PCN from PPM at rental residence

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Hey everyone, newbie here - very grateful for the amount of time and effort that has been put into this resource!

My partner owns the car we use, with me being an additional driver listed on the insurance. We live in an apartment block with underground parking for residents. Permits must be displayed.

During a holiday in March, our permit came unstuck from the windscreen, falling into the footwell. We arrived home to a Parking Charge Notice from Parking & Property Management LTD informing us that due to no visible permit, we had contravened their parking rules.

We contested this charge, citing that we were residents, including proof of our council tax bill and showing our parking permit (that has been on display in the car since September). This appeal was rejected, with the charge increasing from £60 to £100.

The initial letter is headed as the 12th of March, the increase in charge came on 26th of April and we've now (26th June) been contacted by bwlegal to collect on behalf of Parking and Property Management Ltd, with the charge now being £160.

I have seen other posters that have suggested sending a note directly to bwlegal to question where they have the right to charge an additional £60, but unsure at this point if that's the correct move for us.

Any additional guidance would be greatly appreciated - many thanks in advance.

Brie

Have you talked to the freeholders/management company that have hired the parking company to police the place for them?  They should be able to get the charge rescinded.

Half_way

why must permits be displayed? 
is this your parking space? 
what does your lease say about the use is the parking space (ignore everything on any signs and anything on any permit)

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Brie said:

Have you talked to the freeholders/management company that have hired the parking company to police the place for them?  They should be able to get the charge rescinded.

Yes we spoke with the management company and they were of no use, referring us back to the parking management group instead. Essentially they said there was nothing they could do, annoyingly.

Coupon-mad

Why did residents agree to this unwanted and unnecessary scam?  I'd never live anywhere that had a private parking firm infesting it.

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Half_way said:

why must permits be displayed? 
is this your parking space? 
what does your lease say about the use is the parking space (ignore everything on any signs and anything on any permit)

We were issued a permit by our landlady upon moving in to comply with the parking requirements in the tenants' underground car park - there is signage down there but I don't have a photo to hand, so I will come back with that tomorrow.

Meanwhile, here is the extent of the lease content on parking:

15. Car Parking Space

15.1. To allow private vehicle(s) only to be parked at the Property in the space, garage or driveway if applicable

allocated to the Property.

15.2. To ensure that any garage, driveway, or parking space is kept free of oil and other fluids and to pay for the

removal and cleaning of any spillage caused by a vehicle belonging to the Tenant, his family, contractors or visitors;

15.3. To arrange for all vehicles belonging to the Tenant, his family, or any visitors to be removed from the Property

at the end of the Tenancy;

15.4. To ensure that no vehicles that are not in a road worthy condition are parked at the Property and that all

vehicles are fully taxed.

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Coupon-mad said:

Why did residents agree to this unwanted and unnecessary scam?  I'd never live anywhere that had a private parking firm infesting it.

I've no idea, it's terrible. We were not aware that the car park was operated by a private parking firm - only that tenants were provided with parking allocation upon moving in. I've raised this issue with the landlady but there doesn't seem to be much in the way of desire to appeal amongst the apartment owners.

Coupon-mad

When my son looked at flats in London earlier this year, he and his gf checked the parking area and walked away from four sites that had scammer signs up. They also told the agents why. 

Always check.  You can't live like this.

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Coupon-mad said:

When my son looked at flats in London earlier this year, he and his gf checked the parking area and walked away from four sites that had scammer signs up. They also told the agents why. 

Always check.  You can't live like this.

Yes I don't blame them - unfortunately our circumstances meant we had to opt for this residency.

Going back to the issue with the bwlegal notice, I'm struggling to work out what part of the newbie plan I'm at / whether I have a reasonable enough case if they pushed for court / whether it would even get to that point if I just ignore their latest letter.

Any thoughts?

Coupon-mad

If it's not a LBC, totally ignore it.

  

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Coupon-mad said:

If it's not a LBC, totally ignore it.

  

Excuse my ignorance, what does LBC stand for?
Also, I've seen other threads that got in touch with bwlegal and demanded them to provide evidence of the legal authority for increasing the charge - what's the general consensus on that?