PCN London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) Hotel

[Origin Unknown]

Before I attempt to call NCP, can I sense check this please. Grateful for any help.

I dropped my mum and my two kids off to stay at the London Gatwick Airport (North Terminal) Hotel on the 23th August. They stayed there overnight ahead of an early morning flight. I've had a PCN from a legal firm with a fine of £170! £100 PCN and £70 debt recovery costs.

Here is a google image snapshot from outside of the hotel, this is where I dropped them off and was there for under 2 minutes. The sign says:

sign said:

P 10 mins
Hotel business
and guests only
No Return
within 30 mins.

I spoke with Premier Inn at the location today who asked "Did you enter your car registration details at checkin?". My mum is adamant she was not asked to this. She said, he said.

The signage doesn't state that I need to enter my car reg.

Do I have a valid defense for this PCN?

(so many watermarks on this letter)

[Origin Unknown]

For those that want to nose around the site

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.1617137,-0.1748563...

[SS427 Camaro]

Just another lot of parasitic bully boys. Ignore it.

[joropug]

No knowledge of the parking matters but these clowns sent me a threatening letter about a month of utilities that went unpaid between me selling a property and the buy to let buyer getting a tenant in.

I ignored it and heard nothing more, it was exactly one year after we moved out we got the letter. Clearly automated, buy in bulk st debts.

[Mr_J]

I've had a few fines when staying at Premierr Inn when their registration kiosks have not registered my car for some reason; either my error or theirs. I've appealed them all without any issue, I just send them the booking confirmation email.

Did you appeal? Did you even acknowledge the earlier correspondence?

[Trevor555]

I made a booking for that hotel, and it does say about dropping off.

Booking made 18th Sep

[TonyF1]

Given date I’m going to assume you ignored the PCN and now it’s been escalated with additional costs.

You would have been better to get in touch with Premier Inn and they could have cancelled it. I’d still try them over NCP as they will have record of the book while NCP won’t. Now Airports charge drop off fees this one isn’t likely go away by ignoring unfortunately.

[handbraketurn]

Everything you need to know is on this forum. Read through all the FAQ etc.

You can fight these.

I've been getting threatening letters from BW legal for about 3 years. They've sent me letters threatening court action with a deadline at least 6 times now.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/pa...

[handbraketurn]

It's essentially contract law, they're invoicing you but they dress it up as a fine.

Go through the website, get your facts straight, appeal.

They'll probably reject your appeal.

Then let them take you to court, most people win. Except, its very unlikley they'll actually take you to court, they make their money threatening and scaring people. They now loose alot.

I've sent several letters back to BW legal (low rent bottom feeders) saying I don't accept their claim, I don't accept I owe their client any money, if they take me to court I'll defend myself rigorously and please cease and desist sending me bloody letters all the time. Either take me to court or &*$K off.

And the courts won't enforce most of their made up charges, you'll unlikely be worse off even if you loose. And you won't because the whole thing is extremely dodge.

Search the forms for BW Legal cases and your location, you'll find many other victims. And get a feel for how it works and how to handle it.

Edited by handbraketurn on Sunday 4th December 22:07

[handbraketurn]

Haven't got time to look through now, but here is a similar one.

You start to ge the idea.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/64...

[Origin Unknown]

Thanks to all that replied. Regarding the question of not responding to the original PCN, I'm not currently living at home and the original letter was not seen.

Handbraketurn, very helpful. My mum is adamant she entered my car reg details into the computer so I do not have a case to answer.

This is worth the effort to fight. Will keep the thread updated.

[Hol]

Trevor555 said:

I made a booking for that hotel, and it does say about dropping off.

Booking made 18th Sep

That third paragraph does seem to cover it..and tie in with the need to enter a reg.

..but, if the OPs mum remembers entering the registration AND can prove she stayed there, etc..

[matchmaker]

BW Legal. Formerly Buchanan, Clark & Wells? Harassed me about a debt to Vodaphone which didn't exist. I raised a Small Claim against them which got them rattled! Tell them Arkell -v- Pressdram.

