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I've look at the Newbies thread but can't make any of it fit my case - HELP PLEASE!!

If you're reading this, thanks, and a big thank you if you think you can help. As noted in the title, I've spent hours poring over the Newbies thread but can't work out how it fits my case and what I should do. This is what's happened:
1. In June 2019, I parked my car in a Preston pub car park, arriving at 11pm and leaving shortly after midnight. Yes, I saw there were parking signs (Euro Car Parks) but didn't pay much attention as I didn't believe they could apply at that time of night on a Saturday (it's a pub, incidentally, and they don't do accommodation nor is there a hotel associated with it). When I entered the pub and went to the bar, I distinctly remember putting my car keys on the bar but none of the staff asked me or told me about parking.
2. In July, I got a PCN from Euro Car Parks which had been sent to my old address (I moved in August 2018 but forgot to tell the DVLA - this has now been corrected) and forwarded on by Royal Mail. Apparently the reason for issue was "vehicle parked without a valid Pay By Phone transaction". I had a quick look on here and decided to ignore it.
3. In August, I got a second PCN from Euro Car Parks, again forwarded from my old address. I ignored that one too.
4. On 9th September, I got a letter (sent to my new address) from Debt Recovery Plus, saying they had used an agency to trace me, demanding payment.
5. While I was wondering what to do about that letter, I got another from DRP, dated 24th September, with a "final settlement offer".
6. I wrote to DRP on 27th September, saying they had offered no proof of the contravention nor had they given me the opportunity to appeal the original PCN (they acknowledged, saying they would respond within 28 days - no response yet received). I complained to Ember Inns (the pub operator) both through the Mitchell & Butler website complaints section (no acknowledgement or response was received) and through the MSE-run Resolver system (I was directed there by the Ember Inns website, where (bafflingly) I got a response saying Ember Inns don't recognise Resolver.
7. On 11th October I received a letter from Zenith Collections saying they were now acting for Euro Car Parks saying they intend to pursue this collection to its legal conclusion if necessary. To date, I've not responded.

In short, hive mind of MoneySavingExpert, what's my best option(s) from here? Thank you again to anyone who's got through all the above and even more if you know how to play this.

Mike

Comments

  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 130,572
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    edited 18 October 2019 at 11:16AM
    Post #4 of the NEWBIES thread is all about DRP aka Zenith (same company) and tells you what to do (ignore them). Simple.

    It should not take 'hours' to read about debt collectors - a 'nothing' stage. Surely it takes about 15 mins to read the 4th post of the sticky, and follow the links laughing about DRP & Zenith trashy letters, and begging for no threads about them!

    Not joking, DRP stage is nothing to write about. Ignore.

    :D
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top of this/any page where it says:
    Forum Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    I've look at the Newbies thread but can't make any of it fit my case -

    There are hundreds, perhaps thousands of similar cases but few are identical, read the stickies again.

    Apparently the reason for issue was "vehicle parked without a valid Pay By Phone transaction".

    What happens if you do not have a phone? Do you drink elsewhere? Is there no opportunity to pay with cash?

    Does the pub have a website/TripAdviser page? If so write this up on those, and any pub review sites, such publicity could affect their bottom line.

    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Nine times out of ten of these tickets are scams so consider complaining to your MP, it can cause the scammer extra work.

    Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up, and access to the DVLA's date base more rigorously policed, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

    Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

    [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

    Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies
    [/FONT]
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
  • Fruitcake
    Fruitcake Posts: 58,150
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    If you had read the NEWBIES properly you would know not to reveal the driver's identity in any post on here. You should therefore edit your initial post accordingly. Only ever refer to The Driver and The Keeper.

    You should also know that the advice to ignore a PCN is not given anywhere in the NEWBIES, except in certain specialised circumstances. The default advice in the NEWBIES is not to ignore and has been so since the law changed in 2012.
    If you believe the NEWBIES advice tells anyone to ignore, please let us know so it can be corrected.

    Further to that, the advice in the NEWBIES is to ignore debt collectors. They have absolutely no powers and by contacting them they will see nothing but the words "worried victim" and ramp up their toothless claims.

    I do not believe there is any mention in the NEWBIES about using Resolver either.

    Did you reveal the driver's identity when you contacted either the brewery chain/pub manager/debt crawlers?

    Have you contacted the scammers at all? If not then I think you should appeal as per the template in blue text from post 1 of the NEWBIES. A late appeal is better than no appeal even if it is rejected. At least if it gets to court you can show a judge you tried to engage at an early state to resolve the matter.
    I married my cousin. I had to...
    I don't have a sister. :D
    All my screwdrivers are cordless.
    "You're Safety Is My Primary Concern Dear" - Laks
  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 41,250
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    I've look at the Newbies thread but can't make any of it fit my case
    I agree, I couldn’t find any case where someone put their car keys on the bar and expected the staff to inform them of the parking conditions.
    When I entered the pub and went to the bar, I distinctly remember putting my car keys on the bar but none of the staff asked me or told me about parking.
    Not fit for purpose?
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
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