Please HELP! Park with ease/Equita parking ticket

coolman9999uk · 6 August 2018 at 3:17PM

I've read the newbie help but I can't find any thing to address my situation. I've been on holiday and got back TWO days ago to the following:

Parking Charge - Notice to Keeper from Park With Ease Ltd.
- Dated 17 days after the offence.
Parking Charge - Reminder from Park With Ease Ltd.
- Dated ~2 weeks ago
- Asking for £50
Take Formal Notice - from Equita
- Received today
- It says the matter has been passed to them.
- They're asking for £110

I have imgur links but I can't post them here as a new user! (they end in a/2xlc35S and a/5ZfHZ1a in case you want to view them)

Place/date of Parking:

According to google maps and it was 38 minutes before sunset in White moss car park in the Lake district (sorry this forum doesn't let me post a link - but on google street view it's basically a patch of dirt beside a country road)

What I've done so far:

Nothing really. I haven't appealed or communicated with either Park with ease or Equita yet. I know I shouldn't talk to Equita, but what should I do? Should I communite with Park with Ease, even though the appeal period of 28 days seems to have passed? It is worth getting a solicitor involved? I just want it dealt with.

Please help! I know I need to act fast, but not sure what to do!

Umkomaas · 6 August 2018 at 3:39PM

Have you complained to White Moss, explained your arrival home from holiday too late to deal with this and ask them to help?

Date of parking 'infringement'?

I know I shouldn't talk to Equita,

Correct

but what should I do?

Nothing - you're at debt collector stage, so you ignore them (see NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #4).

Should I communite with Park with Ease, even though the appeal period of 28 days seems to have passed?

You could send the initial appeal (unaltered) from the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #1 and see how they respond. Don't be disappointed with the outcome, but at least you've shown some willingness to deal with them.

It is worth getting a solicitor involved?

And pay around £300 to try to get rid of a charge of £110? Any other money saving plans you wish to share? Employing a solicitor guarantees you nothing other than an invoice - and there are very few who have expert knowledge on private parking charges, that expertise lies with the forums. However,we don't offer miracles. But we are cheap!

I just want it dealt with.

Not that easy I'm afraid at this stage, other than to pay them (but we don't recommend that here).

You need to batten down the hatches and wait to see what transpires. It may all go quiet after a few months and you may hear nothing further. However PWE could issue court proceedings, which you can deal with, with help from the forum - they have 6 years to issue.

coolman9999uk · 6 August 2018 at 4:51PM

Thanks for the reply!

Why don't you recommend to pay? The letter from Equita states "... could involve legal action through the Country Court, with any judgment entered against you recorded on the public register and likely to affect your credit status" - how likely is this to be true? As someone looking to buy a house, a CCJ or any kind of strike on my credit rating is not something I want to risk.

I forgot to add - I have received no ticket on my car. It's only the stuff in the post that I've received. It's ridiculous that it's already in the debt collection stage!

I haven't complained to White Moss, I'm not even sure who I would complain to. Should I appeal with Park with Ease? I've seen the template letter on the Newbie post starting with "I appeal and dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle.... " Should I go with that?

Le_Kirk · 6 August 2018 at 5:01PM

coolman9999uk wrote: »

"... could involve legal action through the Country Court, with any judgment entered against you recorded on the public register and likely to affect your credit status" - how likely is this to be true? As someone looking to buy a house, a CCJ or any kind of strike on my credit rating is not something I want to risk.

The important word is COULD, doesn't mean it WILL. They are just trying to frighten you - and it seems to be working. Take note of what Umkomaas posted, he is trying to calm you down, read the Newbie section about CCJ and be aware that CCJ's only trash your credit rating/history IF you are awarded one by a County Court AFTER a small claims hearing and ONLY then if you don't pay it within 30 days, so no problem with getting a mortgage or buying a house.

Umkomaas · 6 August 2018 at 5:05PM

Why don't you recommend to pay?

What? When we put so much effort into fighting these charges assisting literally thousands of people each year. Have you noticed what the name of this website is?

The letter from Equita states "... could involve legal action through the Country Court, with any judgment entered against you recorded on the public register and likely to affect your credit status"

Typical debt collector BS. Have you read the sticky on debt collectors as per my advice earlier today? Here it is again:

Nothing - you're at debt collector stage, so you ignore them (see NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #4).

As someone looking to buy a house, a CCJ or any kind of strike on my credit rating is not something I want to risk.

Have you researched the facts on this? If not, read here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5849106

I've seen the template letter on the Newbie post starting with "I appeal and dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle.... " Should I go with that?

Seems like I'm having to repeat my advice - not something I normally do, but here you go:

You could send the initial appeal (unaltered) from the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #1 and see how they respond. Don't be disappointed with the outcome, but at least you've shown some willingness to deal with them.

I haven't complained to White Moss, I'm not even sure who I would complain to.

Do some digging via Google/BT Phonebook to get a contact number then phone to ask who the relevant individual is - but write your actual complaint/request, don't do that by phone. There is no evidence trail for phone calls.

The_Deep · 6 August 2018 at 5:20PM

It is all one big scam. Watch the recent debate in the HOC.

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and another company have already been named and shamed, as has Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each year). They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

Hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned.

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the House of Commons recently

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41 recently.

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by Christmas.

coolman9999uk · 6 August 2018 at 5:31PM

Why don't you recommend to pay?

What? When we put so much effort into fighting these charges assisting literally thousands of people each year. Have you noticed what the name of this website is?

OK I was just wandering if there was something beyond the money saving, e.g. am I opening myself up to another scam - I read another post where Equita kept denying receiving the money.

Have you researched the facts on this? If not, read here:

Thanks for this link. Very clear, I didn't understand the CCJ process. It's a scare tactic.

Seems like I'm having to repeat my advice - not something I normally do, but here you go:

You could send the initial appeal (unaltered) from the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #1 and see how they respond. Don't be disappointed with the outcome, but at least you've shown some willingness to deal with them.

Forgive me for being dense. I see the letter, but I'm just unsure about the best place to send it - PWE or the owner of the car park or both?

Le_Kirk · 6 August 2018 at 5:33PM

coolman9999uk wrote: »

Forgive me for being dense. I see the letter, but I'm just unsure about the best place to send it - PWE or the owner of the car park or both?

What does it say on the PCN about where/how to appeal?

KeithP · 6 August 2018 at 5:39PM

coolman9999uk wrote: »

... am I opening myself up to another scam - I read another post where Equita kept denying receiving the money.

To me, that looks like another good idea why not to pay.

coolman9999uk · 6 August 2018 at 6:06PM

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the House of Commons recently

Thanks for this, I hadn't seen it. The shenanigans are ridiculous. Great examples to illustrate the abuse. Let's hope the bill goes through.

coolman9999uk · 6 August 2018 at 6:09PM

What does it say on the PCN about where/how to appeal?

The letter's got a PWE email appeals@parkwithease.co.uk. Googling the car park only seems to give me other forums of people complaining about this very same type of ticket.

Please HELP! Park with ease/Equita parking ticket

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