Parking penalty notice having used Ringo

[flanajb]

I find this rather interesting and am keen to understand what others think. I am especially interested on the legalities of this arrangement.

I purchased a parking ticket last Wednesday at 0745hrs at a train station using the ringo parking mobile app. I have been using the app every week for over a year.

Cut a long store short I received a PCN at 0800hrs on Wednesday. I checked my Ringo account and can see that the failure here lies with either the parking enforcement officer or with Ringo. As far as I am concerned this failure is nothing to do with me and I should not have to lift a finger to resolve it.

The Ringo page states something very different though and tell me they can provide a template, but it is my responsibility to appeal.

Here is what the Ringo web site states

"What happens if I get a parking fine? Can you help me appeal it?


If you have used the RingGo parking service correctly, parking in accordance with the rules but still received a parking fine, you should appeal in writing to the enforcement operator. As long as all session based information such as the vehicle registration, location and duration in which you have parked are 100% accurate, you should not encounter any problems using the service.

Unfortunately the enforcement operator will not allow us to intervene with any aspect of the appeal process, as it is their strict policy that customers contact them directly in writing. They issue the fines and consequently they are the only ones able to cancel them. You should as such follow the appeals procedure which is normally dictated on the back of the ticket itself.

If you had definitely paid for parking with the RingGo service at the time the parking fine was issued, we can supply you with a standard appeal template letter for you to send to the enforcement operator in appeal, together with a VAT receipt as proof of payment.

To obtain the appeal template letter, follow these instructions:
•Login to your RingGo account
•Click 'Help' in the top right corner of the page
•Select 'Appeal parking fine' from the Popular Questions
•Complete all required fields with the information requested
•We will email you in return with the appeal template letter specific to your case and VAT receipt!
"

 

[NickWelford]

RingGo is acting as the agent for the parking co. You will need to appeal to the parking co, but with proof of payment there shouldn't be any problem. I agree that it ought to be between the parking co and their agent, but for peace of mind, best chase it up yourself.

 

[RobinBHM]

Penalty charge notice or parking charge notice?

 

[marcros]

Penalty charge notice or parking charge notice?

That is a vital bit- if it is the latter just ignore it.

 

[StevieB]

It is you that will cop the penalty, not RingGo. Annoying as it may be, I would take any steps you can to resolve the issue - fine to complain to RingGo afterwards, but to challenge them now will give you 2 battles to fight and might not help in the first if you are arguing with one of the protagonists in the second!

Download the template and send it off - costs you a stamp and 20 minutes. OR pay the fine - costs you cash. Whatever you do don't ignore it. I work in a hospital that uses a private parking firm and they will chase individuals all the way to court if they have to.

Steve

 

[marcros]

they cant pursue individuals, or rather it wouldnt be worth their while doing so unless it is a serial offender. the parking charge notice is an invoice, payable by the driver. if as the registered keeper you are sent a parking charge notice, if you even acknowledge it, which I wouldnt, you just advise them to refer it to the driver. You are under no obligation to provide that information. They may threaten all sorts of things, but i doubt that there has been a single case actually bought to court this year in your hospital. I am willing to bet a fiver for a charity of your choosing.

There is also the issue of whether the invoice represents a fair estimate of the damage suffered by the parking company- £60 for a few minutes overstay, where the hourly parking charge is a couple of quid is likely to be regarded as unfair, and falls into another category. I appreciate that an overstay is not the issue in this case, but unfair terms are still relevant.

 

[finneyb]

I'd send the template AND an invoice for your time and distress in dealing with their cock-up.
Send the invoice you have nothing to loose

Brian

 

[gregmcateer]

Seems to me that you just have to decide if you want to have the fight and prove the point, (which you almost certainly will win), or just follow their appeal if you don't have the time/inclination to fight.

But DEFINITELY don't pay them a dime

 

[RobinBHM]

I got a PCN (parking charge notice) after parking at Brighton train station. I paid the ticket correctly, but the attendant input the wrong car reg no (which in hindsight, was certainly deliberate) and so the number plate recognition system saw it as a car entering and leaving without paying.

I did some online research and the much repeated advise was to ignore it, which I did. I received threatening letters for about 6 months then they gave up.

 

[SteveF]

I thought the rules changed and they can fine the owner these days

Steve

 

[Fergal]

http://www.legalbeagles.info/forums/for ... ge-Notices

I successfully appealed a PCN using the info found at the above forum. The vast majority of appeals win at the POPLA (an independent arbitrator) stage as the parking companies don't bother to provide any evidence against you, so you win by default.

At the forum above there are template letters you can download and use, which will pretty much guarantee you a win at appeal. You might as well give it a try, it worked for me. Just don't ignore it though.

Fergal

 

[gwaithcoed]

I parked in a car park at Bangor and after paying at the machine and walking back to the car I noticed that I had entered LZY at the end of my registration instead of LZX. Having the ticket I thought that if an attendant saw that I was displaying a ticket it would be OK.

However two days later I received from euro car parks a penalty notice that my car had been photographed entering and leaving but no ticket had been purchased for that registration and that I was to be fined £70 but would be reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.

I decided to send the £40 with a letter and also sent in an appeal against the fine stating what I had done. I said that if their computer was capable of seeing my registration going in and out of their car park and no ticket purchased for that reg. then it should also be capable of seeing that a ticket had been purchased for a car with the registration ending LZY but no car with that registration had entered or left their car park.

About two weeks later I received a letter saying that indeed that was the case and that my cheque had been destroyed, however if this happened again I would be fined as it is the responsibility of the driver to make sure that the correct registration was entered.


Alan.

 

[Mark A]

A good result!

Was a bit LZY of you not to check the reg first, mind!

 

[Racers]

So fineing dyslexic people is o/k?

Pete

 

[gwaithcoed]

Was a bit LZY of you not to check the reg first,

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Alan