Hello Legal Beagles...I am being taken to court by Parking Eye and need some help!

[Eagleii13]

Hello, I am a new member as my "puppy" status probably denotes. I am in a real pickle right now and do not know what to do or whom to talk to, so I have come here after doing several searches online for help. I am stressed out at the moment because I have too much on my plate to deal with. I am a primary caregiver for two young children aged 4 and 5. I am unemployed and have no income, and I have a medical condition which necessitates the use of special medication to keep me "stable" and allow me to deal with everyday life without folding up like a lawn chair. The kids are not yet back in school (it has been a long summer), my prescription meds just ran out two days ago, and I have been served with court papers from Parking Eye for not paying an inflated parking charge. It started a few months ago when I received a notice in the post, (or rather my spouse did as it was addressed to them and not me.) It was a parking charge (first notice) from Parking Eye for the princely amount of £85! We have already had dealings with this company on two other occasions but had the charges quashed by the business whom we were visiting at those car parks and thought it had to be a mistake...and another annoying waste of our time. In this case it was for overstaying in a retail (shopping center) car park by 37 minutes. Since my spouse had been at work at that hour of the day we knew it was myself that had been driving. As it turns out I was at that retail park to leave my vehicle for a brief time so I could go to an appointment in a clinic inside a large building across the street from the retail park, and it was the only place to park that did not cost anything up front for the first couple of hours. The car park had been suggested to me by the clinician I was going to see. So I thought it was a good idea at the time. I did actually see the big Parking Eye sign on the way into the car park but since I was moving briskly in traffic and there was a car behind me I did not slow down to read it all. I parked up, exited the vehicle quickly and walked across the street to my appointment . The clinic was running behind schedule, and I was finally seen after filling out lots of paperwork, etc. After my appointment was over I realized I had overshot my time slot by nearly 35 minutes (on top of the 20 minutes already spent waiting to be seen)and returned about 2 and a half hours later to get something from my car and then went to a shop in the retail park to pick up some bits and pieces, before returning again to the car and leaving to go get my kids from preschool. So that is what I did on the day of the alleged offense, now after being sent two letters threatening me with further financial penalties and a third letter making me feel like a criminal and threatening me with court I finally gave in and wrote back informing them that the registered keeper was not the driver at the time of the alleged offense, I was...also I wrote that I am an unemployed full time primary caregiver/parent....I got no response or acknowledgement of that letter that I sent or that I was the person driving, not the registered keeper. So I am now trying to get a grip on the British legal system ( I am not from the UK) and trying to keep this from going against my spouse, as it will damage the bank and credit records of the person named...and mess up our finances -especially because of the sensitive nature of the job field she works in. In short, a parking ticket would ruin my family finances in a permanent way. The issue date on the papers is August 15, and it says they give you 5 days from that date before it starts to count...we received the court papers on the 21st of August...I did not know it took that long to arrive from Northamptonshire! I have tried unsuccessfully to get help from the local Citizens Advice Bureau for the past two weeks to no avail...they are never there! Today is my last day to respond before the cutoff date of 14 days. I have filled out the acknowledgement of service on paper and am going to defend the claim, though I do not know how. I think I will do it online as well, I think...so they do not rule against us by default if the paper is delayed or lost as my letter must have been. So, what next? How do I appeal this and make them understand that I am not financially able to pay this and am not in a position to do anything else either....especially show up at some court in another county? My family is barely getting by at the moment, and until I find a job and start earning again it is looking bleak. How do those people sleep at night? Help would be very welcome!

[Inca]

Re: Hello Legal Beagles...I am being taken to court by Parking Eye and need some help

Hi and to LegalBeagles...one of our knowledgeable bods will pop in to help you but in the meantime,grab a brew and try not to panic

[labman]

Re: Hello Legal Beagles...I am being taken to court by Parking Eye and need some help

Hi Eagleii133 - what an unusual username!

Welcome to LB. Parking Eye are a nuisance, and are being very proactive in taking people to court at present. To date they have lost nearly all of those that are defended.