[joropug]

Everything I read about them when I had mine was pointing to ignore - engaging with them means they have reached someone and they focus on those ones over the millions they probably send that go unanswered but it's down to you to decide what's best

[carl_w]

matchmaker said:

BW Legal. Formerly Buchanan, Clark & Wells? Harassed me about a debt to Vodaphone which didn't exist. I raised a Small Claim against them which got them rattled! Tell them Arkell -v- Pressdram.

Breeze & Wyles I think?

[Panamax]

Surely there's two separate things here,

• Hotel space said 10 mins and you didn't overstay so no infringement there.

• BUT the hotel is in the "if you drive past here it's gonna cost you £5" section of the airport. You drove in and owed that fee.

As regards the owed fee you have neither,

• Paid it, nor

• Obtained exemption by keying-in your registration number at the hotel.

If all of the above is correct then it looks to me as though they've got you bang to rights. Whether they'll actually pursue it to court is a separate matter but if they do I don't think you'll have a leg to stand on.

[Tommo87]

Panamax said:

Surely there's two separate things here,

• Hotel space said 10 mins and you didn't overstay so no infringement there.

• BUT the hotel is in the "if you drive past here it's gonna cost you £5" section of the airport. You drove in and owed that fee.

As regards the owed fee you have neither,

• Paid it, nor

• Obtained exemption by keying-in your registration number at the hotel.

If all of the above is correct then it looks to me as though they've got you bang to rights. Whether they'll actually pursue it to court is a separate matter but if they do I don't think you'll have a leg to stand on.

I hope the appeal works, as people like the OP don’t set out to break the rules.

They just caught in the crossfire between the blatant offenders who do set out with that intention and the parking companies who only exist to combat them. Which is the real injustice.

[Origin Unknown]

Panamax said:

Surely there's two separate things here,

• Hotel space said 10 mins and you didn't overstay so no infringement there.

• BUT the hotel is in the "if you drive past here it's gonna cost you £5" section of the airport. You drove in and owed that fee.

As regards the owed fee you have neither,

• Paid it, nor

• Obtained exemption by keying-in your registration number at the hotel.

If all of the above is correct then it looks to me as though they've got you bang to rights. Whether they'll actually pursue it to court is a separate matter but if they do I don't think you'll have a leg to stand on.

The sign on Google streetview is the same as when I dropped them off. It states 10 mins for hotel guests. I was in and out in under 2 mins.

My mum who I dropped off is adamant she entered my registration in the computer.

So I have satisfied paragraph 3 here as posted by Trevor:

Trevor555 said:

I made a booking for that hotel, and it does say about dropping off.

Booking made 18th Sep

So, I have satisfied all requirements, no?

[alscar]

I spoke with Premier Inn at the location today who asked "Did you enter your car registration details at checkin?". My mum is adamant she was not asked to this. She said, he said.

From your original post - I’m confused , your Mum is adamant she did or didn’t enter the reg ?
But either way I hope you don’t have to pay and I would certainly fight it.

[mgtony]

Origin Unknown said:

Panamax said:

Surely there's two separate things here,

• Hotel space said 10 mins and you didn't overstay so no infringement there.

• BUT the hotel is in the "if you drive past here it's gonna cost you £5" section of the airport. You drove in and owed that fee.

As regards the owed fee you have neither,

• Paid it, nor

• Obtained exemption by keying-in your registration number at the hotel.

If all of the above is correct then it looks to me as though they've got you bang to rights. Whether they'll actually pursue it to court is a separate matter but if they do I don't think you'll have a leg to stand on.

The sign on Google streetview is the same as when I dropped them off. It states 10 mins for hotel guests. I was in and out in under 2 mins.

My mum who I dropped off is adamant she entered my registration in the computer.

He is not talking about the sign outside the hotel, you were not sent the PCN for being in breach of that sign. There is the charge for entering the drop off zone/roads. It was these signs as you enter the area: