ZZPS notice for parking charge: advice welcome

fishy2024

Hey, so I’ve read the newbies post thoroughly (and post #4 about ignoring debt collectors) as well as trawling through other posts on this subject; and I appreciate that is JUST ANOTHER POST about a parking charge and my case is virtually identical to this one - https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6448222/zzps-apcoa-use-of-private-car-park-without-making-a-valid-payment?utm_source=community-search&utm_medium=organic-search&utm_term=zzps+apcoa although nothing was ever said about follow-ups or where this actually ended. My specific key points below:

• RK didn’t receive the initial charge although the car was parked at said location (with photo evidence BUT not who’s driving). V5C is correct btw. 
• ZZPS have sent the below letter to me (2 months after the “initial” charge). This is the first I heard about the penalty.
• Not sure if it's relevant to this case but the RK recently paid a similar 'reduced' charge at the same location after receiving it from APCOA (due to lack of understanding of these things, and not wanting the stress of going through the motions over a £50 charge). 

Happy to give more info e.g. location if required (it's a station car park). This is the first and only communication received for this matter, received 2 months after the 'Issue date'.

Absolutely no plans on contacting the 'debt' collectors per the advice on the forum but the debate in my head currently is this…

(1) Paying it (which I don’t want to do ultimately almost as a stand against these people/cowboys but is the easy option) vs (2) ignoring it and not paying it with the eventual possibility that this ends up back at APCOA who then press ahead with court action at a later date (which I can’t be bothered with) so is this eventual possibility likely to become reality or am I overthinking it?? The last thing I want is a CCJ ending up against my name for the sake of £155.

Thank you in advance - I appreciate the level of input and work that goes into this part of the MSE forum. It’s outstanding. Thank you. 

Letter below:

ZZPS letter to registered keeper received xx-March-2024

Debt collection notice - £155 - debt unpaid

Our Client: APCOA PARKING UK (LTD)

Penalty notice amount due: £85

Administration fees: £70

Issue date: xx/03/2024

Offence: Use of private car park without making a valid payment

KeithP

Hello and welcome.

What is the date of the alleged parking event?

fishy2024

Hello. Thank you. 

Alleged parking event was in late January this year (2024). RK was actually expecting a charge to come through as realised after the event what had happened but nothing did. ZZPS then sent their debt collection letter through - approx 7 weeks between the alleged offence taking place and letter from ZZPS. 

Thank you in advance! 

fishy2024

Sorry just realised the issue date under the letter in original post was incorrect - apologies. It was late Jan (not March). 

Nellymoser

You may wish to support this.

So many people don't receive 1st and/or 2nd pcn but the £170 payment due letter often manages to drop through letter boxes. PPCs always claim discounted/full rate pcns/court claim letters were sent as dated though they offer no evidence to prove this.

Since they CHOOSE NOT to provide evidence of their posting we must continue to press gov to ensure they do and see it included in the new Parking CoP. Please sign/share @jmccabe petition closes 22nd june 2024.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/652355
Require communications from Private Parking companies to be traceable/trackable
Thank you

lily10

Just to give you some sort of reassurance - I have already posted my own situation (lily10) re a Penalty Notice received in a station car park last July.

I read loads of hugely helpful advice here and appealed to POPLA unsuccessfully; I've since received 4 debt collectors letters and been sent 2 solicitors letters via email (bizzarely password protected but having never received a password I have no idea what these even say!). The penalty notice has now timed out after 6 months. 

Throughout this whole process each time I have had a debt collector / solicitor communication I have had a slight wobble and returrned to this forum for the exemplary advice. I know now that APCOA cannot do anything as I have just stuck to the key point throughout to not name the driver. 

Just keep going and stick it out. 

Coupon-mad

lily10 said:

Just to give you some sort of reassurance - I have already posted my own situation (lily10) re a Penalty Notice received in a station car park last July.

I read loads of hugely helpful advice here and appealed to POPLA unsuccessfully; I've since received 4 debt collectors letters and been sent 2 solicitors letters via email (bizzarely password protected but having never received a password I have no idea what these even say!). The penalty notice has now timed out after 6 months. 

Throughout this whole process each time I have had a debt collector / solicitor communication I have had a slight wobble and returrned to this forum for the exemplary advice. I know now that APCOA cannot do anything as I have just stuck to the key point throughout to not name the driver. 

Just keep going and stick it out. 

Good reassuring post.

fishy2024

Thanks everyone! Much appreciated and lily10 this gives me some reassurance so appreciate that too.

Petition signed Nellymoser.

If this develops into anything more serious I will come back to this thread.

Thanks and regards!

fishy2024

Quick update to this thread … delighted to say APCOA have cancelled the PN following a review of the case (reason stated: I may not have been awarded the right to appeal..) 

RK 1 APCOA 0

Have a great weekend all  

Coupon-mad

Nice.  Did you send a complaint to APCOA?

fishy2024

No I did not. Just happened randomly, thankfully.