Checking if a PCN has been issued

Petlover27

I recently parked in a supermarket car park which provides 2 hours free parking. I know I had a brief overstay of 6 minutes which was unavoidable because of a medical problem. I wasn’t too concerned at the time because I know this company is member of BPA and under the code should provide a 10 minute exit grace period and medical records and recent hospital tests could be provided to verify why the brief overstay was justifiable. However, I have not yet received a PCN. To comply with the 14 day window, the PCN should have received by Wednesday last week. I know there is still time for the PCN  to be delivered but my worry is that if it is lost in the post or not sent at all and then further down the line I receive a Debt Collection letter and it is too late to appeal. My question is should I be proactive and email the car parking company to find out if a PCN has been issued? I am hearing about so many complaints where the initial correspondence is never received. 

Brie

No don't contact them.  But do check that the car is properly registered to your address.  That's the main reason people don't get the PCN and other related documents.  

And don't worry about getting debt collection letters.  They are easy to handle.  Just post back here.

Coupon-mad

"my worry is that if it is lost in the post or not sent at all and then further down the line I receive a Debt Collection letter and it is too late to appeal."

Why is that a worry?

An appeal against a supermarket overstay won't work anyway, and everyone just laughs at the £170 threatograms.

As long as your V5C has the correct address then that's what the DVLA give out. Then you get the retailer (or retail park) to cancel it.

Petlover27

Thanks for your reply, the V5C is up to date so no reason why the PCN has not been sent or received within the 14 day window. I know I can ask the supermarket to cancel the invoice but only if I have the PCN No. I am confident that the appeal would be successful if it was escalated to POPLA because the overstay was only 6 minutes so within the 10 minute exit grace period and medical evidence can be provided to show why the PCN is unfair in these circumstances. For these reasons, if they have issued a PCN I would prefer to defend it now as I have a robust  defence.  If the PCN is received outside the appeal window and they have involved Debt collectors I wouldn’t have thought the supermarket would be prepared to cancel the invoice. 

Coupon-mad

6 minutes over: no PCN is possible.

You will not get one at all.

I regularly use the mandatory 10 minute grace period at retail parks, by memorising the time on my car clock as I drive in at the entrance (before looking for a space) and then schlepping out on minute 8 or 9 over.

Petlover27

Thanks, I know I should not receive one but these car parking companies seem a law unto themselves. Some car parking companies reject the appeals on the grounds that their grace period is only 5 minutes when the code clearly states a mandatory 10 minutes should be allowed. 

James_Poisson

Petlover27 said:

Thanks for your reply, the V5C is up to date so no reason why the PCN has not been sent or received within the 14 day window. I know I can ask the supermarket to cancel the invoice but only if I have the PCN No. I am confident that the appeal would be successful if it was escalated to POPLA because the overstay was only 6 minutes so within the 10 minute exit grace period and medical evidence can be provided to show why the PCN is unfair in these circumstances. For these reasons, if they have issued a PCN I would prefer to defend it now as I have a robust  defence.  If the PCN is received outside the appeal window and they have involved Debt collectors I wouldn’t have thought the supermarket would be prepared to cancel the invoice. 

I have never known someone fretting that they haven't received a PCN, stop worrying sometimes they actually do play by the rules. Don't poke the hornets nest!

ChirpyChicken

Your over thinking 

Petlover27

Thanks for all your replies, I guess I have read too many horror stories and I am a worrier.