Central-Ticketing Parking Charge.

[Bathsheba]

Hi all. Not sure whether to put this here or in Motoring.
I received a ticket from this firm on Tuesday- apparently I was parked in a space reserved for Doctors Only at a health centre. After doing some Googling re this company i came across various mentions of it in some consumer groups.
I can't decide whether to just pay up, or fight it. Incidentally, I went on to their website to make a card payment, and saw they were going to charge me an additional �1.50 for card payment, then VAT on top of that!
I'd be grateful for anyone who has dealt with these people to share their experiences and advice.
Thanks for reading.

[Ethel]

Don't pay.

All you have received is an invoice - they have no rights to enforce you, except by making a claim in the County Court. It isn't worth their bother.

[Bathsheba]

Thanks Ethel. I've actually just drafted an appeal letter to them, including photos i took with my phone at the time. Should I bother sending it?

[Ethel]

Don't bother appealing - that suggests that you recognise that are circumstances when you should pay.

I will find the template for you after my dinner, unless somebody can find it on the web.

[Ethel]

Helpful links:
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/par king-traffic-offences/65341-private-parking-co mpanies-charges.html

And a sample letter:


To whom it may concern
[Add their title and address}

I am in receipt of your letter dated [insert the date] alleging that a vehicle registered to me overstayed an arbitrary duration in a vehicle park attached to one of your stores.



As I am sure you will be aware, it is the driver of the vehicle with whom any contract to park was made, not the Registered Keeper. You will also be aware that the terms of any such contract must be set out in such a manner as to be obvious to anyone with whom you wished to make the contract. These terms must comply with all applicable contract law, such as the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977.




cont

[Ethel]

Should you wish to pursue this claim, please supply evidence that the person parking the vehicle you allege to have overstayed the set duration would have had the opportunity to read the contract terms. Such evidence must be, as a minimum:

� a detailed route and timings of the vehicle's travel into and through the vehicle park; 

� a detailed route of the driver's passage out of the vehicle and into the store - this and the evidence listed immediately above are to show that the driver had reasonable opportunity to see and read the contract terms; 

� photographs of all relevant signage in situ in locus in quo at the time of the alleged overstaying so as to show that the signs were actually readable;

� an accurately-drawn, scaled, map showing the location of each sign and indicating which you believe the driver would have had the easy opportunity to read (the routes of the vehicle and driver should be superimposed upon the map); 

� details of the weather conditions at the time, in particular the visibility (all to be confirmed by the Meteorological Office); 

� sufficient details of the driver with whom you claim to have made a contract to enable their unique identification; 

� a detailed description of the processes followed to record and analyse the evidence of the alleged overstaying; and

� a notarised statement from a senior manager at the store to the effect that your recording and analytical systems were working normally at the time of the alleged overstaying. 

Without the above, I cannot entertain your claim and any further demands for payment will be considered harassment and will be reported to the police with a view to your criminal prosecution under s1 of the Malicious Communications Act 1998, s85 of the Postal Services Act 2000, s127 of the Communications Act 2003, and/or s2 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 - this last

[Ethel]

Additionally, civil action will be taken against you personally and your employer to cease and desist and for the recovery of all costs, together with a substantial payment in compensation for the mental pain and suffering caused.



I expect your reply by return, either providing the evidence requested above or indicating simply your termination of this correspondence.



[Bathsheba]

Thank you so much Ethel, for coming to my rescue once again!
What would we do without you? :-) xx