Private Parking Companies

[Hogster]

Hi forumites,

I hope this post does not break any forum rules. If it does I apologies and will be happy for a moderator to delete it.

I know the issue of Penalty notices from PPC's has been discussed before and how unfair innocent motorists are treated.

I myself have experience of these companies who mislead, lie and concoct all manner of reasons why their fine should be paid. I have done quite a lot of research on the issue and it really is a murky world. Often run by extremely undesirable people. Most have sprung from the ex clamping industry and have shifted their approach to issuing bogus penalty charge notices, debt collectors letters and false court papers.

Why am I telling you all this? Well quite simply to urge you to sign this petition

**LINK**

If enough signatures can be added it might encourage the government to create proper regulation to stop what at present is tantamount to blackmail and extortion.

If you need more evidence of their dodgy practices you may want to look here:

www.parkingcowboys.co.uk

[FlyinBrian]

The parking tickets given out by private parking companies are not like those issued by local authorities or police and although the company will threaten all sorts of actions they very rarely go to court. I have twice ignored PP tickets and after a couple of months they give up.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Hogster]

It is true that most give up after a few months but not until threatening letters from debt collecting agencies have been sent. Unfortunately most people succumb and pay up despite being under no legal obligation to do so. These companies rely on scaring the vulnerable and ill informed to make their money. And if they come across any resistance they are not adverse to fabrication and rewriting law. It is little more than extortion with menaces IMHO.

[Hogster]

Posted by Percy Verance on 18/01/2016 21:29:12:

I thought the general advice given by the Police, AA/RAC etc was to simply ignore them?

I'm given to understand they'll try all the tricks in the book (plus some which aren't) to convince you to pay though......

I once received an official parking ticket for being parked on a yellow line in Blackpool one bank holiday many moons ago. The date and time on the letter and ticket (Issued by Blackpool Council as I recall) coincided with the exact date and time I was at a wedding reception some 100 miles from Blackpool. I had tangible proof that I'd attended the wedding reception (I'd booked into the hotel for the night and signed the guest book). What had apparently happened was I'd had my registration plate cloned and used by a very similar vehicle. I bought the car at a year old, and it had been supplied new by a dealer in Blackpool......but I'd personally never been to Blackpool in it.

I wrote to the office which had issued the ticket, and it was waived.

Edited By Percy Verance on 18/01/2016 21:39:32

Had that been a Private Parking Company I'm sure it would not have been so easy to deal with.

Ignoring a PCN is not the best advice since 2012. That year the govt. brought in legislation which allows, amongst other things, the vehicle keeper and not the driver to be deemed liable. There are certain criteria that the PPC should adhere to in order to keep things fair but the evidence is that the large majority of PPC do not comply as they should. On the contrary they deliberately move the goal posts to suit.

When you consider that their income largely relies on the payment of fines you can see why their is an incentive to bend the rules.