Time-Traveling Parking Ticket

[TheDonUK]

Right so last summer i was couriering for one company which shall remain unnamed and renting a bike from a well known rental place.

I no longer work for that company or rent a bike from the other one,

So today i went to see my mum and there was two letters from westminster council, i immediately reconised the bastards as PCN's, so i open them. The first is a threatening letter dated the 7th of Feb 2008, saying that i have 14 days to pay the now 100 quid for aparently parking in a permit space in W1 without a permit, In, get this 01 June 2007!.

Now i dont remember this at all but surely there is some kind of cutoff period in which they have to contact you, This is the first correspondance i have received from them regarding the matter,
The second was the formal PCN dated 11th Feb 08 for the same thing saying i now owe 150 quid.

Now the interesting thing is, as i said the vehicle reg is not mine, it was a rental bike who i assume have passed on my details as the rider at the time, another interesting thing is that i havent lived at my mothers address for something like 4 years, i just gave it to rental company because i was moving around alot at the time.

Ile say now im a poor student whos not working at the moment, bollox if im going to pay 150 quid which i dont have to those reptiles for a ticket i dont even remember getting nearly a year ago.

One of the phrases in the first letter interests me "I am writing with reference to the above vehicle, which has incurred penalty charge notice. Please note that although this letter on lists one PCN above, there are several cases outstanding. A number of statutory notices have been previously sent to the address that appears on the vehicle registration document."

Now this was a rental bike, Im not the registered keeper, nor was i ever, and i would imagine couriers after me have got fines using that bike also.

I am considering ignoring it completely, as i havent lived at the address for years, those who do now are willing to deny i ever did or at least ask bailiffs/whatever to prove i live there.

But then i have seen those bailiff programms and the 150 quid debt turns into 600 pretty easily.

Or do i attempt to appeal through westminster, tell the truth that i have received nothing, and that it was well outside 6 months before i did, thought no fault of my own (ie down to them or the hire company). And hope they believe me.

Oh and yes i will be checking that peippo website later today

What does the BCF intelligentsia reccommend i do?

[pa_broon74]

I had a siimilar thing with a speeding ticket on a company car. The council might have written to the hire company several times and if they dragged their feet in handing over your details then it might explain the time delay.

Bit of a tough one, if you fight it you have to aknowledge your aware of it, tell them where you live etc. If you forget it, you run the risk of it turning into a serious financial headache.

Not sure what to do, bailiffs up this way (Scotland) aren't anything like as shitty as they are down your way. If they have your parents address, you're probably best fighting it out. Wouldn't want bailiffs turning up at my mums place (Haven't lived there for over 10 years but I still use the address for stuff...)
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Didn't catch anything.

[TheDonUK]

Tricky one aint it, Like you say if i appeal then in effect i accept that i have received these, they could turn around and say well you must have got the other ones too.

Ill just add this before i go to uni, My mum doesent live alone, there a few large men there that would be happy to speak politely to any bailiffs or people coming round casuing trouble

[and]

...

[Jack_Cheese]

Napalm
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[BFG]

IIRC The time limit only applies to making contact with the person on their records, so if they got in touch with the bike rental company in time, that won't work as a defence.

[Paivi]

Westminster & RBKC don't bother with bailiffs any longer, the next step is a summons to the county court.

Basically, we no longer have a leg to stand on as far as the parking attendants are concerned. The councils are trying to allow them to send parking tickets by post without it having ever been fixed on the vehicle or given to the driver. Not sure if that's been passed yet, though, but that's the next stage in their fascist campaign.

Apologies to any fascists who object to being compared to parking attendants.
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My other bike's a Monster...

[TheDonUK]

Well PePiPoo has been pretty reluctant to say much on the post i made there, most people seem to think i should ignore it and that the fine would be the responsibility of the hire company and its them who would have to chase me...

[Ariel Badger]

Does your Mom need the grief of bailifs turning up and attempting to take her property or is her peace of mind worth less than £100?
They will always get their money inthe end.
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