Regent Parking - SolutionsLabs parking charge - £160 Debt Collector called me, please help?!

lamarshudubuly

I received a ticket from Regent Parking stating that "No valid parking payment found" in Queensway and I am liable to £60 on 08/04/2023 at 16:19:38. The letter has Parking Charge Notice to registered keeper from SolutionsLabs. I was parked

The reason I parked there was because I went to go help and pick up my brother and his autistic son, who was having a HUGE meltdown at the time and could not calm down and I have a special bond with him, so I parked at the closest place I could find to help him and his son. I was by my car at all times for no longer than 10-15 minutes to get everything sorted and then went on my way after sorting this out. I appealed the initial ticket with this reasoning, explaining that this was the case and that it was an emergency.

They replied to me on 28th of April, rejecting my appeal, stating the following:

"Thank you for your appeal against the above Parking Charge Notice ('PCN') which has been carefully considered, however, on this occasion,the appeal

has been rejected for the reason(s) detailed below: We have reviewed this PCN appeal with consideration and on this occasion, the appeal was unsuccessful because of the following:

We have reviewed this PCN appeal with consideration and on this occasion, the appeal was unsuccessful because of the following reasons;
- The vehicle entered and remained on the private land without valid payment via tap2park on arrival.
- The site is sufficiently signed with T&C's clearly detailed throughout the private land/car park/site including large entry signs.
- The driver failed to acknowledge the parking T&C signs.
- The vehicle was allowed sufficient consideration time.
- The vehicle remained on-site in excess of the grace time.
- PCN was issued correctly. - Disabled blue badge holders are not exempt from T&C's at any time.
- Delivery vehicles are not exempt from parking T&C and payment requirements at any time.
- The private land holds no special arrangements with neighbouring properties, buildings, or businesses.
- There is strictly no loading, no waiting, or stopping at this private land.

You have now reached the end of our internal appeals procedure and you now have two options (you cannot do both): You can pay the amount due of £100.00 within 28 days or you can appeal to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS) if you believe this decision is incorrect."

Unfortunately, in recent times my mother has passed away and I have had to cater to family needs and travelling back home to deal with the mourning and loss of my mother and arrange funeral plans, because of this I did not see this correspondence from them and was unable to reply and deal in the appropriate manner. I understand I should have been more capable and replied but I have been dealing with a lot of stress and life problems.

Today, as of 8th June, 2023, I received a call from UCS, UK Debt Recovery in the morning, stating that I owe £160 and I need to pay. I can no longer appeal as it has been over the time limit but on the phone he said that I can appeal through 'IAS Non-standard Appeal' which is £15 for an appeal? I mean seriously? I am really stressed and not sure what to do, so please please,  I would GREATLY appreciate any help I can get.

Fruitcake

Do not touch the IAS non-standard appeal with an 11ft bargepole (well you wouldn't want to touch it with the ten foot version). If you pay the £15 charge for this you are guaranteed not only to lose, but to be bound by the decision.
For the avoidance of doubt, DO NOT USE THE IAS NON-STANDARD APPEAL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
Ignore powerless debt collectors and block their number.

Plan A is always a complaint to the landowner and your MP.

Other than that, ignore anything and everything from now on unless you get a real letter before/of claim or a court claim. Come back here if that happens.
Meanwhile, get photos of the site and signage, and look up Jopson v Homeguard, case number B9GF0A9E, where the judge stated that attending to a vicissitude of some short duration is not parking. This was an appeal case so is persuasive on the lower courts should the PPC decide to bring a court claim within 6 years.
In my opinion. attending to a person with mental problems would not only count as a vicissitude of some small duration, it is also covered by the Equality Act 2010.

If you move home in that time, send a rectification notice to the DPO of the PPC instructing them to erase your data and replace it with your new address for service.
Make sure to use the word I have highlighted.

B789

Absolutely do NOT pay them a penny and ignore the IAS as they are partners with the scammers. You are now in a limbo stage. Block the number of the debt collector. They have absolutely no powers or rights to do anything about your PCN. They are a third party with no relevance in any alleged contract breach between you and the PPC.

They will continue to send you letters which threaten all sorts of nasty stuff like CCJs and bailiffs. They are powerless to do anything and these letters are just designed to scare gullible victims into pooping their pants and paying up. Ignore them.

Eventually, you may get a Letter of Claim (LoC) from the PPC or a scamming firm of solicitors on their behalf. If you do get one of those then it is time to do something about it. It is all explained in the Newbies/FAQ thread which you must read and keep referring back to as it is your go-to thread whenever you have any questions about this.

Please make sure you block the number used by the debt collectors. They have no power to do anything and their only reason for being involved is because the unregulated private parking company has been offered their services on a no-win, no-fee basis and they have added unallowed extra costs. Ignore them. Do not respond to anything you receive from any debt collector.

lamarshudubuly

@Fruitcake, dude thank you so much for your reply. Do you know how I can find the landowner and a contact for them, and also MP, what does that mean and what exactly can I say to them regarding the matter. NGL, the debt collector call at 8:25AM this morning did have me shook, but thanks for that, I greatly appreciate it. 

Grizebeck

This firm dont sue so just move on with your life. Ignore any more calls etc

B789

I repeat... BLOCK their number and be done with them.

lamarshudubuly

@B789, thanks so much for your replies. I guess I am just abit anxious to do that as what if this escalates and I get taken to court and I am just very stressed out! 

patient_dream

Today, as of 8th June, 2023, I received a call from UCS, UK Debt Recovery in the morning, stating that I owe £160 and I need to pay. I can no longer appeal as it has been over the time limit but on the phone he said that I can appeal through 'IAS Non-standard Appeal' which is £15 for an appeal? I mean seriously? I am really stressed and not sure what to do, so please please,  I would GREATLY appreciate any help I can get.

If UCS contact you again, tell them TO DO ONE, THEY ARE 100% POWERLESS.
Just money scammers who are faking it by adding £60

And the IPC non standard appeal is just another scam invented by rogue traders who are overdue a spell in HM Hotel

Now you follow the experts on here so no need to get stressed.

IGNORE UCS ..... TOTAL CLOWNS who cannot do anything

patient_dream

lamarshudubuly said:

@B789, thanks so much for your replies. I guess I am just abit anxious to do that as what if this escalates and I get taken to court and I am just very stressed out! 

UCS cannot take you to court, only the PPC can do that
These debt collectors are only money scammers

Grizebeck

You have already been told they dont do court

B789

lamarshudubuly said:

@B789, thanks so much for your replies. I guess I am just abit anxious to do that as what if this escalates and I get taken to court and I am just very stressed out! 

I don't know how else we can "de-stress" you. You have posted here and you have been told that the debt collectors, any debt collectors, are powerless to take you to court or do anything whatsoever other than try to contact you and threaten you into submission with idle threats that we have assured you are nothing to be worried about.

You are in the middle of a scam and you are sounding like a gullible victim about to capitulate and pay them. You have been assured with advice about what to do. Listen to that advice, please.

Consider it a life-learning experience and enjoy the knowledge that they are wasting their time and will eventually go looking for a more gullible victim to scam.