Tesco Swansea - Non validation - Anyone know the landowner? Debt Recovery Plus Pay Now

illustriousEndeavour

Hi there,

I stayed at Tesco Swansea and was within the free time but forgot to validate my parking. Unfortunately I waited too long before doing anything any only sent the template letter to Apcoa parking on 10th April.

Does anyone know the landowner for Tesco Swansea? 

I realise the advice is not to pay at the debt recovery letter stage however if I'm unable to find the landowner I may just end up paying. A court case and a potential day off work is worth more to me than the scam charge (and perhaps I can wangle them lower). 

illustriousEndeavour

Just to add, this was for the Swansea Marina Superstore

Coupon-mad

 But no-one pays APCOA.  They never sue.  You will never pay a penny & can ignore them. 

illustriousEndeavour

Coupon-mad said:

 But no-one pays APCOA.  They never sue.  You will never pay a penny & can ignore them. 

Interesting thanks. But is there a risk that they may change this stance and a few years down the line (when I've moved house) I might miss a court summons?

KeithP

illustriousEndeavour said:

Coupon-mad said:

 But no-one pays APCOA.  They never sue.  You will never pay a penny & can ignore them. 

...is there a risk that they may change this stance and a few years down the line (when I've moved house) I might miss a court summons?

Yes that is a risk.

Why not go into the store armed with recent receipts and ask Customer Services to get the thing cancelled?
It may work. It may not, but what have you lost?

illustriousEndeavour

KeithP said:

illustriousEndeavour said:

Coupon-mad said:

 But no-one pays APCOA.  They never sue.  You will never pay a penny & can ignore them. 

...is there a risk that they may change this stance and a few years down the line (when I've moved house) I might miss a court summons?

Yes that is a risk.

Why not go into the store armed with recent receipts and ask Customer Services to get the thing cancelled?
It may work. It may not, but what have you lost?

Thanks, yeah I may go and ask at customer services. The issue on this particular occasion is that I parked there with (I think) because I thought no validation was required under two hours. I can't really remember now. I didn't buy anything on the day.

The risk of a potential CCJ down the line is too great (and the hassle of sending continual address changes when I move) so if customer services can't do anything I may just have to see if DRP can offer me a reduced charge.

Coupon-mad

No you won't be doing that.  There is no CCJ risk because if you move house you simply tell APCOA.

Zero risk.

Umkomaas

Of any parking charge in the world, APCOA is the one to have. DRP won't negotiate' with you. Do not phone them, they will shock you with their tactics to get you to pay them in full. They do this every day, their day job. Do not walk into the lion's den!  Most of all, do not pay anyone!

APCOA have never issued court proceedings; they are vanishingly unlikely to pop their cherry on you. Sleep easy.

fisherjim

illustriousEndeavour said:

Coupon-mad said:

 But no-one pays APCOA.  They never sue.  You will never pay a penny & can ignore them. 

Interesting thanks. But is there a risk that they may change this stance and a few years down the line (when I've moved house) I might miss a court summons?

You really think they are going to change their stance and trawl back over thousands and thousands of invoices and find you to take to court?

I any case they don't tend to use The PoFA so unless they don't know who the driver was they are stuffed, they are a lazy company that just make the usual threats but get all tied up with the wording which looks like they know what they are doing to Joe Public but it's all bluff.

Looking at GSV dated June 2024 the signage in that car park is totally useless anyway if it was still the same on the day of your visit, it looks incapable of holding anyone to a contract.

As for Debt Recovery Plus just look at that pathetic schoolkids project letter, why on earth would you pay these docile dimweeds because they threaten you with nothing and add on an unrecoverable fee, added to which you don't actually have a "debt" anyway only a speculative invoice.

If it makes you at ease pay it but you came here for advice from seasoned experts that would just file it and ignore.

As for the landowner it seems to be Tesco and they introduced the parking system to stop people going to the beach or City Centre they have the power to cancel the charges, whether they will now it's been left so long is questionable, APCOA will bleat about it going to debt collectors it's too late.

illustriousEndeavour

Coupon-mad said:

No you won't be doing that.  There is no CCJ risk because if you move house you simply tell APCOA.

Zero risk.

Thanks, although due to the amount I move this is just another thing to remember so I may just have to cough up. Gives me peace of mind that I don't have to remember to make a gdpr request each time.

Umkomaas

illustriousEndeavour said:

Coupon-mad said:

No you won't be doing that.  There is no CCJ risk because if you move house you simply tell APCOA.

Zero risk.

Thanks, although due to the amount I move this is just another thing to remember so I may just have to cough up. Gives me peace of mind that I don't have to remember to make a gdpr request each time.

How many times are you going to move in the next 6 years?  Do you have parents/relatives permanently settled in your current area? You could use their address on your first move, then get them to forward any correspondence to you. Much easier method than writing out a wholly unnecessary cheque!