a trouble with a car park operator's notice

7Kristian

I apologize at the very beginning for a rather long post but I thought it will be betetr to describe the situation complexly.

 

In June I received a parking charge from a private operater running a car park for a council with an ANPR  technology.

I received a letter from them after I just left for my holiday. I returned 2 weeks later only to find that letter waiting for me after 14 days discounted rate period expired.

The company gives you an opportunity to appeal a charge via their website . I decided it’s worth trying. I did so on the 22nd of June.

You are instructed not to pay a charge untill you receive a decision on the appeal. they will respond to you IN WRITTING  within 35 days.  So I did not pay anything and was checking my post.

 

On the 1st of April I received a letter from a debt collection company acting on behalf of the car park operator. The charge is of course nicely inflated now.

 

I thought what the hell  as I was still waiting for the letter  about the appeal‘s outcome .

I went through my emails and I found out that they replied only 2 days later on the 24th of June by an email ( it was a NO, what else ). 

This email  unfortunately  ended up in my spam folder which I check only here and there so I was not aware of it.

The car park operator website is all automated. When I tried to fill my charge number into their website form it was not found.  No phone number to reach a real person.

So...

If the operator states in their T&C’s  that they will respond in writting  how does an email reply stands in the light of it?

Just to clarify I do not dispute the initial charge. I am willing to pay for it. 

Any thoughts what is the best way to go forward now?

Coupon-mad

Which PPC?

Which toothless debt crawler?

Umkomaas

In June I received a parking charge from a private operater running a car park for a council with an ANPR  technology.

Which council and at which location please?  Could you link us to Google Street View of the location?

YankeeBrit

What was the PCN for? If you're so sure you're liable to pay the speculative invoice for an alleged breach of contract from an unregulated private parking company, why are you here? It was not the PPCs fault that you were away when the PCN arrived and so missed their deadline to appeal.

If you think that the PCN was issued unfairly, then that is a different matter but bumbling along like a gullible victim announcing that you are liable for the speculative invoice isn't the attitude to take.

Have you read the Newbies/FAQ thread?

fisherjim

In June I received a parking charge from a private operater running a car park for a council with an ANPR  technology.

Where is this car park exactly?

Councils are not allowed to use a PPC and ANPR in their car parks are you sure it is council owned?

7Kristian

Hi

thank you all for your comments.

I was parked at The St Michael’s Mount and Long Stay Marazion car park in Cornwall. I believed it is a council land because I was parked a bit further down the road in a council car park earlier on the day. But I WAS WRONG. 

I googled it out. The place is under National trust/ St. Aubyns estate management. I apologize for providing you with a false and  misleading info. The car park operator is Initial parking ltd.

RE YankeeBrit

What I was asking about was the fact that this company states that it will respond to your appeal in writting.

If you type this in Google searchbox you will be provided with this asnwer.

In writting : idiom. in the form of a document, printed or written on paper.

I was not sent a letter. . I was instead sent an email which ended up in my spam folder and I missed a deadline for for the payment as a consequence.

My chances if I decide to challenge the outcome on this ground ?( deadline for the payment missed so now there's a debt recovery company letter).

KeithP

7Kristian said:

...deadline for the payment missed so now there's a debt recovery company letter.

The fourth post of the NEWBIES thread explains exactly how to deal with debt collector's letters, but to summarise that post - ignore them.

fisherjim

I would stop wittering on about getting a reply in letter form (please note there's only one t in writing) you appealed on line you should expect a reply on line.

I know spam folders are annoying sometimes but you have to check and clear through them it's a fact of life you didn't and missed it move on.

You are now a debt collection stage they will bombard you with rubbish which you can file away and ignore they are liars and muggers, but can't do diddly squat.

The debt crawlers have added on a silly figure which you should not pay so do not contact them they will only insult you and try to make you cave in.

Don't ignore any court papers though if any should arrive!

This is a honeytrap car park that has figured on here before, with confusing signage.

What was the accusation that Initial came up with, by going off on a tangent about wanting a written reply you haven't told us?

Coupon-mad

Good point. What was this fake PCN for?