HELP! LBC received for multiple hospital PCN charges!

lawobourne

Hello, 

I have been receiving letters from open parking and debt collectors regarding a PCN I received on 26th November 2024. On that occasion, I had to rush my 11 month old baby to A&E at Oldham Hospital for a severely high temperature. This was advised by the GP who asked whether I needed an ambulance but I chose to drive so not to waste time. There was no where to park in their extremely small car park so I parked on double yellows (not obstructing any vehicles or access) and I paid for a ticket as normal. When I got out, I had a parking ticket on my car for not parking in a proper spot. It is very common for people to park on these particular double yellow lines in this car park and I have done it more than once and received other tickets. 

Given it is a private car park and I always pay, I just ignore the PCNs and hope that they will go away. As I am continuing to be chased by open parking and debt collectors about this particular PCN, I recently wrote to open parking asking to appeal on the basis that I was not obstructing anyone or anything and that I had paid for my time in the car park. They simply responded saying it was too late. 

I have now received a letter before claim from Gladstones solicitors stating that I owe £280 for PCNs dated 8th November 2023 and 19th December 2023. I am confused as I haven’t been receiving any debt collectors letters about these PCNs and they haven’t even mentioned the November 2024 PCN?!?!

To clarify, I attended maternity triage on 8th November as my then unborn baby was not moving and I gave birth on 18th December 2023 so my car was in the car park on 19th December 2023 as I was recovering from my first cesarean section and first baby. As I recall, my husband wasn’t allowed to stay overnight so he went home in my car and came back in the morning, of course he had to park on the yellow lines again as there was no space at all. I am just astounded at being hounded by these letters. I am currently 34 weeks pregnant with my second child and on maternity leave and I really don’t know what to do or how to afford this. 

Any advice or help with the next steps will be greatly appreciated. I have read the newbies forum and I still don’t know what to do. 

1505grandad

Have you complained to PALS at the hospital?  -  is the following the relevant hospital?:-

https://www.northerncarealliance.nhs.uk/patient-information/patient-leaflets/complaints-and-patient-liaison-advice-patient-advice-liaison-service-pals?q=/patient-information/patient-leaflets/complaints-and-patient-liaison-advice-patient-advice-liaison-service-pals

Gr1pr

Plan A in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum by coupon mad is always the best option in private parking cases

In your case,  try complaining about it to PALS at the trust, if its their car park   ?  Or the actual landowners if its not Oldham hospital 

If you have missed pcns, it's usually caused by moving and not updating your V5c log book promptly,  get it done ASAP if its out of date, ditto with a driving licence too, otherwise those errors can be costly 

If you received an LoC giving you 30 days notice,  email the LoC response template to Gladstones,  to buy time whilst you are complaining to the trust or landowners 

An email about it to your local MP might be a good idea too

Lastly,  please fill in the current government mhclg public consultation survey this month, trying to get changes implemented by the government,  which should happen next year 

lawobourne

@1505grandadYes that’s the one, I haven’t contacted them as I didn’t even think this would help at all so thank you for the suggestion. I will contact them today to explain the situation and see if they can help me. I am having my current baby at a different hospital purely due to the issues with parking at Oldham. 

lawobourne

@Gr1pr thank you so much, that’s really helpful! 

Gr1pr

Parking is always atrocious at Oldham,  even for BB holders,  ditto at Ashton too

Definitely complain about it to PALS at Oldham,  regardless of where your new alternative is 

Plus try to get the local MP to complain about it to the CEO at Oldham,  in writing 

Coupon-mad

lawobourne said:

@1505grandadYes that’s the one, I haven’t contacted them as I didn’t even think this would help at all so thank you for the suggestion. I will contact them today to explain the situation and see if they can help me.
I am having my current baby at a different hospital purely due to the issues with parking at Oldham. 

Wow. Tell PALS that as well!

By the way you will never pay these PCNs. How to respond to a LBC is in post 2 of the Newbies please read these FAQs first thread, pinned at the top of the forum.