Parking fine from ZZPS

abrad343

Bit of a strange one. I got a car out on finance in my name for my ex partner, insurance was in their name however I was the registered owner of the vehicle. The car has since gone but i've had multiple letters through the door from ZZPS in regards to a parking fine from back in February 2023 as my ex partner parked in a disabled parking bay.

They have non stop contacted me and I have actually set up a payment plan however they've been back in touch today saying that there is a second fine from 3 days later in the same place that I also need to pay and asking me to pay the £170 parking charge or they will take further action.

Is there anything that they can do if I don't pay the fine?

I know that it seems logical to set up another direct debit for the second fine but I simply can't afford it. I have been left in a lot of debt from my ex partner and I have paid a lot out in fines already.

All help or comments welcome

LDast

No "fine". You set up a payment plan? Now marked as a "mug" and no wonder you are receiving more scams.

Never, ever, ever, EVER communicate with useless debt collector. They are powerless and only hope they have hooked some low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree that will know no better.

What you should have done is read the Newbies/FAQ thread and then ignored ZZPS. Bit late now if you've "set up a payment plan" for the first PCN.

Gr1pr

Zzps are debt collectors,  not a private parking company,  so a private parking company must have issued the actual pcn originally, the client of zzps 

Zzps are just powerless debt collectors that should be ignored,  as people have been advised to do in the following thread 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6582020/direct-collection-bailiffs#latest

abrad343

@LDast Honestly wish I would've read or even googled this company before setting up a payment plan, I saw the red writing of 'FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN' and panicked. 

What would you suggest doing with the second fine now? Will I now be expected to pay it?

Gr1pr

There is no fine 

Open another thread about the second invoice and give the details like the parking company and what the letters are claiming 

Nobody should be paying debt collectors 

LDast

You ignore the second letter from ZZPS. Stop calling it a "fine". I will personally pay you £100 for every occurrence of the word "fine" you can show me in any of the correspondence over this.

Which unregulated private parking company (PPC) are ZZPS acting for? It is because that PPC issued a speculative invoice for an alleged breach of contract by the driver and you either didn't receive it or or ignored it that they have now tried to use a useless bunch of scumbags like ZZPS (or their sister company GCTT) to try and mug you again.

You read the Newbiers/FAQ thread and when you receive a Letter of Claim (LoC) you re-read that thread and respond as advised there.

abrad343

ZZPS are acting for their client 'Smart Parking Limited'. 
This is the details of the letter:
Contravention date - 22 Feb 2023
Parking charge amount - £100
Administration fee - £170

"We have previously written to you requesting payment of the balance noted above. You have chosen to ignore our attempts to resolve this and therefore, left with no alternative, we will pass this case to GCTT Certificated Enforcement Agents unless you contact us within seven days to pay the amount outstanding or agree to a suitable repayment plan.
This is your final opportunity to clear this account before there is an escalation in recovery action. In the absence of any communication from you, we will pass this matter to GCTT Certificated Enforcement Agents, we urge you to contact our offices immediately."

Gr1pr

abrad343 said:

ZZPS are acting for their client 'Smart Parking Limited'. 

This is the details of the letter:
Contravention date - 22 Feb 2023
Parking charge amount - £100
Administration fee - £170

"We have previously written to you requesting payment of the balance noted above. You have chosen to ignore our attempts to resolve this and therefore, left with no alternative, we will pass this case to GCTT Certificated Enforcement Agents unless you contact us within seven days to pay the amount outstanding or agree to a suitable repayment plan.
This is your final opportunity to clear this account before there is an escalation in recovery action. In the absence of any communication from you, we will pass this matter to GCTT Certificated Enforcement Agents, we urge you to contact our offices immediately."

Simply ignore them both,  nothing will happen 

abrad343

Thanks for all your help.

I've just read the NEWBIES thread. Really insightful.

My only downfall is that of course I've been in contact with these vultures, I've rang them to discuss the debt and for the first fine I've set up a direct debit which I will continue paying.

Am I actually ok to ignore them after already being in contact with them though? As all of the advice says 'DO NOT RING THEM' but I already have made this mistake and in fact agreed to pay the first fine.

Sorry, I'm just not used to any of this and I just want to make sure that I'm doing things properly

LDast

I'm not sure what kind of agreement you signed with ZZPS but you may have admitted liability for the debt by agreeing to pay it. Personally, I'd cancel the DD and let them try and sue for the alleged debt.

As for the second one, as already advised, ignore it and come back if/when you receive an LoC or an N1SDT Claim Form through the CNBC.

No one here pays (not so) Smart Parking. Cancel the direct debit with the bank to stop any further payments. Write to ZZPS to say you no longer agree to pay and dispute the debt because you now understand it is invalid. Ignore any further letters from them as they cannot enforce payment without a court order.

If (not so) Smart tries to take legal action, you can defend easily because the Keeper cannot be held liable and even if they were really so intellectually malnourished as to issue a claim, it wold be discontinued anyway.

Le_Kirk

abrad343 said:

Bit of a strange one. I got a car out on finance in my name for my ex partner, insurance was in their name however I was the registered owner of the vehicle. The car has since gone but i've had multiple letters through the door from ZZPS in regards to a parking fine from back in February 2023 as my ex partner parked in a disabled parking bay.

No such thing, did you mean Registered Keeper?  You say car long since gone; did you sell it and transfer the RK to the buyer?  For the recent PCN and, if you get any more PCNs just transfer the liability to the driver - presumably your ex-partner.