said:

And to quote from the Daily Mirror article ....

"The British Parking Association, whose members include UKPC, said: “If [hospital] parking was free, the maintenance costs would have to come directly from healthcare budgets.”

I do wish the BPA would stop talking utter rubbish.  At least show us the parking companies who pay for the maintenance let alone maintain them  ??

But don't the hospital keeps all the takings from the parking machines and the PPC 'survives' on just those people that break the rules?

Therefore, the hospital does have money direct from parking to pay for car park maintenance.

On this point, I think the BPA are right.

Maybe a few still but the likes of Ringo and other apps have taken over which feed directly to the PPC
My local hospital which is huge. had pay machines under their control

They recently brought in APCOA WITH ALL PAYMENTS to RINGO.

Are you saying that the Ringo payments go straight to the hospital ?

Coupon-mad

Probably.

I sent an FOI to several NHS Trusts in 2022 asking what monies are split between whom.  You can see the replies on What Do They Know under my name.

lorhen1966

McDonalds are demanding £255 from a student who had only been driving for a matter of weeks for parking in a free car park which was completely empty after midnight whilst eating the  food that had been purchased in their restaurant.

I have emailed Watchdog on behalf of my daughter as I would to highlight the ludicrous fines being imposed by McDonalds Restaurants on their own clients for actually parking in their car park whilst eating the food which was the reason for being in the car park in the first instance. 

My daughter, who is a student, went to McDonalds near our home with her friend late in the24th January 2023, only 18 days after her 18th birthday, to obtain some food with the intention of eating it in the car.  As she is new to driving and as it was dark when they arrived she was unaware of any signs indicating that there was a maximum time limit to how long she could stay and this was exceeded by a mere 11 minutes.  I can understand that limits may be placed on busy car parks to try and deter any lingering, however, to impose a fee in this situation when the incident occured in the middle of the night in an empty car park and then to continue to pursue it is absolutely ridiculous.  She has tried to reason with them but her appeal has been totally dismissed and today has received a county court claim form which has spiralled her existing anxiety and depression as she is not in a position to be able to pay due to having to give up her part time job just before her A level mock exams in February.  She has been borrowing money from me in the meantime and currently owes a substantial amount so this demand for £255 is adding unnecessary stress. 

If anyone can give any examples of similar situations where there has been a favourable resolution I would love to share them with my daughter to give her some hope

Umkomaas

lorhen1966 said:

McDonalds are demanding £255 from a student who had only been driving for a matter of weeks for parking in a free car park which was completely empty after midnight whilst eating the  food that had been purchased in their restaurant.

I have emailed Watchdog on behalf of my daughter as I would to highlight the ludicrous fines being imposed by McDonalds Restaurants on their own clients for actually parking in their car park whilst eating the food which was the reason for being in the car park in the first instance. 

My daughter, who is a student, went to McDonalds near our home with her friend late in the24th January 2023, only 18 days after her 18th birthday, to obtain some food with the intention of eating it in the car.  As she is new to driving and as it was dark when they arrived she was unaware of any signs indicating that there was a maximum time limit to how long she could stay and this was exceeded by a mere 11 minutes.  I can understand that limits may be placed on busy car parks to try and deter any lingering, however, to impose a fee in this situation when the incident occured in the middle of the night in an empty car park and then to continue to pursue it is absolutely ridiculous.  She has tried to reason with them but her appeal has been totally dismissed and today has received a county court claim form which has spiralled her existing anxiety and depression as she is not in a position to be able to pay due to having to give up her part time job just before her A level mock exams in February.  She has been borrowing money from me in the meantime and currently owes a substantial amount so this demand for £255 is adding unnecessary stress. 

If anyone can give any examples of similar situations where there has been a favourable resolution I would love to share them with my daughter to give her some hope

What did Watchdog say?

Please start a new thread of your own for specific advice on this case, copy and paste most of the above, but please tell us the name of the parking firm, the solicitors representing them, the Date of Issue shown on the court claim form, and whether the claim has been acknowledged with the Northampton CCBC, if so, on what date. 

While I'm sure as a concerned parent you want to do what you can for your daughter, it can only be she who defends this, not you 'on behalf of', although you can help with drafting all the paperwork for her. 

But, more specific advice on your own thread, please. 

patient_dream

Assume the parking company is UKPC and the legal is DCBL ?
THE FAMOUS SCAM DUO

Please tell us the issue date of the claim. Keith will be along shortly to advice you on this

YOU DO NOT OWE £255 ..... this is DCBL SCAMMING YOU

Please read this thread...
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6377263/dcb-legal-record-of-private-parking-court-claim-discontinuations/p1

You will see that DCBL discontinue claims from UKPC..... you can click on the links, you will see that most are  for UKPC.
DCBL discontinue simply because UKPC are complete rubbish.

Take you time, you have reached the right forum who are well versed dealing with these clowns.   

In future, tell your daughter to only use the McDonalds drive-thru and NEVER park

Coupon-mad

@lorhen1966 she won't ever be paying this.  

She may have to defend a court claim (no CCJ) but we win them and unlit signs is a VERY strong basis for a defence.

Just read the second and fourth posts of the NEWBIES FAQS thread which is 2 clicks away. Get there in half a second... see my signature below.