ECP fine for 'major keying error' but I have valid ticket, POPLA rejection

theflightwithin

Hey everyone!

Wish I'd found this forum sooner before I already made a couple mistakes like saying I'm the driver and appealing to POPLA but here we are. Details below:

I received a parking fine from Euro Car Parks in Stockport for a 'major keying error' - I have evidence of the pay and display ticket and to the best of my knowledge I put my reg plate in correct (I'm not really one to make mistakes like that) - on the ticket only half the reg is shown which I assumed was just because of lack of space. I appealed to ECP on the basis that I have proof of the valid pay and display ticket with the start of my reg number, and no mistakes were made - they obviously rejected the appeal.

I then appealed to POPLA on a similar basis and that claim was also rejected quoting ParkingEye v Beavis. In making that appeal I believe I admitted I was the driver.

They're now ordering me to pay a £100 fine. I received the POPLA rejection only 2 days ago so I have not yet done anything.

What are my choices? I'm not paying the £100 so do I go back to ECP and ask them to reduce the fine back to £20? Or do I just ignore this completely and let the debt collector letters come streaming in? What's the likelihood they'll take me to court? OR do I try to find out who the landowner is and contact them to get the fine cancelled?

I'm keen not to make any next steps without getting some informed advice, but also obviously I do not want to go to court! Thank you in advance - happy to provide any more details

Gr1pr

Definitely Not a fine, just an invoice from a private parking company, ECP

Their defective payment machines are well known and the CMA are actively investigating ECP at the moment

Ignore the powerless debt collectors letters stage

Come back to this thread if or when you receive a Letter of Claim giving you 30 days notice or a Money Claim N1SDT pack from the CNBC in Northampton using MCOL

These cases tend to get to a court, your local civil court, but are discontinued before the hearing fee is due, meaning no hearing, over with

theflightwithin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82075521#Comment_82075521

Do you recommend I don't try to do any of the steps I suggested? Admittedly the whole debt collectors letters stage does make me anxious so I'm wondering whether it's best to try to get it reduced back to £20 and just pay it, or contact the landowner. But if you think it's highly unlikely there won't ever be a hearing I'm willing to take the chance, given I still have the physical ticket I paid for.

Gr1pr

Wishful thinking, much better to fight them with our help in the future

I dont recommend that you do anything you said above

Nothing to be anxious about, debt collectors cannot do anything except send begging letters

Coupon-mad

"Do you recommend I don't try to do any of the steps I suggested?"

Come on everyone! Things shifted last week.

This is not a time to ignore ECP.

CMA complaints with evidence. Drown the CMA in actual cases & evidence, like this:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82075706#Comment_82075706

P.S. you will NEVER have a hearing.

Car1980

ECP tickets get sent to DCB Legal, who will make a court claim and then always discontinue. You can't avoid this conveyor belt, but it only involves filling in an online form to defend. So don't worry on that score. Come back for reassurance when you receive a Letter Before Claim from DCB Legal.

But in the meantime, you can fight back using CM's advice because they are now under investigation and you can make their life difficult as an aside.

theflightwithin

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82075735#Comment_82075735

Hey, thanks for this. More than happy to help push the ECP criminals into a hole and write to the CMA with evidence of my case. Other than that, it appears the advice is to just let the letters come in and return when I get a Letter Before Claim for further advice?