51 replies to this topic

[Harry Hornet]

On 23 11 17,  The UK wide RINGO online parking app was down.

 

I use this regularly and it was not until I had left the car park and had got on a train that I knew the app was broken.

 

SO I get back to car and have a fine of £60

 

RINGO on the day put out online notices say they would notify the Parking Operators of the problem and I would have to appeal to them if a PCN was issued

 

So I appeal to a compny called PPS who own the car park.

I lose the appeal as Rule 11 states I shouldnt leave the car park unless having paid by online, cash, telephone or credit card. Having investigated it wasnt possible to do any of those  except the cash, but as I had parked the fine still stands. i.e. I should have left the car park! I reckon about 2-300 cars were fined on that day...and about 200k across the uk

 

I dont carry loose change of £12 quid and I doubt if any one else does.

 

What grounds or whom should I appeal to..I am already at Arbiration stage with Independent Parking Committee and if this goes against me im up for a lifted fine to £100,  it would seem Im up a river in a boat without a paddle.

 

Watch dog have been contacted

 

Thanks for looking..any advice or past experince of these bastards much appreciatted

HH

Edited by Harry Hornet, 15 January 2017 - 05:32 PM.

[p4cks]

Do you have any records (like screenshots) of the message Ringo put on their website. That might help with your appeal.

 

Also, although the app was down did you try calling Ringo? There's more than one way to pay for parking.

 

 

[fiveoclock]

"Watchdog have been contacted"   I bet the parking company are shitting their pants

[hairy]

Go down to Newton Abbot and burn their office down.

Edited by hairy, 15 January 2017 - 06:33 PM.

[Harry Hornet]

Do you have any records (like screenshots) of the message Ringo put on their website. That might help with your appeal.

 

Also, although the app was down did you try calling Ringo? There's more than one way to pay for parking.

 

 

 

Yes screenshots supplied

 

..and it wasnt a great Contact centre unlike yours Packs, continually engaged or not answered due to the high traffic....and at t£ 1.60p per fecking minute

 

"Watchdog have been contacted"   I bet the parking company are shitting their pants

 

..exactly my thoughts.....have you any better advice..

 

Go down to Newton Abbot and burn their office down.

 

yep....or better still ....rip up their car park...bastards..

 

anyone coming up with a winning advice, I will donate the £100 to a prize for the national..

Edited by Harry Hornet, 15 January 2017 - 07:23 PM.

[FLD]

Is this one of those you can ignore as it's a ticket not issued by a council parking warden or police officer?  Maybe I've been sucked in by an urban myth but I thought any private parking ticket could be ignored no matter how much they threaten you.

[p4cks]

 

Do you have any records (like screenshots) of the message Ringo put on their website. That might help with your appeal.   Also, although the app was down did you try calling Ringo? There's more than one way to pay for parking.

  Yes screenshots supplied   ..and it wasnt a great Contact centre unlike yours Packs, continually engaged or not answered due to the high traffic....and at t£ 1.60p per fecking minute

 

Each time I've used the phone service it's automated (press 1 for this, press 2 for that etc), therefore large call volumes shouldn't impact on the service.

 

I think the fact that other payment options were available and not utilised by you may go some way to you having a not-very-successful outcome. I'm playing devil's advocate here.  

[Wolfstone]

Ringo are predominantly Council outsourced. If your PCN is 'Penalty Charge Notice' then its likely a Council issued notice. In which case don't ignore but challenge in writing. I forgot to pay once and they waived it on the basis they could see it was a genuine mistake as I had a long record of always paying. If its 'Parking Charge Notice' it's not Council issued and you can ignore. I did that once and after 6 months of the company harassing me, including threats of court, (I ignored ALL contact) they gave up.

Edited by Wolfstone, 15 January 2017 - 07:50 PM.

[framauro]

I had an issue with grossly unfair parking fines last year.  £1600 fines for a month (16 days) of allegedly illegal parking!  However, I had a monthly ticket and their ANPR was buggered.  Posted my complaint on tw@tter aimed at the parking company in question.  ZZPS 'debt enforcers' later became involved.  It eventually got resolved, after much tw@ttering, but it was time-consuming and frustrating. I had just started to involve these guys https://twitter.com/BMPA_EU before it got resolved - so no idea how effective or useful they are. What I would say is failing to pay for parking because the web app (or machine on site) is non-functional is perhaps not a valid reason for appeal against a fine.  If on the day you make no other attempt to contact the company (email?) or make payment (via phone? SMS? website?) then you will be seen as having made no additional effort to have paid for the parking.  This may adversely affect any appeal you may make.

[GiGo]

Have a look here Ian 

 

https://www.getoutof.../Parking-Notice

Edited by GiGo, 16 January 2017 - 12:08 PM.

[Actus Reus]

Sorry - bit busy here with actual law stuff for actual clients, but...

