Help with parking fine

GC8 · 8 July 2018 at 2:20PM

Hi,

Hoping someone can advise on what I should do next.

I parked in a car park which is controlled by UK Car Park Management and they are chasing me for 9 tickets on consecutive days. There wasn’t a ticket applied to my car at any time so I wasn’t aware I had them.

I have been ignoring them up to now apart from emailing them once to advise my friend lives in the flats in question and had allowed me to park there. He also emailed them saying the same thing.

I have now received a letter from Gladstones which outlines they are working on behalf of Debt Recovery Plus. Is this real and I may receive a court letter? Or is it a scare tactic?

I can’t work out how to upload the picture of the letter on here.

Please could someone advise and apologies if it is going over old ground.

Thanks.

Fruitcake · 8 July 2018 at 2:28PM

You need to read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES then appeal each PCN separately using the template you will find there. Unfortunately you appear to have revealed the driver's identity. Did you do this for all the PCNs, or only for one?

You should only ever refer to The Driver and The Keeper, who are two different people, but alas it may be too late for that.

Debt collectors can be safely ignored as explained in post 4 of the NEWBIES, but real court papers must not be ignored.

beamerguy · 8 July 2018 at 3:01PM

GC8 wrote: »

I have now received a letter from Gladstones which outlines they are working on behalf of Debt Recovery Plus. Is this real and I may receive a court letter? Or is it a scare tactic?

Thanks.

NO NO, this is just one of Gladstones rubbish letters, they cannot
work on behalf of DRP, a debt does NOT belong to DRP and only
UKCPM can do this.
GLADSTONES SHOULD STOP THESE BLATANT LIES

It's all DRP garbage written on the incompetent Gladstones
letter head

READ THIS about these ignorant rubbish letters
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=74439905#post74439905

IGNORE THE RETARDS

You see, UKPCM are simple scammers so when there is
money involved, it gives them a major orgasm, often short lived
when they pass it Gladstones

IGNORE EVERYTHING until (maybe) Gladstones send you
a LBA (Letter before action). This will be an important letter
for them as they must prove to you their case and give you
30 days to respond ... that's now the law

In the meantime, ask your friend if he will be a witness

UKCPM plunder through housing estates like wild rats and
the courts are not impressed.
Such cases and Gladstones are often whooped in court
especially for timewasting

If you get an LBA, come back here for advice

UKCPM are a shambles followed up by Gladstones

READ ABOUT UKCPM
https://parking-prankster.blogspot.com/search?q=ukcpm

GC8 · 8 July 2018 at 3:34PM

Thank you for your help and advice.

The letter does say at the top “We have been instructed by UK Car Park Management LTD in relation to the above debt”

However it only outlines the options that their client has and tells me to contact Debt Recovery Plus.

Would a Letter Before Action be the next step for them if they want to pursue it? i.e I’m not going to get a court letter through the door next?

Do you think they are likely to pursue this? The requested amount is £1280.

Fruitcake · 8 July 2018 at 3:42PM

You have a debt collector letter written on solicitor's headed notepaper. It is still a debt collector's letter. Debt collectors have no powers and can do nothing except send you bog paper.

The PPC may decide to try court, but the debt crawlers cannot.

Have you appealed each PCN?
Did your email to them cover one or all the PCNs? In other words, has the driver's identity been revealed for some or all of the PCNs?

You may find that you have to go into ignore mode from now on unless you get real court papers, but in my opinion a late appeal is better than no appeal, as it will show a judge you at least tried to resolve this.

How long ago were the alleged parking events?

Oh, and it is not a fine.

GC8 · 8 July 2018 at 4:36PM

I haven’t submitted appeals no, it would be your advice to do this?

I sent an email which advised my friend had said I could park there on all occasions.

The alleged events were in Jan/Feb.

I’d really rather not let it get to court stage. Will I definitely get a letter before action before any official court papers?

Coupon-mad · 8 July 2018 at 4:39PM

I haven't submitted appeals no, it would be your advice to do this? I sent an email which advised my friend had said I could park there on all occasions.

No point appealing but it sounds like you already did, effectively, if you sent UKCPM (or their debt collectors) that email.

Do you think they are likely to pursue this? The requested amount is £1280.

Yes, they will. But we see people beat UKCPM/Gladstones 99% of the time here.

I'd really rather not let it get to court stage.

So would everyone! No silver bullet except to defend and win.

Will I definitely get a letter before action before any official court papers?

Yes, but by asking that, you sound like you would fold and pay £200 plus, just to avoid court where (even if you lose) you'd likely pay less! No CCJ, no risk, just a life experience with no effect on your credit rating as long as you don't ignore court papers/deadlines/orders. And we see wins almost every time, have done for 18 months.

GC8 · 8 July 2018 at 5:13PM

I have a reply from UKCPM advising me to lodge an appeal to IAS. Should I do this? I’ve been ignoring up until now.

I’m not sure what I would do but I probably wouldn’t want to go to court over it. Although I thought that a loss in court would definitely affect my credit rating? Can you explain how this wouldn’t?

How would I end up paying less than the £1280 that they are chasing me for?

Thanks again for all your help.

KeithP · 8 July 2018 at 5:16PM

GC8 wrote: »

I have a reply from UKCPM advising me to lodge an appeal to IAS. Should I do this? I've been ignoring up until now.

What did you gleen from post #3 of the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread?

GC8 wrote: »

Although I thought that a loss in court would definitely affect my credit rating? Can you explain how this wouldn't?

Not if you paid whatever the court specified within the timescale given.

Coupon-mad · 8 July 2018 at 5:19PM

Should I do this?

Nonononono. IAS is a kangaroo court, see post #3 of the NEWBIES thread. Certainly NOT the 'non standard' one that costs the victim £15 to lose...quelle surprise...and it's binding. Eeek!

I probably wouldn't want to go to court over it. Although I thought that a loss in court would definitely affect my credit rating? Can you explain how this wouldn't?

Because if you lose, you have 30 days to pay and (as long as you do) there is NO CCJ left on your record, at all, not even a smudge of a black mark.

How would I end up paying less than the £1280 that they are chasing me for?

1. Because they have probably added £60 a pop to each £100 PCN, and that's made up from thin air and challengeable in its own right (even if a case is lost, the add-ons can be removed).

2. Because they'd have to prove all nine PCNs, and it's likely two or three would fall over on lack of evidence alone, and not be winnable at a hearing with any level of scrutiny.

3. Because this is what we see, when a person loses (very rare, this one):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=74496198#post74496198

They paid the PCN and the £50 court fee.

BTW, no-one actually wants to go to court except The Deep, solicitors, and aggressive oiks.

But for over a grand, it MUST be worth your while saving that money, potentially winning and using it for your next holiday instead! You WILL NOT win at IAS, do not even go there.

Help with parking fine

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