Euro Car Park appeal in progress but still sending threatening messages.

alejodeangelo

So on the 20th of July my girlfriend (18) and me (19) parked in a Euro Car Park (she was driving and it’s her car that she owns) and I said I’d take care of parking. I have dyslexia and I got the number plate wrong by two letters and paid the fare. A few days later, she got mailed a letter for a £100 fine (or £60 if we paid within two weeks) and I immediately appealed (22nd of July, and also they say there is a 28 day limit for a response? Nothing yet) and explained what happened, got a receipt showing I’ve paid too. I’ve checked and nothing has happened, I’ve not been emailed at all or anything. Then today my girlfriend gets a text saying that the deadline for paying the parking fee is tomorrow and that there may be additional fines and a bad reflection on credit record if it goes unpaid. But they say that the fine is suspended whilst my appeal is being processed and the Euro Car Parks website says that my appeal is indeed still being processed? Feeling quite stressed about this, what do I do?

DE_612183

Nothing yet - what did you say in your appeal?

They should allow you reduced amount - think it's £20 for a minor keying error - but these companies are crafty they will try and get you to pay the £100 ( or more ).

Ignore any threats - you can't get a bad reflection on your credit record unless you end up in court, lose in court and then don't pay - it's just scare tactics

Car1980

Then today my girlfriend gets a text saying that the deadline for paying the parking fee is tomorrow and that there may be additional fines and a bad reflection on credit record if it goes unpaid.

Show us that text please.

Possibly unlawful.

There is no genuine appeals process and they can do whatever they like effectively, so this what happens when you engage.

Their trade body requires them to offer £20 settlement for a keying error, but they routinely ignore the requirement if you don't demand.

Feeling stressed is what they rely upon. It's only a bloody invoice.

Demand the £20 because it sounds like you aren't strong enough to defend a court claim through DCB Legal that they will discontinue (that's their business model for non-payers).

Some more life knowledge - you can only receive a CCJ if you ignore a letter from a court or you go all the way to a court hearing in front of a judge (won't happen) AND you lose AND you still don't pay within 28 days.

Nobody can just "get' a CCJ and nobody can affect your credit report without making a court claim first.

alejodeangelo

Car1980 said:

Then today my girlfriend gets a text saying that the deadline for paying the parking fee is tomorrow and that there may be additional fines and a bad reflection on credit record if it goes unpaid.

Show us that text please.

Possibly unlawful.

There is no genuine appeals process and they can do whatever they like effectively, so this what happens when you engage.

Their trade body requires them to offer £20 settlement for a keying error, but they routinely ignore the requirement if you don't demand.

Feeling stressed is what they rely upon. It's only a bloody invoice.

Demand the £20 because it sounds like you aren't strong enough to defend a court claim through DCB Legal that they will discontinue (that's their business model for non-payers).

Some more life knowledge - you can only receive a CCJ if you ignore a letter from a court or you go all the way to a court hearing in front of a judge (won't happen) AND you lose AND you still don't pay within 28 days.

Nobody can just "get' a CCJ and nobody can affect your credit report without making a court claim first.

Here you go. This is the text that she got. 

alejodeangelo

Doesn’t look like it sent, my bad. 

ChirpyChicken

The text will be unconnected and is a scam

Gr1pr

Definitely a scam text, ignore and block 

Le_Kirk

Yep, saw one of these today, I was at my neighbour's house helping him renegotiate his broadband deal when he showed me the text and was in a bit of a panic asking what it was all about.  He hadn't used his car for six weeks so I said I was fairly convinced it was a scam!  Deleted.  What was funny was that part way through negotiating the broadband contract they offered a "scam detection service" for his mobile phones - only £1.50 per month per phone!