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Friday 23 August 2013

UK Parking Control pursue dead motorist

The Prankster has received a copy of a letter from UKPC who are intent on pursuing a dead motorist for parking charges.

We write with reference to your recent correspondence in relation to the above Parking Charge.

As per our previous letter, we can confirm that we have made our final decision regarding your appeal.

Please refer back to this letter and the three options that are available to you.

We appreciate that this is not the outcome you will have hoped for. Please forward on a copy of the drivers death certificate, otherwise, unless you have any additional information that you have not already brought to our attention, this decision is final. Although further correspondence will be noted and filed, please do not expect any response from us except where you have provided new evidence to substantiate your case.

The Prankster is amazed (but probably shouldn't be) at the crass insensitivity of this letter. Given that the car park was Mount Vernon Hospital (a well known centre for cancer treatment), The Prankster feels that the tone of the letter at this sad time for all concerned is completely over the top. Mr Mustard, who provided The Prankster with the letter, (and who is top notch on fighting council tickets) suggests a more reasonable reply would be along the lines:

Dear Sir,

I was very sorry to read of the death of Mr X. If you could send us a copy of the death certificate, or order for service or in fact any document which notes the passing of the deceased we would be delighted to cancel the parking charge.

Given that this is a stressful time we will take no further action to pursue our claim until 90 days has elapsed.

Yours most sincerely

UKPC

The Prankster agrees. Sadly, it seems that UKPC are more concerned with pursuing the loot at any cost, even though they are in breach of the British Parking Association Limited Code of Practice for pursuing a driver with a blue badge.

16.5 If your landowner provides a concession that allows parking for disabled people, if a vehicle displays a valid Blue Badge you must not issue it with parking charge notices.


The Parking Prankster


8 comments:

  1. I suppose they will want to take him to court next...

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  2. Scum of the earth. Let nothing get in the way of profit. If it was me, I'd be onto the nationals and local papers.

    Let them waste their money trying to take them to Court and spread the word how vile these parasites are.

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  3. Oh dear UKPC have decided not to give in. They have sent a Notice to Keeper, luckily not to the deceased motorist or their next of kin but to Mr Mustard as if he is the owner.

    They write "your vehicle" but I don't have a silver BMW only a black van and a couple of motorbikes.

    They write "We had reasonable cause to obtain your details as you were the registered keeper at the time of parking" No I wasn't. I never was the owner of the silver BMW, I have only ever seen a photograph of it. It looks like UKPC are economising on payments to the DVLA and assuming Mr Mustard must be the RK because he wrote, even though his letter was full of references to "The Driver" whom he left unnamed.

    They write "you... will be liable". Er, no I won't.

    They write "Whilst taking great care...we appreciate errors can occur" Half of this sentence is accurate and not the first half.

    What next?

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  4. They have plenty of printer ink at UKPC. On 7/10/13 they sent me a Final Reminder.

    Does anyone want to guess if it will be the Final reminder or not?

    probably not as it says "if....after 14 days...not paid in full.... further steps will be taken..."

    I am so excited I can hardly wait for the 14 days to pass.

    They also say

    "If necessary, County Court proceedings will be commenced.." but as my "Total now due" is £60 I doubt it will be necessary.

    Have just looked at the first para which says "We wrote to you previously explaning you were the driver of..." which is quite a statement as I have never seen the vehicle in question let alone drive it nor have I been inside the grounds of the Mount Vernon Hospital. I have just checked my diary to see where I was that day. Would you believe it, I was in the North London Business Park doing an armchair audit of the Annual Accounts of the council. One of the people I met with that day was the Parking Manager. I wonder if he'll give me a letter to say I was there? I signed in and out so can ask for the visitors' book to confirm. lol.

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    Replies
    1. I will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment.

      At some point UKPC will be spurred into immediate action, and who knows what will happen then. I have checked my diary and made sure I am fully cleared in 14 days to have a good laugh at UKPC's expense.

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  5. Barnet Council, who I refer to above as the council, have their own problems with data on the deceased this week,

    http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/10726952._I_m_not_dead_____Grieving_woman_opens_letter_from_council_debt_collectors_stating_she_is_deceased/

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  6. Odd, in my letter of 30 September I asked for either cancellation or a POPLA code. I didn't offer the option of a Final Notice. How could I be so misunderstood?

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    Replies
    1. Ah well, time for a complaint to the BPA then, methinks.

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