I will send a message to someone who is able to help you. I am sure they will also suggest you register at www.pepipoo.com which is a specialist motoring site, free to join, and very good on Parking Charge Notices. If you have a read on there while you wait for the member here to respond, I'm sure you'll feel more confident about your chances of defending this successfully. Could you post up the Particulars of Claim for us please. :beagle:

[mystery1]

Re: Hello Legal Beagles...I am being taken to court by Parking Eye and need some help

Hello, I am a new member as my "puppy" status probably denotes. I am in a real pickle right now and do not know what to do or whom to talk to, so I have come here after doing several searches online for help. I am stressed out at the moment because I have too much on my plate to deal with. I am a primary caregiver for two young children aged 4 and 5. I am unemployed and have no income, and I have a medical condition which necessitates the use of special medication to keep me "stable" and allow me to deal with everyday life without folding up like a lawn chair. The kids are not yet back in school (it has been a long summer), my prescription meds just ran out two days ago, and I have been served with court papers from Parking Eye for not paying an inflated parking charge. It started a few months ago when I received a notice in the post, (or rather my spouse did as it was addressed to them and not me.) It was a parking charge (first notice) from Parking Eye for the princely amount of £85! We have already had dealings with this company on two other occasions but had the charges quashed by the business whom we were visiting at those car parks and thought it had to be a mistake...and another annoying waste of our time. In this case it was for overstaying in a retail (shopping center) car park by 37 minutes. Since my spouse had been at work at that hour of the day we knew it was myself that had been driving. As it turns out I was at that retail park to leave my vehicle for a brief time so I could go to an appointment in a clinic inside a large building across the street from the retail park, and it was the only place to park that did not cost anything up front for the first couple of hours. The car park had been suggested to me by the clinician I was going to see. So I thought it was a good idea at the time. I did actually see the big Parking Eye sign on the way into the car park but since I was moving briskly in traffic and there was a car behind me I did not slow down to read it all. I parked up, exited the vehicle quickly and walked across the street to my appointment . The clinic was running behind schedule, and I was finally seen after filling out lots of paperwork, etc. After my appointment was over I realized I had overshot my time slot by nearly 35 minutes (on top of the 20 minutes already spent waiting to be seen)and returned about 2 and a half hours later to get something from my car and then went to a shop in the retail park to pick up some bits and pieces, before returning again to the car and leaving to go get my kids from preschool. So that is what I did on the day of the alleged offense, now after being sent two letters threatening me with further financial penalties and a third letter making me feel like a criminal and threatening me with court I finally gave in and wrote back informing them that the registered keeper was not the driver at the time of the alleged offense, I was...also I wrote that I am an unemployed full time primary caregiver/parent....I got no response or acknowledgement of that letter that I sent or that I was the person driving, not the registered keeper. So I am now trying to get a grip on the British legal system ( I am not from the UK) and trying to keep this from going against my spouse, as it will damage the bank and credit records of the person named...and mess up our finances -especially because of the sensitive nature of the job field she works in. In short, a parking ticket would ruin my family finances in a permanent way. The issue date on the papers is August 15, and it says they give you 5 days from that date before it starts to count...we received the court papers on the 21st of August...I did not know it took that long to arrive from Northamptonshire! I have tried unsuccessfully to get help from the local Citizens Advice Bureau for the past two weeks to no avail...they are never there! Today is my last day to respond before the cutoff date of 14 days. I have filled out the acknowledgement of service on paper and am going to defend the claim, though I do not know how. I think I will do it online as well, I think...so they do not rule against us by default if the paper is delayed or lost as my letter must have been. So, what next? How do I appeal this and make them understand that I am not financially able to pay this and am not in a position to do anything else either....especially show up at some court in another county? My family is barely getting by at the moment, and until I find a job and start earning again it is looking bleak. How do those people sleep at night? Help would be very welcome!

I take it this is a claim from Northampton bulk claims centre ? If so then read the claim form, log in using the details an password provided and acknowledge service and you will be defending in full. This gives us 14 days more to enter a defence.

M1