Private Parking Ticket Megathread (Part 3)

[zoco 10]

Hiya Guys.

My partner works at the Memory centre, Longley in Sheffield, its part of the NHS, she has a parking permit but forget to display it, now she has received a £100 from the "vehicle control services", does she have to pay the fine if they dont accept her excuse?

 

Get yourself on pepipoo.com, look for the private parking tickets & clamping section and post up on there. At no point, either on forum thread or in any correspondence with VCS identify the driver, just refer to 'the driver'. Whatever excuse or reason you present to VCS they will not accept it. They only want your money and it is important to remember this. They will lie, obfuscate, quote case law that has no bearing to the circumstances, anything to coerce payment of their invoice (remember it's not a fine, only councils and the Police can issue those.).

 

They are members of the International Parking Community (IPC)a registered trade body. They were members of the British Parking Association (BPA) but didn't like them because they upheld too many motorist's appeals. They therefore joined IPC which was started by the owners of a sham solicitors firm (Gladstones) and guarantees to decline over 80% of appeals. I would therefore avoid this 'kangaroo court' appeal system if it is offered.

 

You will get proper advice on Pepipoo from people who have literally dealt with thousands of cases over the years and it's all free. You will be expected to do some reading up yourself but anything you aren't sure of there'll be someone there to guide you.

 

Your girlfriend could just pay if she wants to avoid the hassle of fighting this. However remember that VCS and its sister company Excel are the dregs of the private parking industry and any early payment will be gratefully received by its ex-clamper boss Simon Renshaw-Smith as he sits in his large country pile at Barlow near Chesterfield.

 

Fight them all the way, they actually don't like taking people to court because they don't make any money out of it even if they win on the day. They rely on sending scary looking letters out and people settling early rather than going through any perceived hassle.

 

At the end of the day it's your/ your girlfriend's decision which way to go but best of luck if you decide to take them on.

[banjodeano 28]

Get yourself on pepipoo.com, look for the private parking tickets & clamping section and post up on there. At no point, either on forum thread or in any correspondence with VCS identify the driver, just refer to 'the driver'. Whatever excuse or reason you present to VCS they will not accept it. They only want your money and it is important to remember this. They will lie, obfuscate, quote case law that has no bearing to the circumstances, anything to coerce payment of their invoice (remember it's not a fine, only councils and the Police can issue those.).

 

They are members of the International Parking Community (IPC)a registered trade body. They were members of the British Parking Association (BPA) but didn't like them because they upheld too many motorist's appeals. They therefore joined IPC which was started by the owners of a sham solicitors firm (Gladstones) and guarantees to decline over 80% of appeals. I would therefore avoid this 'kangaroo court' appeal system if it is offered.

 

You will get proper advice on Pepipoo from people who have literally dealt with thousands of cases over the years and it's all free. You will be expected to do some reading up yourself but anything you aren't sure of there'll be someone there to guide you.

 

Your girlfriend could just pay if she wants to avoid the hassle of fighting this. However remember that VCS and its sister company Excel are the dregs of the private parking industry and any early payment will be gratefully received by its ex-clamper boss Simon Renshaw-Smith as he sits in his large country pile at Barlow near Chesterfield.

 

Fight them all the way, they actually don't like taking people to court because they don't make any money out of it even if they win on the day. They rely on sending scary looking letters out and people settling early rather than going through any perceived hassle.

 

At the end of the day it's your/ your girlfriend's decision which way to go but best of luck if you decide to take them on.

 

Thanks Zoco, i will have a look at pepipoo and see what she wants to do.

Thanks for all the info

[carosio 185]

Zoco's post is an excellent summary of the PPCs, ought to be made a "sticky"!

[Unigirl78 10]

Has anyone parked in Bradfield Road car park recently (behind what used to be farm foods) and noticed a reduction in parking times? I’ve just received a penalty notice for being in there for 37 minutes!