 

Firstly the law changed in late 2015 (Parkingeye v Beavis is the case), and you'd be very VERY foolish to just ignore any charge notice these days unless you are very sure of your position.

 

Secondly the link GiGo posts is to a Freeman on the Land type of site - I urge caution with that. I'm new here and so don't want to offend anybody, but people trying that approach have lost court cases in a big way, and even been held in contempt and gone to prison. Will try and find more time to revisit this with a better post!

[Andrew aka Stuwy]

Is this one of those you can ignore as it's a ticket not issued by a council parking warden or police officer?  Maybe I've been sucked in by an urban myth but I thought any private parking ticket could be ignored no matter how much they threaten you.

they can take you to small claims and then the £100 becomes £220+ with fees. By parking on their Land you subscribe to their conditions and enter into a "contract". If you was not allowed to park there, be it a members only car park or did not pay, they can dream up an invoice to charge you for parking on their land. This does not necessary apply to Ian as it looks like there own systems are at fault but usually I would just say pay it. Move on.

Edited by Andrew aka Stuwy, 16 January 2017 - 12:58 PM.

[GiGo]

Sorry - bit busy here with actual law stuff for actual clients, but...

 

Firstly the law changed in late 2015 (Parkingeye v Beavis is the case), and you'd be very VERY foolish to just ignore any charge notice these days unless you are very sure of your position.

 

Secondly the link GiGo posts is to a Freeman on the Land type of site - I urge caution with that. I'm new here and so don't want to offend anybody, but people trying that approach have lost court cases in a big way, and even been held in contempt and gone to prison. Will try and find more time to revisit this with a better post!

 

I never use the 'signage' I link too to get away without paying for parking!  I have it in my cars (more so in the van) for when I am making deliveries, I have found it deters the Council Parking Attendant for a few mins, by which time I am normally back in the van and on the move lol

 

I have appealed a parking ticket from a private firm before and if you look closely in to the law on how you enter the car park and the regulations they must adhere to you may find something wrong.

 

I once got a ticket in a private car park when with my grandmother using her blue badge.  I did not realise you still had to pay.  I argued with the firm (and provided photographic evidence), that the sign stating the regulations is not at the entrance of the car park and must of been blocked at the time I entered the car park (the sign was by the exit and cars can cross in front of it).  They cancelled ticket once I told them that. 

[Rosssco]

 

Is this one of those you can ignore as it's a ticket not issued by a council parking warden or police officer?  Maybe I've been sucked in by an urban myth but I thought any private parking ticket could be ignored no matter how much they threaten you.

they can take you to small claims and then the £100 becomes £220+ with fees. By parking on their Land you subscribe to their conditions and enter into a "contract". If you was not allowed to park there, be it a members only car park or did not pay, they can dream up an invoice to charge you for parking on their land. This does not necessary apply to Ian as it looks like there own systems are at fault but usually I would just say pay it. Move on.

 

 

This works up in Scotland, but not in England / Wales as far as I know. Hence any letters from private parking tickets just get instantly binned.  

[JG]

I have a very simple rule, even it when its not your fault (and I've had a few with PayandGo going down) is just pay it.

I also pay the ones in private car parks

I just like it to go away.

[Harry Hornet]

I have a very simple rule, even it when its not your fault (and I've had a few with PayandGo going down) is just pay it. I also pay the ones in private car parks I just like it to go away.

So would i except in this instance i conservatively estimate the total of all the fines UK wide is in the region of £500k This hapoens 3 times a year..so extra funds totals over £1m There will be penalty clauses and surely contractual insurance between suppliers Why should Jo Public pay £60 for not their fault..

[Mazzy]

In the past if i ever get anything from the Council i either appeal if not at fault or pay if i am. Not wortht the hassle...

 

Any private company that issues fines against me I ignore them, let them accrue charges and waste their time.

As a tickle i sometimes write "NO CONTRACT - RETURN TO SENDER" on the envelopes and repost. This does make them more eager to chase you to prove that you owe something even though you do not.

 

Have a look on the TPUC org website for parking notices and how to work around them. 

 

 

 

[Rosssco]

The point is, the "fine" is against the driver of the car (as the one who's broken the 'Contract'), but the registered keeper is sent the notice (as that's all they have to go on). The company must be able to prove you were the one driving the car at the time, otherwise they cannot successfully prosecute. Which is why the worst thing you can do is reply.

 

You have no legal obligation (in Scotland at least) to inform them who was driving the car, as it's classed as a civil matter, so it's not worth their time / effort to investigate further, hence its usually dropped for the £100 charge they attempt to get...

[D-DAWG83]

If you have to pay the council the money, then you have to do that, all other private companies, just ignore all letter correspondants etc. Eventually they go away

[Harry Hornet]

Thanks everyone Ignore letters asking for driver confirmation seems best bet..