APCOA PCN Manchester Airport Drop-off

stevej061069

Umkomaas said:

stevej061069 said:

Umkomaas said:

stevej061069 said:

Hello, advice needed. I received a letter through the letterbox today from 'debt recovery plus'. Apparently 'the time has come to decide how you wish to proceed regarding an unpaid parking charge from Manchester Airport T2 drop-off on 21.06 25.
I very rarely take anyone to the airport  so was not aware there was a charge or else I would have paid it. I've got better things to do than risk this nonsense over a few quids worth of parking charge.
Most of all though, the letter goes on to say 'you may not have responded to previous letters due to an oversight'....er, no. I haven't responded to previous letters because I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY!
This is literally the first I have heard about this. 
And now I am being told I have to pay £170 to avoud legal action which I think is pretty scandalous.
Can anyone advise?
Thanks

You can safely ignore DRP. Nothing serious will happen. You might get a few more DRP threatograms, but they will fizzle out. Continue to ignore them. 

Thanks for the reply- is anyone able to verify or evidence if they have been in this position themselves and is this sound advice?

With over 12 years and 43,000 posts on this forum, I think you might find my advice 'sound'!

OK, thankyou. I'm new to this, absolutely no offence intended. 

Coupon-mad

stevej061069 said:

Umkomaas said:

stevej061069 said:

Hello, advice needed. I received a letter through the letterbox today from 'debt recovery plus'. Apparently 'the time has come to decide how you wish to proceed regarding an unpaid parking charge from Manchester Airport T2 drop-off on 21.06 25.
I very rarely take anyone to the airport  so was not aware there was a charge or else I would have paid it. I've got better things to do than risk this nonsense over a few quids worth of parking charge.
Most of all though, the letter goes on to say 'you may not have responded to previous letters due to an oversight'....er, no. I haven't responded to previous letters because I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY!
This is literally the first I have heard about this. 
And now I am being told I have to pay £170 to avoud legal action which I think is pretty scandalous.
Can anyone advise?
Thanks

You can safely ignore DRP. Nothing serious will happen. You might get a few more DRP threatograms, but they will fizzle out. Continue to ignore them. 

Thanks for the reply- is anyone able to verify or evidence if they have been in this position themselves and is this sound advice?

Yes. Sound advice from everyone here, for two decades!

DR Plus are not solicitors and you can and must ignore parking debt collectors, all the time that they add 'fees' and conduct themselves appallingly.

I've been on this forum nearly 20 years and I currently sit on the Government's Committee shaping the new Private Parking Code of Practice. I was last at Westminster in June because the Public Consultation into this rogue industry is open now and the Minister says that the debt recovery firms are in 'market failure' due to their extortion and enrichment which serves no legitimate purpose:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/private-parking-code-of-practice

See the 4th post of the NEWBIES thread for the photos of £170 threatograms to safely ignore.

For independent corroboration, here's the RAC Guide 2025 which covers debt recovery letters:

https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/driving-advice/how-to-appeal-a-parking-charge-notice-pcn/

Click on the final 'jump to' section. 

  

double_trouble71

ChirpyChicken said:

yes ignore their response
They could be using it as they will be seeing hundreds of these types of appeals per week now
Just wait for their final reply
If we get more replies like this i will suggest to @Coupon-mad we change the wording to something more blunt that even APCOA can understand

Thanks for replying. I’ll sit tight and ignore their response to my the appeal. I’ll come back if they send any further emails ☺️

double_trouble71

ChirpyChicken said:

yes ignore their response
They could be using it as they will be seeing hundreds of these types of appeals per week now
Just wait for their final reply
If we get more replies like this i will suggest to @Coupon-mad we change the wording to something more blunt that even APCOA can understand

I’m just wondering if there are other people on here who have had identical responses?? How would I go about looking for said posts? 

Coupon-mad

People often get an interim reply fishing for the driver's name. It's normal from firms like UKPC and ParkingEye. You could easily have read today's posts (no searching needed) and found this example:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81582773/#Comment_81582773

APCOA never used to; they used to just give up because they never use the POFA, so they know full well they can't win v a keeper. Looks like they are a bit fed up and are trying this interim email to try to dupe some clueless keepers into naming the driver.

