We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.

This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

IMPORTANT: Please make sure your posts do not contain any personally identifiable information (both your own and that of others). When uploading images, please take care that you have redacted all personal information including number plates, reference numbers and QR codes (which may reveal vehicle information when scanned).
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

Hx Car Park Management and Gladstones Solicitors Letter Before Claim but I never received a ticket!

24

Comments

  • RedPen50
    RedPen50 Posts: 100 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Ok, I have found the thread via another thread and have saved it to my desktop so hopefully I won't 'get lost' again.  I will have a look now at what my next step is.
  • Gr1pr
    Gr1pr Posts: 10,665 Forumite
    10,000 Posts First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 7 April at 4:56PM
    Its in announcements in the first half a dozen threads at the top of the forum,  ( its currently the 3rd thread down from the top  )  so always above your thread  ( looks like you have not read the yellow banners kindly supplied by MSE admin staff,  nor the important announcements below those yellow banners   )

    Popla Decisions 
    Template Defence 
    Newbies 

    The signature under each post that coupon mad directs you to the newbies sticky thread  too, that pathway is the last sentence 

    No need to search,  just study the top of this forum carefully 
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 156,114 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 7 April at 5:20PM
    My signature tells you which part of the breadcrumb trail to click on and I even mimic the look of a link by making the right part bright blue (NB: my signature is not a link).

    Nobody said to click in 'home' or 'motoring'.
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • RedPen50
    RedPen50 Posts: 100 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Coupon.mad - Thanks for confirming - if you see your link, it does say (although greyed out) Home, motoring - then the rest is in blue etc.  I thought that was the whole link.
  • RedPen50
    RedPen50 Posts: 100 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    Gr1Pr - Ok I have found it, I think, although it says Popla Decisions, then Newbies, then Template Defence.  I will have a look through everything now, thanks.
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 156,114 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    RedPen50 said:
    Coupon.mad - Thanks for confirming - if you see your link, it does say (although greyed out) Home, motoring - then the rest is in blue etc.  I thought that was the whole link.
    Why do you think I put the bit that's the link in blue with the rest greyed out?  
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • RedPen50
    RedPen50 Posts: 100 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    As you have confirmed that in the previous post, I was saying that I know that now.  I didn't know that before and so assumed the link was whole.  There are lots of boxes and colours etc all over this site and so if you see a link, you would assume to use the whole link, not just the coloured sections.  
  • RedPen50
    RedPen50 Posts: 100 Forumite
    Seventh Anniversary 10 Posts Name Dropper
    12.3.25
    Hi there, I have only just received a letter of claim from Gladstones Solicitors, representing Hx Car Park Management.  It is saying I owe them £160 for parking charges on 29th November 2024 but doesn't state who the client is. The first paragraph says they wrote to me on 28th February 2025,  at my previous address, and said they then carried out a UK search trace which gave them my (newish) address, so they are 'taking the opportunity to make contact'.  They then go on to say that they will recover unpaid parking charge notice(s) as detailed in the attached schedule, but all there is on the so-called schedule shows the PCN number, the date, the relevant land / Charlestown Retail Park, and the current charge.

    I thought I would have had time to respond, considering they kept sending the tickets to an incorrect address?

    At first I couldn't remember where I was on this date.  I hadn't received a ticket either on the car or through the post but if it had gone to my previous address, that would explain it.  They haven't sent me any pictures of what it is I am supposed to have done.  It doesn't say anything in the letter of claim other that three pages of how I am supposed to pay the fine.
    On checking my credit card for that date, I saw that we were at Pizza Hut at Charlestown Road Retail Park in Halifax, but I had my disabled sister with me and we always use her disabled badge and park in the disabled bays.  
    I have just called the manager of Pizza Hut and asked what the car parking policies were as I have never had this from Charlestown before.  There are a couple of other businesses in the car park, such as a gym and fashion retail, but this is the first I have heard of this.  The manager was very helpful and told me that there is a warden, who doesn't wear a uniform as such, that goes around, usually from mid-day, through to 7 or 8pm at night and he only takes pictures, he doesn't issue any tickets.  But the manager said that people can usually park there for quite a while - the pizza hut staff can sometimes work 12 hour shifts and they haven't had an issue parking.

    The only thing I can think of is possibly parking outside of the lines, but the two disabled spaces are quite tight together, surrounded by a small kerb and it is on the direct right of you as up pull into the car park, so it is a case of driving back and forth to get into the space.  
    Other than that I cannot think of anything else.  I haven't responded yet, but I remember when I took on Hx Car Park a few years ago, this forum was extremely helpful.  However that was parking supposedly for too long in a garage.  I don't know what this is, all I can do is assume.

