Alliance Parking - Not displaying Ticket

DRMANTISTOBOGGAN

Hi All

I’ve just received a parking charge notice from Alliance Parking suggesting ‘not displaying a valid ticket for inspection as the reason’. 

Luckily I still have the physical ticket and can confirm I’ve paid the right amount with the ticket and bank transaction from the paying for it. 

I also think the ticket is visible from the evidence they’ve supplied but can’t clearly make it out - maybe it was the wrong way round. 

I’ve appealed but on their FAQs section they suggest they will not cancel charges even if ticket/proof of payment can be provided because the fine is related to displaying the ticket not failure to pay. 

In another FAQ they also suggest that they have software that knows who has/hasn’t paid that matches reg number to ticket (reg number on my ticket was correct). 

These two points combined make it seem ludicrous that the charge was even issued but clearly nothing is beyond these companies. 

Obviously will wait for the outcome of the appeal but wondered if any had any experience/thoughts on this? 

Many thanks 

Le_Kirk

I can see something resembling a ticket on the dashboard, the only point might be that it was upside down or that it did not have the correct VRM printed on it.  Was the PDT the type that requires the VRM and is it correct and complete?  Even if it is upside down there is generally a serial number on the back that allows the PPC to check if it is genuine.

B789

Is there anything about PoFA 2012 on the back? Their warning paragraph is not PoFA compliant. Wen you appealed, did you reveal the identity of the driver? If so, you blew an easy win. Your best chance is now going to be the fact that they have quoted £100 rising to £170. I will. bet there is no mention of an additional £70 on the signs that formed the contract.

As you still have the ticket, you have plenty to go on. Did you also appeal to the IAS? Not that you'd have much chance of willing an appeal using their "independent" (not) appeals service.

Have a read of the Newbies/FAQ thread near the top of the forum. Keep referring back to that thread every time you have a question. It is your go-thread for reference.

Have you implemented Plan A? Contact the landowner or upper echelons of the place you were visiting to complain about the ticket and have you asked your MP to write to AP to complain about their unfair practices?

Is this the car park?: https://goo.gl/maps/Tmh2iw35FxXGHMMn9

DRMANTISTOBOGGAN

Yeah it was the type that requires VRM and it was correct and complete. 

The ticket being upside down is the only thing I can think of that would’ve caused them to take the picture but too small to make it out. 

Checked the back of the ticket and there is a small serial number on there so even harder to understand how the charge has been issued. 

B789

DRMANTISTOBOGGAN said:

Checked the back of the ticket and there is a small serial number on there so even harder to understand how the charge has been issued. 

You are the victim of a scam. Are you able to go back to the location and take a picture of the signage there?

Anyway, you "displayed" the ticket. Does it specifically say on the signs anything about which orientation the ticket must be displayed?

DRMANTISTOBOGGAN

B789 said:

Is there anything about PoFA 2012 on the back? Their warning paragraph is not PoFA compliant. Wen you appealed, did you reveal the identity of the driver? If so, you blew an easy win. Your best chance is now going to be the fact that they have quoted £100 rising to £170. I will. bet there is no mention of an additional £70 on the signs that formed the contract.

As you still have the ticket, you have plenty to go on. Did you also appeal to the IAS? Not that you'd have much chance of willing an appeal using their "independent" (not) appeals service.

Have a read of the Newbies/FAQ thread near the top of the forum. Keep referring back to that thread every time you have a question. It is your go-thread for reference.

Have you implemented Plan A? Contact the landowner or upper echelons of the place you were visiting to complain about the ticket and have you asked your MP to write to AP to complain about their unfair practices?

Is this the car park?: https://goo.gl/maps/Tmh2iw35FxXGHMMn9

Not that I can see no, picture attached. 

Thanks for the advice - initially the charge seemed so ridiculous given I had paid and displayed the right ticket and could prove it I just went along with their suggested appeals route. Reading some of the horror stories on here I’m now not so sure. 

I can’t return to the car park no, it was whilst on holiday in Cornwall (Perranporth Promenade car park) and I’m from the north.

B789

So, definitely not PoFA compliant. When you appealed, did you disclose the identity of the driver, inadvertently or otherwise? Saying things like "I parked..." or "I drove..." instead of things like "The driver parked..." etc. are examples of inadvertently disclosing the identity of the driver. The reason I ask is that the PCN is addressed to the RK. The RK can only be held liable for the PCN if it is PoFA compliant and the identity of the driver is unknown. If the driver's identity is known or has been revealed, PoFA does not apply.

DRMANTISTOBOGGAN

A further update to this;

I’ve heard back on the appeal and it turns out the ticket is displayed was somehow from a different car park used earlier in the week. 

Not exactly sure how this happened, I think it was windy on the day and must’ve gotten the two mixed up then displayed the wrong one in error. 

They’ve attached more pictures in reply to the appeal showing a close up of the displayed ticket and detailing how even though they know I was in possession of a valid ticket they will now accept £20 as a gesture of goodwill to settle it. 

I’m blown away by how shady all of this is but for £20 leaning towards just paying it to end the matter. 

Welcome any thoughts - appeal reply from them attached;

Umkomaas

I’m blown away by how shady all of this is but for £20 leaning towards just paying it to end the matter. 

A choice only you can make. But, to take this forward to a potentially winning position of paying them nothing, involves a lot of work to gain a workable knowledge of contract law, to likely dealing with harmless, but irritating debt collector letters, to possibly having to defend a county court claim against you in court. The PPC can instigate any part of the above at any time, and have six years to issue court proceedings against you.  You will never know when any of the above will land through your letterbox between now and 2029. 

If you do decide to pay the £20, make sure you mark the covering note 'In full and final settlement of (whatever their reference number is)'

Coupon-mad

Sadly I agree, pay the £20 to this notorious company: going by all accounts here and in newspapers - just Google them.

Horrendous bullyboy ex-clampers by all accounts; a particularly greedy IPC member who right-thinking ordinary motorists and MPs would probably say would not know the meaning of the word 'goodwill' even if you stamped it backwards on their foreheads so they had to read it every time they preened themselves in the mirror to gloat how much money they are currently trousering.

Then get your revenge by completing the final DLUHC public consultation to change the law.