As I was waiting in Thurrock services...

Chlorate · Unread post by **Chlorate** » 12 Jul 2013, 19:41

For someone from the RAC to jerry rig my headlights back to life.

I was apparently in the car park for 2 hours and 2 minutes. An invoice arrived today from CP Plus demanding that I pay them £90, or £50 within the next 14 days for staying for longer than 2 hours.

They even included photographs of me entering and leaving the services that they caught with their ANPR cameras.

Couple of things to say here:
- I'm aware that the "fine" is only actually enforceable if they take me through the courts etc. which they aren't likely to do since they can only claim for damages incurred by my being there (i.e. 2 minutes of their "up to 24 hours" fee).

- One could conceivably spend 2 minutes actually driving to and from the bleedin' parking spaces at Thurrock (in fact I almost certainly did)...I don't believe it says anywhere that the 2 hours starts counting when you come on to the site and finishes when you leave, it quite clearly says "2 hours free parking" not "you're allowed to be on this tarmac for 2 hours and not a minute more".

I'm certainly not going to pay the b*ggers anything, I just need to figure out how to tell them that...
Irritatingly they don't have a phone number on their website you can ring to tell someone where they can stick it personally, just automated payment services and an email address.

Everywhere on the internet just says "ignore it, nothing will happen". But I would really like to know that if I did do this, I wouldn't then be leaving myself opened to being dumped on from a great height...

Anyone on FCF had dealings with these (or similar) thieving b*stards and has any experience they're willing to share?

Alex

Ben82 · Unread post by **Ben82** » 12 Jul 2013, 19:50

Yep, if its not from the council, then they have no legal leg to stand on. My parents got one from MET Parking for being at Stansteds McDonald's longer than an hour waiting for my plane to arrive.

They got threatening letters that got fees higher and higher with threats of solicitors etc. hilariously after that the fee started to drop as they tried in vane to get money from them. Eventually after many months they gave up and stopped trying to get the money.

Being a free car park, they'll never take it to court as they need to prove you caused them loss of earnings to the tune of the £90 by you parking there, which they can't.

Btw DO NOT correspond with them at all as that can be construed as admission of guilt which they might be able to get you on, best ignore them completely.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 12 Jul 2013, 21:19

If they send the bailiffs to your door (unlikely) tell them to sod off. They have no right of entry but if you invite them in they are like vampires - you will never get rid of them and they will bleed you dry.

They only have right of entry if accompanied by a police officer AND a court order. They will never get either under your current circumstances.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 13 Jul 2013, 15:51

Apropos the above, I have just stumbled over this!

I'm from Whitby originally and occasionally dip into the rag. Generally parochial codswallop but this has some relevance here.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 15 Jul 2013, 05:04

I'm shocked and horrified. What is this country coming to when this is allowed to proliferate?

My youngest got a similar thing in Central Milton Keynes where the council, in their infinite wisdom, chose to hive off some of the parking to one of these mobs and didn't clearly delineate where one responsibility ended and another began.

This caused a lot of people to park illegally with the wrong tickets. Sian as a victim. I use this word in its proper sense.

She's studiously ignored all the letters and threats for about nine months now. They do eventually give up but can be a tad persistent.

They are a parasitic blight and best eradicated forthwith...

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 15 Jul 2013, 06:34

There are some merits to one's front door being at the top of a flight of stairs.

I have on occasion, suggested to someone that they be careful, lest they trip and fall down heavily.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 15 Jul 2013, 06:55

Unread post by **myglaren** » 15 Jul 2013, 21:17

This just dropped into my inbox from confused.com (got insurance through them last year).
Lawyer writing about challenging parking charges.

rory_perrett · Unread post by **rory_perrett** » 16 Jul 2013, 12:34

As you say - not enforcible - and they are unlikely to win if they take you to court. However, do send in an appeal and when they reject it, which they will, they have to send you a code to appeal to POPLA. The great thing about POPLA is that it costs them £27+VAT and you nothing. If you win (which you can easily do) they have to cancel the ticket, if they win you just carry on not paying it, heads you win, tails they loose!

Have a look at http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=60" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; where you will get lots of ideas about how to "soft" appeal to CP to get a rejection and then "hard" appeal to POPLA to get a win.

They have a number of hurdles to clear any one of which will trip them up.

I'm assuming that this was a camera "detection". Was the notice to keeper received within 14 days of the occurance?

In your appeal, never admit to being the driver always use the 3rd person.

If it was a camera "detect" at 2 mins over I bet you weren't even parked for 2hrs anyway!

handyman · Unread post by **handyman** » 22 Jul 2013, 18:38

Found this which might be very appropriate. Something we should all be aware of and bookmark.

http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Handyman

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