It clearly ISN'T the final response.

And so what if they do reject the appeal? You win at POPLA.

doubledotcom

You can mess with their feeble brains by responding with the following:

Subject: Re: Parking Charge MR0****** – Your Misguided Request

Dear APCOA,

Thank you for your latest attempt to sidestep legal reality.

Your response is a masterclass in evasion. You’ve entirely ignored the substance of my appeal, which correctly stated that Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 Schedule 4 does not apply to land under statutory control—such as Manchester Airport. You are not the landowner, you are not enforcing bylaws, and you are not entitled to keeper liability. That’s not an opinion. That’s settled law.

Instead of engaging with this, you’ve regurgitated the usual template nonsense: a vague invitation to name the driver, as if that somehow obliges me to assist you in pursuing a legally baseless claim. It does not. Your “request” carries no legal weight and no persuasive force. It’s the procedural equivalent of shouting into the void.

Let me be clear:

• I am under no obligation to identify the driver.

• You cannot invoke PoFA keeper liability.

• You have no lawful basis to pursue the keeper.

• Your charge is unenforceable and should be withdrawn.

If you wish to continue this charade, be my guest. But I assure you, POPLA will treat your submission with the same disdain it deserves. I suggest you save yourself the embarrassment and cancel the charge now.

Yours, 

[Your Name] 

Registered Keeper, not your unpaid paralegal

Coupon-mad

I wouldn't. APCOA are one of the better ones. This is unnecessary.

doubledotcom

Coupon-mad said:

I wouldn't. APCOA are one of the better ones. This is unnecessary.

"Better" in what way? I have a very recent PCN from APCOA for Manchester Airport (4 in fact) where they have issued two PCNs for the same event. One is for "Use of Pick-up/Drop Off Zone without making a valid payment" at Manchester T2. Entry time/date 09:38 22/06/2025 and exit 09:47 22/06/2025 issued on 28/06/2025 and a second one for "Pick up in drop off" at Manchester T2. Observed from 09:46 to 09:47 22/06/2025, issued on 12/07/2025.

First one already cancelled on appeal but a formal complaint to the DVLA at step 1 elicited the following tripe from the DVLA that literally stated:

I have investigated this matter with APCOA Parking (UK) Limited who made the request to the DVLA for the registered keeper details for vehicle registration number AB12CDE. I have had sight of their supporting evidence which shows that reasonable cause was demonstrated, the first parking charge notice (PCN) was issued due to picking up in a drop off zone and the second PCN was issued as no valid payment was made for use of a pick-up/drop off zone. I understand you have made an appeal against both PCN’s, which are both currently on hold.

As these PCNs were issued for two separate contraventions, albeit on the same day, there is no evidence that APCOA Parking (UK) Limited has breached the KADOE contract.

Yes, that above from the DVLA. Needless to say, it has gone to step 2 of the complaints process but will also be raised with the ICO and my MP once they have responded. It will also go to the ICA should they continue to obfuscate and shirk their responsibilities.

So, based on the above situation, APCOA are no better than all the other scummy unregulated firms that have their snouts buried in the money trough that is the private parking industry and their faithful enabler, the DVLA.

Coupon-mad

I think that says more about the DVLA than APCOA.

I don't support attacking the better BPA members. it's not necessary IMHO.

The problem in this industry is:

(a) the DRA domination (market failure)

(b) excessive use of cameras 24/7, including recent covert CCTV examples

(c) lack of the promised Single Appeals Service

(d) the IPC and IAS and everyone associated with them

(e) the DVLA propping it all up, no questions asked, and the DFT for being totally duped into keeper liability in 2011/12 & letting Gladstones become a Trade Body.

ChirpyChicken

double_trouble71 said:

ChirpyChicken said:

yes ignore their response
They could be using it as they will be seeing hundreds of these types of appeals per week now
Just wait for their final reply
If we get more replies like this i will suggest to @Coupon-mad we change the wording to something more blunt that even APCOA can understand

I’m just wondering if there are other people on here who have had identical responses?? How would I go about looking for said posts? 

You dont need to. Its irrelevant.  Your over thinking it
Do nothing