Lost my NTK Letter - UKPC PCN sent through post

Serious8mnivore

Hi all.

 

This is my first ever post on a forum ever. I've trolled through the forum for the last few weeks trying to figure out what to do. Please don't shoot me.

A letter came through the post recently (mid January). It was from UKPC for an alleged contravention in Rom Valley Way Retail Park. The letter alleged that the keeper of the vehicle is responsible to pay £100 parking charge (reduced to £60 blah-de-blah..) as the "driver left site".

When looking through the photos, it just showed a picture of the car parked in the car park. There was no picture of the driver leaving or anything. When googling around, I came upon this forum and spent two weeks reading up on private parking charges and how they're invoices etc.

I have seen this retail park came up before on this forum, for a similar charge back in 2015 (Unfortunately, I don't think I can post links). I also read through multiple "driver left site" threads on the forum and have a good idea of what to expect.

However, when it came to enacting PLAN A, and possibly PLAN B, discovered that the letter had mysterious disappeared. It must have been accidentally disposed of somewhere. It seems as though its pointless to speak to the retailer (Aldi and B&M) to try and get the ticket cancelled if the reference number can't be produced. Trying to contact UKPC on the phone was a waste of time as their answering machine seems to have no option of getting through to a human. Then there were forum posts stating not to call phone lines of these companies to prevent them from getting more information about you. So just wondering if emailing them is an option. UKPC seem to have about 2 or 3 different websites, various email addresses, and even their physical address is actually just an unmonitored PO box, according to some members of this forum.

Is it correct to presume that the reference is necessary? Is PLAN A still possible without that? Anything else that needs mentioning here?

Thanks in advance for all of your helpful replies!

ChirpyChicken

Just await the final reminder which they will issue then deal with it.

Serious8mnivore

ChirpyChicken said:

Just await the final reminder which they will issue then deal with it.

Thanks for the reply! Its good to know they will send another letter. Do you know when to roughly expect it? And worst case scenarios if they don't send one before 28 days?

I'm assuming its probably best to have the appeal letter ready, for when the final reminder does arrive, as they'll probably not be much time to before the 28 day cutoff.

ChirpyChicken

It will come when it comes.

Coupon-mad

You could check your downloads from when you looked at the images online. Maybe one of them includes the PCN number.

Even if no reminder arrives, and instead you get daft threatograms, you will never pay this fake PCN.

Oh, alternatively:

...how about posting an appeal 1st class snail mail NOW, that gives your name, address and your VRM in the headings as well as the word APPEAL? Say you have seen no evidence that the driver left the site and you want a POPLA code.

Do not mention losing the NTK.

DO take the letter to a PO branch and ask for (and keep safe) a free 'Certificate of Posting'.

You should get a reply rejecting the appeal and that will give you a POPLA Code and the PCN ref that you will need.

If you don't get a reply & POPLA Code, then you can complain to the BPA because providing your name, address and your VRM in a written appeal is easily enough to identify your PCN file. 

Serious8mnivore

Coupon-mad said:

...how about posting an appeal 1st class snail mail NOW, that gives your name, address and your VRM in the headings as well as the word APPEAL? Say you have seen no evidence that the driver left the site and you want a POPLA code.

Thanks for that. Luckily my final reminder came through the post.

The Aldi store manager said they couldn't do anything, they don't own the land. So it seems I should be emailing the landowner (and my MP).

It seems that my likely route will therefore be to appeal to UKPC. And then POPLA.

Nellymoser

You may find this thread helpful 

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6583618/ive-written-to-my-mp

Please sign/share petition demanding re-launch of Govt-backed Parking Code 🙏

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/701453

Coupon-mad

Serious8mnivore said:

Coupon-mad said:

...how about posting an appeal 1st class snail mail NOW, that gives your name, address and your VRM in the headings as well as the word APPEAL? Say you have seen no evidence that the driver left the site and you want a POPLA code.

Thanks for that. Luckily my final reminder came through the post.

The Aldi store manager said they couldn't do anything, they don't own the land. So it seems I should be emailing the landowner (and my MP).

It seems that my likely route will therefore be to appeal to UKPC. And then POPLA.

Yep - and I already advised (and you quoted me) the point that will win it.

Serious8mnivore

Coupon-mad said:

Serious8mnivore said:

Coupon-mad said:

...how about posting an appeal 1st class snail mail NOW, that gives your name, address and your VRM in the headings as well as the word APPEAL? Say you have seen no evidence that the driver left the site and you want a POPLA code.

Thanks for that. Luckily my final reminder came through the post.

The Aldi store manager said they couldn't do anything, they don't own the land. So it seems I should be emailing the landowner (and my MP).

It seems that my likely route will therefore be to appeal to UKPC. And then POPLA.

Yep - and I already advised (and you quoted me) the point that will win it.

Yeah that's the main argument. Would it be worth also providing bank statements showing the driver has shopped regularly at that Aldi over the last few months, including on the day the PCN was issued?

Coupon-mad

Yes as long as you don't say you was driving.

Serious8mnivore

Hello there everyone, thanks for all the help from everyone so far. I submitted the appeal to UKPC.

Now one week later, I get a debt collection letter, stating that the fee has gone up because I haven't paid, that it is now too late to appeal, and that if I don't pay the increased amount within 7 days, a debt collection agency will be involved.

A bit frustrating that they seemed to just ignore the appeal. I'm just wondering what my next steps should be, as I don't have a POPLA code.

I don't have a confirmation email or anything like that to prove that I did appeal, because the form didn't mandate one (though there was an option). 

However, after I submitted the appeal, I tried to submit it again just to make sure that it hadn't failed first time, and the page effectively told me that my appeal had gone through. The exact words stated on the page were:

"This Parking Charge Notice is currently not eligible for appeal, due to the following reason:
Your charge is currently on hold and is under appeal investigation, should you have additional information, please send it to our postal address High Wycombe PO Box -PO Box 1608, High Wycombe, HP12 9FN."

I have a screenshot of the page containing this message, which also includes the reference number and the licence plate.

Now, I will also say, admittedly, the appeal was submitted on the 28th day (which was the last day to submit an appeal). However, the website accepted my appeal. The reason for the delay was because I wanted transaction statements to be included in the email as proof, and the driver's statements didn't become available on the last day (in fact not even on the last day, so there you go).

What are my options going forward? Should I contact them to obtain a POPLA code? I've tried calling them before, their phone line is just a pure answering machine and despite trying all the options I couldn't get through to a human.