Ponds Forge Parking Scam

[burcot 10]

I wondered if anyone else has been issued with a parking ticket at Ponds Forge, despite there being a valid ticket clearly displayed?

This happened to me recently but the person issuing the fixed penalty recorded an incorrect registration number and I never heard anymore

My partner was hit with a fixed penalty despite buying and displaying a ticket a couple of months ago. Luckily (or so we thought) she paid by debit card and we sent proof of purchase via the appeals process. We lost the appeal with this reason given - "The car registration number is not shown on your bank statement" So, a £60 fine cost us £100

Since that incident, my partner has saved every ticket purchased. Today she received another £60 parking ticket and went straight to her car to retrieve it - the ticket was still on the dashboard and in clear sight from multiple viewing angles

It is difficult to imagine this could happen three times, to the same family, completely by accident. That's why I wondered if it was a common occurrence

This time we are going to pursue the matter legally despite the costs involved. If anyone has the name of a good solicitor specialising in this sort of thing - please let us know :)

[wearysmith 141]

I'll tell you another scam worth remembering.

 

Long-time readers will remember a club down Attercliffe called The Player's Cafe.

Whenever my wife & I went to see a band at the Arena we always parked in those spaces near Players. One night, can't remember for which band, a teenager with some sort of fluorescent jacket and a ticket machine came up as we were leaving the car asking for £5 for parking there. I replied that a very close friend owned that building (pointing to Players) and he'd assured me that I could park there any time I wished in their spaces. (Not entirely true. He was a part-owner, but still....). I went on to ask by who's authority they were issuing tickets and charging people?   He walked away towards a middle-age bloke who was also issuing tickets. Told him about me. They both turned and legged it! They were that fast at exiting my wife didn't even have time to get her phone out for a photo.

 

Scam artists, pure and simple. Don't get conned, people. Always challenge and ask for I.D. Take their photo too for the police.

 

Naturally we were gutted when Players shut down 😀 . 

[Waldo 96]

Stopped using S.I.V. / Fitness Unlimited (after almost 20 years a member) due to parking fines situation they introduced at Hillsborough. I'm now a member of NE Derbyshire fitness, same kinda thing as F.U.; but cheaper, and venues are Eckington and Dronfield; about 10-14 minutes drive for me, and free no-hassle parking.

Edited May 6, 2022 by Waldo

[HeHasRisen 3,412]

Why on earth would you pay out for a solicitor? You wont get costs awarded if you win, its a small claims fast track if the parking company take it that far. Solicitors cost a fortune, even a cease and desist letter costs you 3 figures. No solicitor with any morals would take this case on.

 

Go to the Pepipoo website and register there and post on their forums and get some proper advice, for crying out loud. Jumping through a few hoops will mean either a discontinuation or an easy win in court and the "fines" quashed.

 

As an aside they arent fines, they are speculative parking invoices.  

Edited May 6, 2022 by HeHasRisen

[cgksheff 44]

If you have the correct evidence, follow the required appeal procedures and only  then accept their invitation to go to court.

 

You have to argue the "correctly" displayed bit.

Edited May 6, 2022 by cgksheff

[Jim Hardie 534]

This is a useful website.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/

[Ant68 21]

… of course there are those that would say, just ignore it. It’s not a criminal offence if and they can shout and scream as much as they like. It’s unlikely that anything will come of it long term.

I know a few people that are still ignoring parking fines from literally 2 or 3 years ago. The company stopped chasing them in the end…..

[dutch 68]

1 hour ago, Ant68 said:

… of course there are those that would say, just ignore it. It’s not a criminal offence if and they can shout and scream as much as they like. It’s unlikely that anything will come of it long term.

I know a few people that are still ignoring parking fines from literally 2 or 3 years ago. The company stopped chasing them in the end…..

This used to be more so 10 years ago. Now it is better not to ignore them or they will give you a hard time and it could get costly.

[HeHasRisen 3,412]

Yup, telling people to ignore them now is very poor advice. Especially now the company know the OP's missus is a soft touch (no offence) who has paid up before.

Edited May 8, 2022 by HeHasRisen

[dave_the_m 61]

A private parking ticket is a civil matter - they claim the driver entered into a contract to park, with part of that contract being you agreeing to pay them £100 if you do things like overstay or park outside of a marked bay etc.

 

Being a civil matter, they have up to 6 years to take your to the county court for an alleged outstanding debt. Many people who assume the parking company had given up are surprised to find themselves facing  a court claim 5 years and 11 months later - with fictitious debt collection charges tacked on and 6 years worth of 8% statutory interest added.

 

Depending on the circumstances, the right appeal (well, a second appeal to POPLA anyway) can put such tickets to bed once and for all.

[Ant68 21]

22 hours ago, HeHasRisen said:

Yup, telling people to ignore them now is very poor advice. Especially now the company know the OP's missus is a soft touch (no offence) who has paid up before.

It wasn’t advice, merely pointing out another avenue some have / would take.

[HeHasRisen 3,412]

3 minutes ago, Ant68 said:

It wasn’t advice, merely pointing out another avenue some have / would take.

Which would be the incorrect avenue. Hopefully the OP ignores it.