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Smart Parking/CST Law

Aus
Aus Posts: 8 Forumite
Eighth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
in Parking tickets, fines & parking
Being hounded for £160 for overstaying B&M 2 hour free car park by 20 mins after shop had closed due to locking keys in car & having to get my spare.
No evidence given. Happened 30/11/2021 but received first demand letter dated 19/01/2022 no discount letter received prior.
Assumed it was a scam & so far ignored but demands are escalating. Have heard once you respond they continue to hound & ignore appeals.
Advice on how to proceed much welcome.
«1

Comments

  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 43,965 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Who is writing the current letters to you?  Debt Recovery Plus?  If so, please read NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, fourth post.

    Smart Parking are low volume litigators, and they're unlikely to be bothering suing for £100.
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    #Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 156,920 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    One email would have killed this in 2021, had you come here then.  Silly to ignore it then.  So eeeeeasy to have killed at appeal!

    Obviously try PLAN A (see NEWBIES thread).
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
     Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • Aus
    Aus Posts: 8 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    There was no appeal option with the letter. It was badly printed etc so looked like a scam

  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 156,920 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 21 January 2023 at 12:15AM
    You missed the first PCN.  The main reason for that is the DVLA holding and handing out to the scammers, an old address on the V5c for that car.

    Is your logbook up to date (correct address)?

    Anyway, PLAN A is fully explained in the NEWBIES thread and it isn't 'appeal'.
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
     Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • Aus
    Aus Posts: 8 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    No the address was right 
  • Aus
    Aus Posts: 8 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Having trouble negotiating this site! Can't find the Newbies thread.
  • KeithP
    KeithP Posts: 41,296 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 2 February 2023 at 2:35PM
    Aus said:
    Having trouble negotiating this site! Can't find the Newbies thread.
    Did you see this under each of @Coupon-mad's posts on your thread?...
  • Aus
    Aus Posts: 8 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    I followed advice & contacted B&M. After several generic responses, I spoke to a lovely lady who chased this up for me. Meanwhile the debt firm insisted it was going to court and all I could do was get a solicitor, so a family member paid to stop court action & buy me time for the appeal, probably not the best decision but it gas been very stressful. B&M then told me the fine was cancelled. Contacted the debt recovery again & eventually the family member was refunded!  Thanks to all for advice and support. The rule regarding trying to prove you haven't received a letter with the current state of royal mail really needs looking at.  I haven't found this website very easy to navigate & others seem to have difficulty too.
  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 43,965 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 March 2023 at 11:56AM
    I haven't found this website very easy to navigate & others seem to have difficulty too.
    Like everything new, it takes time to find your way around. It's a massive site but regulars have little difficulty in navigating because they've invested the time to learn and understand it. First time use, I agree, isn't the easiest. But it's the best resource anywhere to deal with private parking tickets. 
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    #Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
  • Grizebeck
    Grizebeck Posts: 3,967 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 9 March 2023 at 11:26AM
    Never pay them. Foolish
    It was never going to court 
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