Private parking companies
Discussion
I parked in a hospital car park yesterday afternoon. The machine was one of those where you enter the reg number and pay. Only the machine wasnt working properly as it couldnt take card payments.
I got a ticket out of the machine when we parked, but obviously because I didnt pay, it isnt valid (why on earth do they let you print a ticket without paying!?).
The PPC is UK Parking Control. I've been trying to ring them this morning so that they can take card payment over the phone, but it's proving to be a bit more difficult than I first thought (quelle surprise). They only open from 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. When I try to call I'm told 'all lines are busy please try later'.
I can already see where this is going, but does anyone have any pointers or handy tips before I get the expected letter and have to fork out a £60 'fine'?
I got a ticket out of the machine when we parked, but obviously because I didnt pay, it isnt valid (why on earth do they let you print a ticket without paying!?).
The PPC is UK Parking Control. I've been trying to ring them this morning so that they can take card payment over the phone, but it's proving to be a bit more difficult than I first thought (quelle surprise). They only open from 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. When I try to call I'm told 'all lines are busy please try later'.
I can already see where this is going, but does anyone have any pointers or handy tips before I get the expected letter and have to fork out a £60 'fine'?
They (private parking companies) are rogue, in fact the whole private parking industry is rogue.
I recently successfully fought 9 separate parking 'fines' issued by Car Parking Partnership on the same vehicle over the span of 3-4 months, also from an NHS hospital car park. Should you eventually receive a fine your best resource for information is here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.ph... (searching this forum for UK Parking Patrol will probably throw up a lot)
Your situation is pretty clear cut in that the machine wasn't working, but they will probably advise that other machines were working, that the signage on site is sufficient and that they have ANPR footage of you entering/leaving if the car park is camera equipped - all of which is rubbish or can be defended anyway.
Whatever you do, don't pay them!
I recently successfully fought 9 separate parking 'fines' issued by Car Parking Partnership on the same vehicle over the span of 3-4 months, also from an NHS hospital car park. Should you eventually receive a fine your best resource for information is here: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.ph... (searching this forum for UK Parking Patrol will probably throw up a lot)
Your situation is pretty clear cut in that the machine wasn't working, but they will probably advise that other machines were working, that the signage on site is sufficient and that they have ANPR footage of you entering/leaving if the car park is camera equipped - all of which is rubbish or can be defended anyway.
Whatever you do, don't pay them!
Contact them via email.
At least if it gets to fine areas you can prove that you're trying to pay.
Include the machine, it was broken, no other machine here is the ticket number and i want to pay but your phone system will not allow it.
I am no lawyer but can't believe a judge would rule against you if you can prove the above.
At least if it gets to fine areas you can prove that you're trying to pay.
Include the machine, it was broken, no other machine here is the ticket number and i want to pay but your phone system will not allow it.
I am no lawyer but can't believe a judge would rule against you if you can prove the above.
ts. Banned from obtaining details from DVLA due to falsifying photos. IIRC
It has been decreed in a court that where the PPC is using ANPR that the oictures of th car passing the cameras cannot be proof of actual parking.
What they show is a car passing a camera
The car in question could take another 10 minutes before it has,by definition, parked
All little bits to knock these buggers back with. As Pavarotti and Mickeal has already said, these are rogues and you 'fight' them with every legal m'eans in the book.
All we do is to give advice on how to beat them IF the PPC is out of line, or not conforming to POFA 2012 or not
After that the OP can either pay or not. it is their money not ours. We try and help them keep it.
It it also worth pointing out that Councils who DO issue fines not invoices also are a bit lackadaisical. in the wording that they HAVE to put on the Windscreen notices etc.
Many times drivers have had the fines overturned by the various tribunals and yet despite this and the errors being pointed out time and time again ,still persist in using incorrect/illegal the incorrect wording.
So do you pay up, or get it overturned and take Mrs out for a meal.
Even if the wording is correct, they can also fall down on Procedural impropriety. In a nutshell this normally happens when you follow the rules and as in an earlier post on here concerning yellow lines and the 'boarding and alighting exceptions. still refuse to cancel.
Normally the council runs fines are dealt with by a junior who hasn't a clue of the complexity of whatis needed to know.
Many times we see the same questions put on here. and many times i have suggested to the Mods that a sticky be put up so to give a heads up for those needing information.. yet it still hasn't happened
It has been decreed in a court that where the PPC is using ANPR that the oictures of th car passing the cameras cannot be proof of actual parking.
What they show is a car passing a camera
The car in question could take another 10 minutes before it has,by definition, parked
All little bits to knock these buggers back with. As Pavarotti and Mickeal has already said, these are rogues and you 'fight' them with every legal m'eans in the book.
All we do is to give advice on how to beat them IF the PPC is out of line, or not conforming to POFA 2012 or not
After that the OP can either pay or not. it is their money not ours. We try and help them keep it.
It it also worth pointing out that Councils who DO issue fines not invoices also are a bit lackadaisical. in the wording that they HAVE to put on the Windscreen notices etc.
Many times drivers have had the fines overturned by the various tribunals and yet despite this and the errors being pointed out time and time again ,still persist in using incorrect/illegal the incorrect wording.
So do you pay up, or get it overturned and take Mrs out for a meal.
Even if the wording is correct, they can also fall down on Procedural impropriety. In a nutshell this normally happens when you follow the rules and as in an earlier post on here concerning yellow lines and the 'boarding and alighting exceptions. still refuse to cancel.
Normally the council runs fines are dealt with by a junior who hasn't a clue of the complexity of whatis needed to know.
Many times we see the same questions put on here. and many times i have suggested to the Mods that a sticky be put up so to give a heads up for those needing information.. yet it still hasn't happened
silverfoxcc said:
IIRC
It has been decreed in a court that where the PPC is using ANPR that the oictures of th car passing the cameras cannot be proof of actual parking.
What they show is a car passing a camera
The car in question could take another 10 minutes before it has,by definition, parked
Yes, or a vehicle could enter and exit within a 10 minute 'grace period' in the morning and then do the same in the evening, perhaps dropping off and collecting somebody from the car park area.It has been decreed in a court that where the PPC is using ANPR that the oictures of th car passing the cameras cannot be proof of actual parking.
What they show is a car passing a camera
The car in question could take another 10 minutes before it has,by definition, parked
This, amongst a few other points mainly relating to poor signage formed my defence previously and since then I've noticed very similar traits in other car parks, in particular at hospitals/supermarkets where management is outsourced to a PPC
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