Parking charge notice

[Wolfie1]

Hi, so i will say that i live and this happened in scotland as i am sure the laws are different but some advice would be helpful, so last thursday coming home with the caravan on tow we stopped at this quiet pub with a huge car park to have a spot of lunch, when we arrived there was around 4 police cars in the car park, now not wanting to walk into something we waited around 15 mins to see if they were coming out and another 2 police cars arrived , waited another 10 mins and they didnt come out either so thought screw this we will just continue our journey, so we did and yesterday i received a pcn from the company, i have googled the company and they are part of the uk parking federation. What can i do here? I have never received 1 before as i am so careful about this sort of thing, i cant say i noticed any signs up either telling me about this and have used this place in the past without receiving a pcn

 

[Skd884]

Do not reply!

Ignore and do nothing, done numerous times, they will send reminders court threats etc simply ignore everything.

 

[Wearsthefoxhat]

^^^^ my opinion too, ignored many in my years. Toothless people, have a good day..

 

[Monkeylegend]

The ignore advice is maybe not such good advice nowadays.

I would post on PePiPoo to get some advice.

FightBack Forums -> Private Parking Tickets & Clamping

forums.pepipoo.com

 

[st13phil]

I'd suggest searching the Private Parking Tickets & Clamping sub-forum over at PePiPoo for up-to-date advice as there are distinct differences in how to handle these cases in Scotland vs. England.

 

[Dryce]

^^^^ my opinion too, ignored many in my years. Toothless people, have a good day..

Do not reply!

Ignore and do nothing, done numerous times, they will send reminders court threats etc simply ignore everything.

Hmmmmmm......the joys of soliciting advice on the internet.

The OP has given relatively little information about the PCN - but the two significant parts about this are that the PCN was incurred in Scotland and the OP appears to live in England.

The situation in Scotland is evolving. The law in Scotland has been changed so that in *principle* the registered keeper can be pursued for PCNs issued by private companies - but there appears to be a hiatus because the actual process of doing it has not been properly established. So currently the likely advice if the OP was based in Scotland would be to ignore.

However - what is worth checking - is that the OP is based in England and whether a private company would have any means to try and pursue there. I would assume that it is unlikely that they can - but better to solicit an opinion in a forum with a bit more experience / understanding.

So best advice IMO is as @st13phil suggests - go to pepipoo and ask there.

 

[Flyinspanner]

Also the Martin thingummybob website is also good for info.

moneysavingsexpert

 

[Germgh0st]

I would appeal it on the grounds of signage not being clear enough. The issuing company will reject that and give you a reference number. You can take this reference number to the relevant tribunal body - for Scotland (as this is where the ticket was issued) it's The Parking and Bus Lane Tribunal. More often than not they will get the penalty waived under unclear signage. I've had several PCN's waived in this way.

Be warned though - once you go to an official tribunal body you lose the option of paying the reduced fine.

 

[Teego]

So, you were in a large pub car park for 25mins. Hardly enough time for a swift half never mind a lunch. Certainly not a hanging offence like 3 hours at McDonalds. My guess is that the pub's ANPR recorded your presence. To validate your parking you would have had to enter your reg into a machine at the bar or give it to the staff when making a purchase.
If you had known the procedure you would have abided and no more would be said. If you didn't know, you could not have seen the signs which were therefore inadequate.
I'd wait for he parking company's next move before sending your reasoned explanation.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I agree, Peppipoo is the place to ask for advice on this.

Looked at from the perspective of the pub company and car park operator, you parked a car and caravan for around 30 minutes without either buying anything or paying for parking.

It would look to them like a caravan being parked for break without using the pub or paying for the privilege, and this might be one of the reasons they issue PCNs to stop people (ab)using it for other reasons.

We know that was not your intention but they don’t, especially if it happens every day, you would be one of many. I hope it gets sorted quickly.

 

[m80]

What's the advantage of ignoring this? They know who and where you are.
UKPC chased me in London for 2, one before midnight and one after. I had a permit but they missed that.

In my experience they escalate the threats, if and when you respond the 'charge' has been already sold or passed to another who then pursue, or pass it on again.
Mine was passed on at least 4 times.

My reading up warned me that they are known to wait years ( max is 6) and then proceed to court. By then the reasonable defence may be lost and / or too late to use (signage changed sort of thing).
My main defence was saved on a PC that went t's up. Unfortunately some files on the HDD became unreadable and that was one.
It may be that the defendant has relocated and doesn't know to defend.
A CC judgement in favour of the claimant, by default, then enables the bailiff / Sheriff to trace and pursue.

They don't chase all cases by all accounts, so you may be lucky.

 

[Dippo]

The OP has given relatively little information about the PCN - but the two significant parts about this are that the PCN was incurred in Scotland and the OP appears to live in England.

On my screen, the OP's location shows as Aberdeen. I think that's still in Scotland.

 

[A.J.]

Just over 20 years ago I ignored a parking Fine from McDonalds at Heathrow, I didn't use McDonalds but just used it as a waiting place to pick somebody up. After a couple of slightly stronger letters I never heard another thing from them. Things have moved on since then so I think I would go cap in hand and explain your reasons and hope they will look kindly upon them

 

[Dryce]

On my screen, the OP's location shows as Aberdeen. I think that's still in Scotland.

I sit corrected !

 

[st13phil]

I think I would go cap in hand and explain your reasons and hope they will look kindly upon them

They won't look kindly on anything the OP says: they're just interested in the money. And the danger of engaging with them in an unstructured fashion is that the OP could inadvertently provide them with information that encourages them to continue to harass.

It's important to establish the current viability (or otherwise) of the "ignore" approach in Scotland, as if it still works (and for the avoidance of doubt, it doesn't anymore in England) then that's the best approach.

Failing that, if the situation is as it is in England the OP will likely be in for the long hall of Appeal, Rejection, increased threats, CC claim, and as @m80 mentions, they have 6 years to have the claim heard so them going quiet is absolutely not a guarantee that it's "gone away", so best to see it through now.

But repeating my earlier advice, best to ask for up-to-date guidance over at PePiPoo.

 

[Dryce]

What's the advantage of ignoring this? They know who and where you are.
UKPC chased me in London for 2, one before midnight and one after. I had a permit but they missed that.

In Scotland things are a little different.

(Though they are changing).

The underlying issue is whether they can pursue the keeper rather than just the driver. The setup in Scotland has been changing so AIUI the underlying legislation allow them to go after the keeper but the actual process of doing that still hasn't been established so in practice they can only go after the driver.

 

[Skd884]

Do not reply....................

If it's from council or police pay it, anyone else never reply.

simple

 

[whitenemesis]

How much is the fine?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

How much is the fine?

It's not a fine, it's a charge.

Only police and councils can fine you.

 

[m80]

It's no surprise that the Scottish system is different, or catching up.
I am aware that Wales have been creating their own legislation for some time.
The differing approaches over covid is a demonstration.

If in Scotland it is that the claimant must pursue the driver then it follows that if the reg'd keeper doesn't provide that info then the claimant is stuffed. Unless the reg'd keeper is under obligation to provide such. Are they?
If they aren't, and really this is no different to me asking who was driving the car, then no one would ever have to pay such a charge.
It would be interesting to learn how this Shaggy approach would work in England.