PCN from Leen Gate car park, Nottingham QMC hospital

Mildly_Miffed

Death_to_Wonga said:

In short, we parked in the car park for City hospital and paid £6.00 for 4 hours of parking at nearest pay machine to our bay. Left car park before expiry of parking period. So far so good.

A week later we get a PCN letter claiming that we didn't pay at all. We wanted to dispute it, we sent copy of our parking ticket that we paid for on the day to the firm in question, but they came back and said that the ticket we paid for WASN'T in their car park.

It sounds like you bought a ticket for a different car park. Is there another one next to the one you parked in? Is it feasible?

For example - you parked next to a walkway through, and saw a machine the other side of that walkway...

Barkin

Mildly_Miffed said:

Death_to_Wonga said:

In short, we parked in the car park for City hospital and paid £6.00 for 4 hours of parking at nearest pay machine to our bay. Left car park before expiry of parking period. So far so good.

A week later we get a PCN letter claiming that we didn't pay at all. We wanted to dispute it, we sent copy of our parking ticket that we paid for on the day to the firm in question, but they came back and said that the ticket we paid for WASN'T in their car park.

It sounds like you bought a ticket for a different car park. Is there another one next to the one you parked in? Is it feasible?

From my recent experience of parking there, I'd say 'yes, very'.

Coupon-mad

Death_to_Wonga said:

Hi all,

In short, we parked in the car park for City hospital and paid £6.00 for 4 hours of parking at nearest pay machine to our bay. Left car park before expiry of parking period. So far so good.

A week later we get a PCN letter claiming that we didn't pay at all. We wanted to dispute it, we sent copy of our parking ticket that we paid for on the day to the firm in question, but they came back and said that the ticket we paid for WASN'T in their car park. So we're confused.

Subsequently we received from the firm a letter before action - claim for debt. Debt stands at £170.

We're looking to get a reliable solicitor who can help us fight this in court, and at least look at our case to advise on best course of action.

Any ideas? Any good firms out there? We've contacted so many but keep getting told that they' don't do such cases anymore.

You certainly do not need a solicitor. You can't reclaim their fees so the only time to use a legal firm re an easy private parking invoice and legal threat is if you have free legal cover on an insurance policy, such as your home insurance.

Otherwise, oh no you don't! You certainly don't need a solicitor yo just ignore the £170 threatograms shown in post 4 (in pictures) in NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST.  You don't pay a solicitor to ignore laughable parking debt crawler threatograms.

Did you miss the pretty pictures of these joke letters in the NEWBIES FAQS thread? These cases are our bread and butter. We do these daily and we know all there is to know.

The MSE Guide is also a good resource. Click on the red MSE Link little banner at the top of this page and read the 'private parking' one.

Did they offer to settle at £20?

Surely you are merely at POPLA stage and they've just said the VRM paid for wasn't in the car park (not that the vehicle wasn't in the car park, there's a difference).

In other words they are saying you typed in your other car's VRM, or the app defaulted to the other car, perhaps? Does the driver use two cars?

That's what the accusation sounds like.

Which parking firm? 

ChirpyChicken

la531983 said:

knightstyle said:

Have you contacted PALS at the hospital?  

Nobody knows if it was an actual NHS-run car park, there is nowhere near enough info provided to go off.

I know the car park but can't remember the operator it isnt a big one. Its not an NHS one

LightFlare

Barkin said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

Death_to_Wonga said:

In short, we parked in the car park for City hospital and paid £6.00 for 4 hours of parking at nearest pay machine to our bay. Left car park before expiry of parking period. So far so good.

A week later we get a PCN letter claiming that we didn't pay at all. We wanted to dispute it, we sent copy of our parking ticket that we paid for on the day to the firm in question, but they came back and said that the ticket we paid for WASN'T in their car park.

It sounds like you bought a ticket for a different car park. Is there another one next to the one you parked in? Is it feasible?

From my recent experience of parking there, I'd say 'yes, very'.

That was my strong suspicion which lead to my initial post - but the OPs reply appears to suggest not.

Death_to_Wonga said:

LightFlare said:

At the very least you need to revisit the car park (probably on foot) and get clear pictures of the signs/bays etc to clarify what you think and what they claim

Got the photos already. Just need to know the name of a solicitors firm who can take a look at the evidence we've amassed.

There always remains the possibility that the evidence isn’t going to work in the OPs favour and it has been misinterpreted 

Coupon-mad

Death_to_Wonga said:

la531983 said:

How much do you think a solicitor would cost?

(hint - more than £170).

Quite. But the principle remains that a wrongfully assigned fine/charge should be fought. Otherwise every person whoever receives one would pay up straight away, regardless of if it's fair or not.

Nobody needs a solicitor for a single private parking charge that's at 'ignore' stage. The £170 threatograms are shown in pictures in the 4th post of the NEWBIES FAQS thread on this parking board and you don't even need a solicitor to defend a court claim.

Dead easy and done daily here.

DUPLICATE THREAD - needs merging

Le_Kirk

ChirpyChicken said:

la531983 said:

knightstyle said:

Have you contacted PALS at the hospital?  

I know the car park but can't remember the operator it isnt a big one. Its not an NHS one

Looks like it is (VCS ) Vehicle Control Services

ChirpyChicken

Le_Kirk said:

ChirpyChicken said:

la531983 said:

knightstyle said:

Have you contacted PALS at the hospital?  

I know the car park but can't remember the operator it isnt a big one. Its not an NHS one

Looks like it is (VCS ) Vehicle Control Services

Oh it must have changed as it never used to be.
Just looked at it is/was LGCP

Le_Kirk

Coupon-mad said:

DUPLICATE THREAD - needs merging

Requested.                           

Le_Kirk

That's where I got it from