[Yankees71 10]

Just wanted to post about what happened at the weekend. Nipped to Drakehouse for some dog food from Pets at Home, managed to park fairly close to Pets at Home which was good. Called in Smyths and B&M whilst there. Needed to call at Boots down the bottom but rather than drive down there decided to park in the relatively empty bottom corner outside Homebase and walk across.
BIG MISTAKE!
Came back to the car to find a little yellow bag stuck to the windscreen. The 10 minute round trip walk to Boots had cost £100! (or only £60 if I pay it within 14 days!) It said on the ticket I had 'left the site' and when I found a sign, 8ft up a lamp post, I could just about read that this could be the case.
Now this isn't a post to moan about whats right and wrong, if I've done wrong I'll put hands up, which I have. And before all the armchair lawyers start telling me to "ignore it" "they can't do anything" "only the police and council can" etc etc... Save your breath, I've Googled it too and I've also already paid it.
This is a post to warn people that the Drakehouse retail park is actually split into 3 different areas and not just one big complex like I have always thought. The land is owned by different people and patrolled by a company called UKPC (UK Parking Control) There's the big top bit (B&M, Currys, Homebase, Halfords etc) Then theres 'Crystal Peaks' retail park at the bottom (Boots, Argos, TK Maxx etc) and theres the bit with Aldi, Greggs, Home Bargains etc on. So if you park up at and nip into Homebase, come out and fancy a sausage roll from Greggs, you have to move your car across to the Aldi/Greggs site (good luck with that!) I suppose its a bit like parking at Centertainment and walking across to the Arena (again, good luck with that!!!) It's bit naughty and I appreciate that.
Apparently since the Aldi site opened, where theres obviously not enough parking on site, a lot of people are parking in the 'Drakehouse retail' or 'Crystal Peaks retail' sites and walking across, not realising the 'UKPC Hi-Viz Warriors' are ready to pounce! One of the guys in Homebase told me they hang around there watching for people to walk down the steps and off site.
Like I say, I've paid, learnt from it, and will now move on. Just wanted to warn others, if this post stops UKPC from getting money from just 1 more person, then my work here is done!

Edited January 21, 2019 by Yankees71

[rudds1 102]

Nice to read someone not moaning and just advising others 👍

[Brooker11 10]

Good advice but you really shouldn't have paid, the advice to ignore these things is wrong as they have had a successful prosecution but with a little work and advice you could have avoided paying these parasites.

[tinfoilhat 11]

46 minutes ago, Yankees71 said:

Just wanted to post about what happened at the weekend. Nipped to Drakehouse for some dog food from Pets at Home, managed to park fairly close to Pets at Home which was good. Called in Smyths and B&M whilst there. Needed to call at Boots down the bottom but rather than drive down there decided to park in the relatively empty bottom corner outside Homebase and walk across.
BIG MISTAKE!
Came back to the car to find a little yellow bag stuck to the windscreen. The 10 minute round trip walk to Boots had cost £100! (or only £60 if I pay it within 14 days!) It said on the ticket I had 'left the site' and when I found a sign, 8ft up a lamp post, I could just about read that this could be the case.
Now this isn't a post to moan about whats right and wrong, if I've done wrong I'll put hands up, which I have. And before all the armchair lawyers start telling me to "ignore it" "they can't do anything" "only the police and council can" etc etc... Save your breath, I've Googled it too and I've also already paid it.
This is a post to warn people that the Drakehouse retail park is actually split into 3 different areas and not just one big complex like I have always thought. The land is owned by different people and patrolled by a company called UKPC (UK Parking Control) There's the big top bit (B&M, Currys, Homebase, Halfords etc) Then theres 'Crystal Peaks' retail park at the bottom (Boots, Argos, TK Maxx etc) and theres the bit with Aldi, Greggs, Home Bargains etc on. So if you park up at and nip into Homebase, come out and fancy a sausage roll from Greggs, you have to move your car across to the Aldi/Greggs site (good luck with that!) I suppose its a bit like parking at Centertainment and walking across to the Arena (again, good luck with that!!!) It's bit naughty and I appreciate that.
Apparently since the Aldi site opened, where theres obviously not enough parking on site, a lot of people are parking in the 'Drakehouse retail' or 'Crystal Peaks retail' sites and walking across, not realising the 'UKPC Hi-Viz Warriors' are ready to pounce! One of the guys in Homebase told me they hang around there watching for people to walk down the steps and off site.
Like I say, I've paid, learnt from it, and will now move on. Just wanted to warn others, if this post stops UKPC from getting money from just 1 more person, then my work here is done!

