Parking Charge - Service Station

1505grandad

Per POPLA  Annual Report 2022 page 8:-

https://issuu.com/ombudsman-services1/docs/popla_annual_report_2022

Umkomaas

"But that leaves over 50% of cases where we cannot cancel cases we perceive to be unfair."

1. Impotent
2. Weak
3. No spine
4. Lily-livered
5. Blind eye to the scam
6. Not up to the job
7. PPCs give less than half regard for the view of POPLA. 

What an admission to confirm an unfitness for purpose. 

revolver

Yes, he did reveal his identity.

Coupon-mad

revolver said:

I think the moral of the tale for my son is, read the signs and comply with what it says.  It clearly stated that to stay longer than 2 hours he'd have to pay £26.

I hope he hasn't paid? The above situation is an easy case to defend.

From a personal POV I wouldn't allow(!) one of my 'kids' to pay a private parking firm ... and they wouldn't!  There's nothing to be concerned about and it is better to fight back against scams.

Defendants don't get a CCJ for defending a small claim, not even if the person loses (because they'd pay).  No CCJ.

revolver

He hasn't paid yet but he's probably going to. It's not that easy though is it? 

His appeal was rejected. He could appeal to POPLA but by their own admission, in cases where they agree it's unfair because of mitigating circumstances, only 50% of appeals succeed. Also, it takes 6-8 weeks for a POPLA appeal to reach a conclusion during which time, the charge increases.

Ultimately, they could take him to court. He doesn't want that hassle and if he lost he'd have court costs and a judgement against him.

KeithP

revolver said:

His appeal was rejected. He could appeal to POPLA but by their own admission, in cases where they agree it's unfair because of mitigating circumstances, only 50% of appeals succeed. Also, it takes 6-8 weeks for a POPLA appeal to reach a conclusion during which time, the charge increases.

Does the charge increase 'during that time'?
I didn't know that.

revolver said:

Ultimately, they could take him to court. He doesn't want that hassle and if he lost he'd have court costs and a judgement against him.

I just wrote a lengthy reply but then thought... why bother.


Tell your son to just pay up. Is he going to pay everyone who sends him a speculative invoice?
If so, what's his name and address? I'll send him one.

Coupon-mad

I hear you - and we have more in common than you might think, with our intelligent, working kids and our own work backgrounds. 

My 'kids' are in their twenties (I also have a son of 22) and none of them live at home, all are independent but as their Mum, I would always advise them if they asked me about something where I have life experience, just as you are helping your son.  I was being a bit flippant when I said I wouldn't 'let' them pay - but in fact they know I would go mad!

We do try to stop posters from paying a scam unnecessarily, which is what MSE is all about.  I would stop my own family, just the same as I advise you not to pay this.

I also stop older adults in my family from paying these scams and two of them are at the same stage as your son. One got a LBC as long ago as 2021 and no claim!  They did send a pretty robust response so maybe it did the trick but if not, they can defend a claim and none of them have court experience.

Defence is pretty easy; we provide a Template Defence which wins 99% of the time, and the Government is stepping in to regulate the rogue industry with an update from the DLUHC due imminently.

We are hoping in their final analysis, the Ministers reiterate what they said last year, that the charges were 'extorting money from motorists'.

So IMHO, there couldn't be a better time to advise your son to sit tight and not pay a scam private PCN.

Trainerman

revolver said:

.................. and "fighting" perceived scams. And for the record, I used to work in a County Court so I know all about CCJs and my son got a first in Maths at uni and is now working for a top British company.  

Ok, so you are a bit miffed by some comments. Do not let that blind you to the fact that this is a real scam, perpetrated for the most part on people who do not have the knowledge or intestinal fortitude to resist. Consequentally,bullying and twisting the truth pay big dividends for the PPCs.

We need people such as you describe yourself and your son to be as part of fighting this sort of thing, not just capitulating quietly.

We would rather you joined us and fought them, not fight us !!