Premier Park Ltd - Pier Head Carpark, Exmouth. Advice needed!

[Pipo]

I'd really appreciate some advice from anyone with knowledge of private parking companies, as I have just received a final reminder on what seems a nonsensical parking charge notice.

The reminder states the following; "The reason we issued the PCN to the vehicle is as follows: Whole Period of Parking Not Paid For." This is evidentially factually incorrect, as a ticket was paid for, placed in the vehicles window, and the driver returned before the expiry time on the ticket. This is proven by Premier Parking's PCN showing my vehicle entering and leaving the car park with time stamped photographs. Therefore there can be no dispute that a ticket was paid for, and the time limits imposed by said ticket abided by.

Premier Parking have gone on to claim that the ticket was purchased using incorrect data entry, due to only the last 3 digits of the number plate having been entered rather than the entirety. Surely no ticket should have been issued? The large majority of this type of ticket machine seem to ask for the last 3 digits, not the whole number plate, therefore it's not ignorance to follow this standard action. If the requirements are for the entire number plate to be entered, shouldn't their machines not be able to issue a ticket based on 3 digits only?

As it is, they clearly have evidence that a ticket WAS purchased for my vehicle. They have evidence of a ticket purchased for one hour for vehicle registration ending with the last three digits of my vehicles registration, and they have photographic evidence that the vehicle arrived and left within this purchased time period.

They are threatening court action, but can anyone out there advise whether that is likely to happen if I refuse to pay? And if it does, do they have a leg to stand on?

Thank you in advance!

[ostell]

Yes the can take you to court but I believe the reason for the claim would be held as de minimis, ie a trifling matter as the contract for parking was paid for.

It is normal for the companies to ask for the full VRM as it increases the chances of a mistake and them being able to claim.

Your question is why did their machine issue a ticket when the there was no record of that VRM being in the car park?

This location may be subject to byelaws, if it's the one I am thinking of. Is it this one?

There is currently someone else also having problems with this location and they were asked to check on byelaws.

If there are byelaws in existence then this is not relevant land and the keeper cannot be held liable, only the unknown driver.

[ke0240a]

I am on this forum with exactly the same problem with Premier Park Ltd. My partner put a wrong last digit for his ticket and we have just received the typical photograph of our car entering and exiting the carpark with demand for money.
I appealed to them and it was rejected.
Their letter says I can appeal through POPLA which I did yesterday and had to response. We phoned the local council and although it is not their land they admitted that we are not the first to complain of this company.
They give a phone number but its one of those that charges a pound a minute but you never get anywhere or through to anyone..
It all seem bit of a scam to me.
This photographic parking charge says 'Parking Charge Notice' so is it legally binding? Can it be ignored?

I really would love to get

[Onetap]

Premier Parking have gone on to claim that the ticket was purchased using incorrect data entry, due to only the last 3 digits of the number plate having been entered rather than the entirety. Surely no ticket should have been issued? ...

I had a similar incident with this company. The first two digits of my registration number were on the log of payments that they sent to POPLA. It is not apparent, but the list of payments purports to be data entered into the machine. I hadn't entered or verified any part of my registration number, the two digits had been added by Premier Park. The shortest possible valid UK VRN is two digits long. They claimed I had verified two digits of 7 as my full VRN; who would do that?

The machines should not be able to take a payment until a Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) has been entered and verified. In council-operated car parks with the same machines, the coin slot is barred until a VRN has been entered and verified. I had not entered any part of my VRN, The ticket printed was valid for 2 hours. I left after about 30 minutes.

I received a PCN for "Parking Session expired or unpaid", it was not for not entering the VRN. I appealed to POPLA. POPLA decided the payment was invalid. An invalid payment had never been mentioned previously and had not been addressed in the appeal. POPLA had effectively reworded the PCN for the benefit of the parking company, they should have decided only whether I had paid or I had not paid.

The operating sequence of the machines at that car park was later altered so that you cannot deposit coins until a VRN has been entered and verified. They also altered the signs, adding the "Enter full correct registration number..." clause that they had said was on the sign's clauses. It wasn't there at the time that I parked (I have their photographs). POPLA keep telling me that it was there. POPLA seems to be incompetent or corrupt.

I'd advise you to ignore them.

[ostell]

No you don't ignore but don't please hijack a thread that already exists. The advice gets confusing.

Start your own thread and post up the PCN you received, suitably redacted so that you can't be identified but leave the dates.