    I am not too sure what the next step is.  Do I or do I not acknowledge the letter?  Ask for photos of the supposed incident?  I would be very grateful for any help/suggestions.
    Thanks



    7.4.25
    Hi All
    After sending off the first template from the newbies site, I received an email from Gladstones and also a letter through the post which confirms they have updated my information and will pass on to other data processors.

    The email sent is as follows:

    "Good Morning,  

    We write further to your email. 

    May we take the opportunity to thank you for your patience whilst awaiting a response. 

    Your comments have been noted, however our Clients position remains the same. 

    Please find attached the Evidence Packs which we trust to be self explanatory. 

    Our Client is therefore satisfied the case against you should proceed unless the debt owing of £160.00 is discharged in full. To ensure no further action is taken, you should make payment on or before 10th April 2025.

    If you do not make payment, we are instructed to issue legal proceedings to recover the outstanding balance in full. Should it become necessary to issue legal proceedings, we suggest you follow the steps on the claim form upon receipt of the same. 

    Payment can be made to the account detailed as follows:  

    XXX    

    Please quote the above reference number XXX when making payment to ensure the payment can be allocated correctly.  

    For the avoidance of doubt, we confirm we will not accept any further submissions from you. 

    Kind Regards

    Bethany Legal Assistant "


    The evidence packs consisted of some photos of my car parked in the disabled bay.  Yes, it could have been parked a little neater but the badge was displayed and I wasn't causing an obstruction.  Also with the pictures, they sent documents from hybrid email showing all the times they had sent me information, even though this was to my previous address.

    I also received another email, referring to my 'complaint':

    "Our Client; HX Car Park Management Ltd

    We write further to your correspondence of 12 March 2025, whereby you express you wish to raise concerns.

    Please note that our firm’s Complaints Procedure is for the benefits of clients only. As you will be aware, our client in these circumstances is HX Car Park Management Ltd. We do however always wish for individuals to raise any concerns they have with our firm, in order that we can review, address and respond to the same, as applicable.

    We are acting on behalf of our client, HX Car Park Management Ltd for the recovery of monies relating to unpaid Parking Charge Notice(s); HX55612.

    To process your data is necessary and lawful, as it is required in furtherance of our client’s instructions, and we act for them on their rights and obligations for the recovery of such monies. Our client is entitled to instruct our firm to recover such monies, their own attempts having been unsuccessful. Our client has a period of 6 years from the date of the contravention, to recover any monies owed to them.

    Our client has a legal right to recover any monies owed to them, and it is reasonable to expect, following our client’s unsuccessful attempts to recover such a debt, that a Solicitor will be instructed in respect of a formal pursuit of the debt owed, through the debt recovery process, our client having exhausted their own avenues to recover monies.

    Any allegation of Predatory Conduct is therefore refuted in its entirety.

    The Pre Action Protocol allows parties to enter into discussions in relation to a dispute.

    However, if the issues raised by a potential Defendant, are not accepted by a potential Claimant, continuing with protracted correspondence, is not within the best interests of either party.

    Our client’s evidence and position in respect of Parking Charge(s) HX55612 has been put forward to you, and our client does not accept the dispute you have put forward. Therefore, the usual course of action would be, at this time, for our client to consider if they wish to issue proceedings before the Court, if no payment is forthcoming, in order for the Court to determine if the debt is owed.

    No discourtesy is intended in not accepting the issues you raise, this is the usual process in such matters.

    We hope the above clarifies the position.

    Yours sincerely

    GL Sig

    The Compliance Department

    Gladstones Solicitors Limited"


    So what is my next step?  They gave me until the 10th April to pay, but I haven't paid yet, or responded.

  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 156,114 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 29 October at 9:59AM
    Well you just wait for the LBC and then the Claim Form, as explained in the 2nd post of the NEWBIES thread.

    And send both DPOs a data rectification email telling them both to erase the old address, and to note the correct address for service which is NEW ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTCODE.

    (Yes I know they already traced it. That's not the point of the data rectification).

    Come back if a Claim Form arrives.
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • Gr1pr
    Gr1pr Posts: 10,665 Forumite
    10,000 Posts First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 29 October at 9:59AM
    Their client is Hx Parking,  according to your account above 

    The response to an LoC letter is in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum 

    Not receiving paperwork is no defence,  especially if its due to moving,  because HX wrote to the address supplied by the DVLA!  To the Registered Keeper 

    If you have emailed them  with the response template,  then wait for a court claim pack to arrive in the post 
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 352.4K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.7K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 454.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 245.4K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 601.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 177.6K Life & Family
  • 259.3K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.7K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.