Nice bit of info that, thanks for sharing. I've done what you did but didn't get pinched but I won't bother next time.

[K1Machine 10]

50 minutes ago, Yankees71 said:

Just wanted to post about what happened at the weekend. Nipped to Drakehouse for some dog food from Pets at Home, managed to park fairly close to Pets at Home which was good. Called in Smyths and B&M whilst there. Needed to call at Boots down the bottom but rather than drive down there decided to park in the relatively empty bottom corner outside Homebase and walk across.
BIG MISTAKE!
Came back to the car to find a little yellow bag stuck to the windscreen. The 10 minute round trip walk to Boots had cost £100! (or only £60 if I pay it within 14 days!) It said on the ticket I had 'left the site' and when I found a sign, 8ft up a lamp post, I could just about read that this could be the case.
Now this isn't a post to moan about whats right and wrong, if I've done wrong I'll put hands up, which I have. And before all the armchair lawyers start telling me to "ignore it" "they can't do anything" "only the police and council can" etc etc... Save your breath, I've Googled it too and I've also already paid it.
This is a post to warn people that the Drakehouse retail park is actually split into 3 different areas and not just one big complex like I have always thought. The land is owned by different people and patrolled by a company called UKPC (UK Parking Control) There's the big top bit (B&M, Currys, Homebase, Halfords etc) Then theres 'Crystal Peaks' retail park at the bottom (Boots, Argos, TK Maxx etc) and theres the bit with Aldi, Greggs, Home Bargains etc on. So if you park up at and nip into Homebase, come out and fancy a sausage roll from Greggs, you have to move your car across to the Aldi/Greggs site (good luck with that!) I suppose its a bit like parking at Centertainment and walking across to the Arena (again, good luck with that!!!) It's bit naughty and I appreciate that.
Apparently since the Aldi site opened, where theres obviously not enough parking on site, a lot of people are parking in the 'Drakehouse retail' or 'Crystal Peaks retail' sites and walking across, not realising the 'UKPC Hi-Viz Warriors' are ready to pounce! One of the guys in Homebase told me they hang around there watching for people to walk down the steps and off site.
Like I say, I've paid, learnt from it, and will now move on. Just wanted to warn others, if this post stops UKPC from getting money from just 1 more person, then my work here is done!

Im no armchair lawyer before you start. I dont care that you Googled to be honest. You want to pay the invoice then thats up to you and money out of your pocket. Ive had 7 yes 7 of these invoices and never paid a single one. Why you may ask?  Because I chose not to and guess what?  Nothing happened. 

 

I know, Im worse that Hitler.

[Obelix 11]

So you decided to pay a speculative invoice because you couldnt see the signs seven foot up above your head?

 

Thats OK if you want to avoid the hassle I guess. If you want to fight this sort of injustive though head on over to www.pepipoo.com and get some advice on how not to pay these...

[Top Cats Hat 10]

I know that there are some on here who say that these parking 'invoices' are legally enforceable but I have always binned them and most people I know have binned them and apart from a computer generated follow up letter have heard nothing further.

[Waldo 96]

Mine went to court; and even though I was probably ill prepared; all we had to pay was the £100 ('fine'), plus a £50 court fee. I very much suspect that the PPC involved lost out in our case; they had to pay for a solicitor to come from Leeds to represent them on the day; plus whatever other costs they inccured.

 

If everyone who got a ticket went through the whole process, and ended up paying what the court awarded (assuming the court finds against you, that is); I don't imagine they'd stay in business for too long. I suspect their business model is based on a high % of tickets being paid no questions asked.

 

To be fair though, I do think land owners should have the right to charge people for parking on their land; but the way it's currently done, just seems really shady somehow.

Edited January 22, 2019 by Waldo