Smart Parking/CST Law 20 January at 2:59PM in Parking tickets, fines & parking 17 replies 189 views

Aus

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.

Umkomaas

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.

Coupon-mad

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).

Aus

There was no appeal option with the letter. It was badly printed etc so looked like a scam

Coupon-mad

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'.

Aus

No the address was right 

Aus

Having trouble negotiating this site! Can't find the Newbies thread.

KeithP

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

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

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. 

Grizebeck

Never pay them. Foolish
It was never going to court