[Onetap]

No you don't ignore but don't please hijack a thread that already exists. The advice gets confusing.

Start your own thread and post up the PCN you received, suitably redacted so that you can't be identified but leave the dates.

I was posting the details of my experience, in a similar situation, for the benefit of the OP.
The PCN is a speculative invoice, they will need a CCJ to get the money and, so far as I know, Premier Park don't often resort to the courts.

It's plausible that some people may make a mistake in entering their VRN. It's implausible that anyone would enter two or three digits of their VRN and verify it as being correct. There are several posts about this happening with Premier Park. I have stated how it came about in my case.

[ostell]

Onetap : - You weren't the only one to post.

[Onetap]

Onetap : - You weren't the only one to post.

I know. I thought my experience was sufficiently similar to the OP's that it might save them some anxiety. It may be of use to anyone else finding this threrad whilst researching a similar PCN.

It's two months late, they've probably been through the POPLA route by now.

[Sleezy]

In August I parked at pier head exmouth paid for my parking I still have the ticket returning in my allotted time but was delayed leaving the car park due to a broken down car being worked on by a breakdown van . I received a notice of a fine from premier park stating no ticket purchased, I have gone through all the appeals heard nothing since popla said no, today a threatening letter from a legal company demanding £190 or being taken to court what do I do anyone ?

[ostell]

What you do is start your own thread and not hijack someone else's, as several of the posts previous to you have alluded to.

[Sleezy]

Sorry
A little harsh almost rude ! this was my first post and as it is the same company and car Park although a different reason for fine I thought it was logical , obviously not for you, not the welcome I was expecting to be honest innocent mistake !!

[charitynjw]

Sorry
A little harsh almost rude ! this was my first post and as it is the same company and car Park although a different reason for fine I thought it was logical , obviously not for you, not the welcome I was expecting to be honest innocent mistake !!

Hi

It's just that although things start off the same, cases quickly diverge & we end up in a bit of a pickle trying to answer posts from various people with differing situations....a real nightmare to manage.

Would you like admin to sort out seperate threads?

[Sleezy]

Hi
i know a little stressed with this not knowing which way to turn I have now started a separate thread so hopefully some help arrives. Thanks again

[Lama]

I have the same issue as the first post on this thread from the Pierhead car park in Exmouth. I appealed the charge as I had paid for my period of parking but in line with other machines in the area had only recorded the last 3 digits of my registration. It is clear from Premier Park’s photographic evidence that I arrived and left within period of my payment but they still say that I did not have a valid ticket. This was upheld by POPLA and I’ve now had 2 letters from a debt collection agency, PPlegal chasing payment. The fine has now increased from an incredible £100 to £170. My plan is to ignore it until they send me a letter before court, although the last letter from the PPlegal states if I don’t pay “ proceedings will be commenced before the civil courts for the recovery of the monies owed together with allowable legal costs, without further reference to yourself”. I believe this to be scaremongering so plan to ignore. Is this correct and do Premier Park have to send me a letter before court before taking it any further? Your original reply suggested that they would be unlikely to get anywhere with a court action and so I am hoping that they won’t pursue it but I suppose I can’t be sure. How likely is it that they will pursue. I feel their approach is totally unreasonable and so I’m inclined to fight it but fear this may be misguided.

[charitynjw]

I have the same issue as the first post on this thread from the Pierhead car park in Exmouth. I appealed the charge as I had paid for my period of parking but in line with other machines in the area had only recorded the last 3 digits of my registration. It is clear from Premier Park’s photographic evidence that I arrived and left within period of my payment but they still say that I did not have a valid ticket. This was upheld by POPLA and I’ve now had 2 letters from a debt collection agency, PPlegal chasing payment. The fine has now increased from an incredible £100 to £170. My plan is to ignore it until they send me a letter before court, although the last letter from the PPlegal states if I don’t pay “ proceedings will be commenced before the civil courts for the recovery of the monies owed together with allowable legal costs, without further reference to yourself”. I believe this to be scaremongering so plan to ignore. Is this correct and do Premier Park have to send me a letter before court before taking it any further? Your original reply suggested that they would be unlikely to get anywhere with a court action and so I am hoping that they won’t pursue it but I suppose I can’t be sure. How likely is it that they will pursue. I feel their approach is totally unreasonable and so I’m inclined to fight it but fear this may be misguided.

Hi & welcome to LB

Could you please start your own thread.
https://legalbeagles.info/forums/for...charge-notices

PP does litigate - whether they will or not in your case, it's not possible to say.