Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

[Equinox]

Hi,

Found this really informative website, but need help with a troubling issue and I don't know what to do.

I have been ignoring letters from MET Parking Services demanding £100 for overstaying at a McDonald's Car Park when I was dining at the restaurant with a friend a couple of months ago. It was dark and we didn't see the signage. I decided not to pay any attention to the letters from MET Parking because from what I have gathered reading about Parking Charge Notices they are practically an invoice from a private firm and it is not enforceable by law. Now I am not so sure if I made the right move. I have received another letter stating if I don't pay the overdue amount within 7 days they will instruct their solicitors/debt recovery to secure the payment or the issuing court proceedings could incur further costs. They also say my right to appeal to POPLA is no longer available.

All these threats just for overstaying at a McDonald's car park is ridiculous.

[ostell]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Try getting McDonalds to cancel the charge.

If the place is close by go back there at the same time and take pictures of the unlit signs (without flash). This will show that you could not have read their signs.

On the first letter you got, the Notice to Keeper it should give the dates. The letter should have been received by you within 14 days. Was it?

Yes, they can claim from the keeper of the car now but only if the notice they send you conforms striclty to the requirements of the regulations, POFA 2012.

There has been a change in the rules about Alternative Dispute Resolution processes, they should be available for 1 year. Someone will be along with the correct wording for that,.

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

I would just file and ignore.

1. You missed the appeal deadline and they won't change their mind.
2. They probably screwed up keeper liability and should not be able to win in an unlikely court claim when they do not know the identity of the driver.

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Thanks for the replies.

I think I did receive the letter within 14 days, but I am not certain because it was a couple of months.

It is true they don't know who the driver was at the time the incident occurred, but according to them they have the right to go after me, so how do we know they screwed up keeper liability? Isn't it a risky strategy to ignore it?

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

If Met Parking have complied in your case, it'll be a rare occurrence indeed.

I tend to think not ignoring is best but if they won't let you appeal now, what are you going to do ? Pay ?

Once you're past the point of no return you just have to go with it. Just think of all the letters as keeping your postie in a job.

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Well, I can appeal directly to MET, but not to the Independent Appeals Service according to the latest correspondence from them. Have there been any notable cases where they have sent bailiffs around demanding payment or made a court claim and won?

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Well if MET say they'll consider an appeal then that's the best way to go.

Bailiffs are only after losing at court and failing to pay.

Met are not very litigious, yet.

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Yes, but as mentioned in the letter they are threatening to get debt recovery agents on my case and they don't need a court judgement for that. Unless of course they are making empty threats, what's the likelihood of that happening?

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

100% although all they do is send some letters using different fonts, type sizes and letterheads.

Can you post up the letter suitably sanitised ?

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Sure, here is the actual letter.

I appreciate your help, cheers.

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

That's a reminder, but it does show they won't consider an appeal as it's been too long.

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Yes, I stand corrected. From what I can see I had to appeal within 28 days from the date of the initial correspondence.

In your experience what happens next if I choose to ignore the reminder?

[mystery1]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Lots of letters with big red writing ever increasing numbers up to about £63270541207354123078452139.22 scarier company names and then a discount. Eventually they give up.

Most of the time.

M1

[Equinox]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

Well, I've ignored those reminders and received more threatening letters, this time, with court proceedings. I wonder if anyone who has been in a similar position can advise where I stand in all this from a legal point of view, as I am not very well informed of my rights and what would be the next best course of action.

All this grief for overstaying at a McDonald's car park for just being a paying customer is getting ridiculous.

[ostell]

Re: Need Help Please. MET Parking demanding overdue payment!

This is a "recommend" court proceedings, not a "will". Still in the realms of frighteners. If they are so sure of their case why not proceed full tilt to court?