Parking Fine - Only Received Letter From Debt Collection Company

[OldChestNuts]

In August of this year, I briefly driven into a car park in Newquay beach carpark but was full so I had to drive back out.
Today, I received a letter from a debt collection company requesting to pay £170, with no appeal as it says the appeal time had passed. I had paid it now to avoid further escalation.
The problem is I would have contact the car park company if I had received the letter of non payment car park.
Is there anything I can do now?

[jno]

I can't see how once you've paid but basically I think you've been scammed. Never pay parking fines without reading Martin Lewis first

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

[THECORBYLOON]

You are meant to be given ten minute to look for a space so how long were you looking?

[OldChestNuts]

There was a long queue of cars going in and out. So it may have taken more than 10mins. I don't mind paying the initial charges if I had been in there for more than 10mins. But not receiving the initial letter is my biggest problem. If the first letter was sent to me and lost in the post, would you expect a second letter?

[jno]

they presumably wouldn't know it was lost in the post ... if it ever existed. It might be worth knowing who owns the carpark and sets the tariffs and who they subcontract the debt collecting to. But I think you'll just have to write it off to experience. If it ever happens again do some googling before you pay anyone a penny.

[Peter Pedant]

Brill site many thanks

[THECORBYLOON]

Eh?

[Canary42]

I see that Martin Lewis advises not paying. The problem with that is the "fine" then doubles. I will just relate my experience for what it's worth.

In a supermarket car park, when I emerged from shopping, my car had a flat tyre. I called on Green Flag who came out quickly and took the wheel off and on examining it found a large hole, too large to fix, and recommended a new tyre. The GF guy then rang round a couple of tyre companies and found one stocking the right size, then took me and the wheel round there (leaving my car on his jack) and got me a new tyre fitted. We then returned to the car park where he insisted on replacing the wheel.
I then got the inevitable "fee demand" as it had been well over the time limit for parking. I paid up immediately with a covering letter stating it was "without prejudice" and demanding they rescind the payment and explaining the circumstances and enclosing a photo of the car in the park with the flat (and hinting that as it had been picked up in their park I might sue them for the replacement cost - only bluffing of course, but "every little helps"). They replied asking for evidence of my payment to the tyre company. Fortunately I had retained the receipt, unfortunately they hadn't dated it. So I took an image and edited a date on to it and sent it off. They then returned my un-cashed cheque (they had obviously put it on hold due to my first letter).

So my advice, if you think it's unfair, would be do pay up on time but mark it as "without prejudice" and stating any circumstances to support your claim.

[Giggsie]

Brilliant group on Facebook for help with this…fight your private parking invoice

[LadyCG]

Once you've paid it, you can't ask for the money back.

Heaven knows why you paid though if you didn't actually avail yourself of a parking space and exit your vehicle. If you never received a parking charge notice in the first place then how were you meant to appeal?

They are guilty of reprehensible malpractice and I would have flatly refused to pay and CC'd in the FCA, Martin Lewis, Roger Cook, Watchdog and Rogue Traders ;)

I actually did get one from Paid Parking Company (Aldi) in January 2016 and made such a fuss that they wrote it off as "a gesture of goodwill". I actually got them on a technicality so they knew they'd lose if it came to court.

[LadyCG]

Paid Parking Company??? Obviously what I typed was filtered out.

[ToraToraTora]

ladycg, of course you can get the money back if you can show it's wrong. Paying it stops it escalating.

[LadyCG]

But they can argue that in making payment he was admitting fault.

[ToraToraTora]

not if you explain you are not admitting anything "without prehudice" - see above.

[LadyCG]

Thanks, I've already seen above - Martin Lewis has advised in the past NOT to pay as it can be difficult to get your money back.

They're cowboys, and best ignored.

One time when I had a courtesy car and was not displaying my parking permit, I parked on the staff carpark and came back to a penalty notice. I tore it up and threw it in the bin. They wrote to me numerous times telling me that the price had doubled, trebled, etc. They subsequently wrote to me telling me that they were willing to do a deal and if I paid a small amount to settle the now historical account the matter would be closed. They eventually got a "Solicitor" to write to me in a final attempt to extract some money from me. Not once did I ever acknowledge any communication and eventually they gave up, but not before they did their level best to intimidate the hell out of me.

[OldChestNuts]

The car park in question is Newquay Fristral Beach. There is no postal address to write too apart from an 0845 phone number.

[jno]

I see you've had your say on Parkopedia!

[LadyCG]

OCN, you don't write to the Car Park, you write to the Registered Office of the Cowboys who are trying to fleece you.