UKPC PCN and loading baggage in hotel

EddieCables

Hello, I was advised to ask for help here.

I tell the story from beginning. Me and my family, total of 7 people, flew to UK from Europe (we are foreigners, I apologize for not-so-great english in advance). We arrived at London Stansted at midnight, took Uber to De Salis hotel and stayed the night here. In the morning, 4 of us went to Greenmotion Car rental to rent 2 cars, one in my name and second on my Father-in-laws name. Rest of our group packed the baggage and checked out. We arrived at hotel, put baggage in cars, discussed where we will drive next and left.
To our surprise, me and FIL got email from Fleetworks/Envirocar Hire Ltd, which is parent company of Greenmotion from what I've found, that we have PCN from UKPC and we have to pay 68 GBP as (outrageous) admin fee to Envirocar Hire. They also gave info about driver to UKPC, but they wrote my surname with mistake.
When I looked up how much do I have to pay for PCN on UKPC website on monday (we got email on monday), it said 60 GBP, now it says 100 GBP. I don't know why it went up, since it isn't 14 days from letting us know about PCN and also it was long over 14 days from Parking Charge Date when I looked it up on monday.
FIL reference number on UKPC doesn't even work, it still says "Invalid reference number and vehicle registration mark combination. Please try again." so he can't even pay or make an appeal.

What should we do? Try to contact De Salis hotel as this is a mistake and we were just loading car? Can they cancel the UKPC ticket? We even should have 1 night free parking, but since we rented car in the morning we didn't even think about telling cars registration marks to reception.

Should we make an appeal on UKPC, stating that it's a mistake? What about FILs invalid numbers on lookup website? Write them an email that we can't even use their appeal/pay website?

Greenmotion has that 68GBP admin fee in T&C, so I guess that's non-negotiable, but would even something happen to us if we didn't pay it since we are EU citizens? Same applies for UKPCs PCN, could they even enforce it on us?

Thanks everyone for tips and help, it's much appreciated.

Coupon-mad

Yes the Hotel can probably cancel the two private PCNs, so try that first.

If not, appeal the PCNs now, one by one and (because you live abroad) admit to DRIVING (i.e. you appeal your one and FIL appeals his one).

Give your address at your home country.

Then IGNORE UKPC AND ANY LETTERS SENT.  This isn't a fine and you are safe to ignore these.

But appeal once, to make sure UKPC know who was driving.

This stops them sending a demand to the hire company again. 

Let us know if the Hotel cancel these.

YankeeBrit

EddieCables said:

Hello, I was advised to ask for help here.

I tell the story from beginning. Me and my family, total of 7 people, flew to UK from Europe (we are foreigners, I apologize for not-so-great english in advance). We arrived at London Stansted at midnight, took Uber to De Salis hotel and stayed the night here. In the morning, 4 of us went to Greenmotion Car rental to rent 2 cars, one in my name and second on my Father-in-laws name. Rest of our group packed the baggage and checked out. We arrived at hotel, put baggage in cars, discussed where we will drive next and left.
To our surprise, me and FIL got email from Fleetworks/Envirocar Hire Ltd, which is parent company of Greenmotion from what I've found, that we have PCN from UKPC and we have to pay 68 GBP as (outrageous) admin fee to Envirocar Hire. They also gave info about driver to UKPC, but they wrote my surname with mistake.
When I looked up how much do I have to pay for PCN on UKPC website on monday (we got email on monday), it said 60 GBP, now it says 100 GBP. I don't know why it went up, since it isn't 14 days from letting us know about PCN and also it was long over 14 days from Parking Charge Date when I looked it up on monday.
FIL reference number on UKPC doesn't even work, it still says "Invalid reference number and vehicle registration mark combination. Please try again." so he can't even pay or make an appeal.

What should we do? Try to contact De Salis hotel as this is a mistake and we were just loading car? Can they cancel the UKPC ticket? We even should have 1 night free parking, but since we rented car in the morning we didn't even think about telling cars registration marks to reception.

Should we make an appeal on UKPC, stating that it's a mistake? What about FILs invalid numbers on lookup website? Write them an email that we can't even use their appeal/pay website?

Greenmotion has that 68GBP admin fee in T&C, so I guess that's non-negotiable, but would even something happen to us if we didn't pay it since we are EU citizens? Same applies for UKPCs PCN, could they even enforce it on us?

Thanks everyone for tips and help, it's much appreciated.

Welcome. Firstly, are you sure that the admin fee you stated in the hire Ts & Cs is correct? You have not recieved any "fine" or "penalty". Most hire agreements only refer to "fines" or "penalties" from "authorities" or the "police". What you were issued were speculative invoices from an unregulated private parking company. If you have been charged an admin fee by the hire company and there is no mention of private invoices, you are within your rights to tell your credit card company to put a hold on that charge as it is in dispute. Explain to the credit card company why you dispute the charge and leave it to them to investigate.

Regarding the PCN from UKPC, you should first complain to the hotel and ask them to get the PCN cancelled.

As to UKPC ever being able to collect on their PCN... not a chance. You can write to them and inform them that as you are not a UK resident, they are free to try and chase you in your home country... which they would never do.

If the hire company has followed the correct procedure and transferred liability to you, at your foreign home address, then you can safely ignore anything that you receive from UKPC, their debt collector numpties DCBLtd or their solicitors, DCB Legal.

EddieCables

I wrote to hotel, we'll see how it goes.

For Greenmotion, this is stated on their website

Fines, Penalties and Administration Charges
It is the responsibility of each hirer to cover the cost of any parking fines and traffic violations. When fines or traffic violations occur and a Green Motion location is involved in administering the charge, then an administration fee of 68 GBP per fine received will be charged to the hirer. This is a non-waiverable fee.

And this was in rental contract

An additional charge will occur if the vehicle is returned late or not at the agreed location.
Each traffic violations/PCN’s/Parking Charge Notices are subject to management fees of £68.00
including VAT

Coupon-mad

A private parking charge is not a 'fine' or a traffic violation.

My advice above is what to do.

You must respond to make sure UKPC know who was driving.  This stops them sending a demand to the hire company again.

Let us know if the Hotel cancel these BUT YOU WON'T BE PAYING.

EddieCables

Okay, we'll wait for hotel response and if they won't respond, we will appeals as drivers with EU address.
What about that 68 GBP Greenmotion administration fee? Should we pay it? I know it's a speculative invoice, but is it covered with "Parking Charge Notice" in rental contract? Could they pursue us in EU or are they out of luck with enforcing, same as UKPC?

fisherjim

A Parking Charge Notice is not a fine or a traffic violation it is as previously explained a speculative invoice, the private parking company that sent it secretly want people to think it is a fine but it isn't.

If I sent the hire company an invoice because I advised you on this incident would they pay it no, but it just makes it easy for them to lump any parking charges together under the same heading because they are lazy, and make money out of you in admin fees that's all.

They couldn't pursue you if you lived in Northern Island or Scotland so they sure as eggs is eggs won't get to you in Europe don't lose sleep over that.