Check how many dodgy practices Watchdog manage to cover in the program.
Not giving a POPLA code with an appeal refusal
Saying the appeal time has elapsed at the same time as sending a Notice to Driver
Starting the debt collection process while an appeal is running
Giving a POPLA code which does not work
Offering to do the POPLA appeal for the motorist
Trying to mislead the motorist that their appeal is not one POPLA will even accept
Telling the motorist their appeal will not succeed at POPLA
Giving a POPLA code which starts from an earlier date to the date the appeal refusal was sent
Stating that the motorist can pay and get their money refunded if they win the appeal, even though they know POPLA refuse appeals if the motorist already paid
Asking for a stamped addressed envelope with appeals
Stating that the motorist's grounds are not valid grounds for appeal, even though they have won a previous appeal with the same operator on the same grounds
Hiding the POPLA code in the appeal refusal without saying what it is
Sending fake information to motorists to try and persuade them not to appeal to POPLA
Only providing a web address for POPLA, and not paper copies of the appeal documents.
Not answering the motorist appeal points, and just sending a template letter
Sending in false financial information to try and explain genuine pre-estimate of loss calculations
Sending in different false financial information to try and explain genuine pre-estimate of loss calculations, after POPLA reject previous explanations
Incorrectly redacting contracts to hide information detrimental to their case.
Sending a different evidence pack to POPLA but not the motorist
Sending the evidence pack late to the motorist and lying to POPLA as to the date it was sent
Sending in witness statements with false information
Sending in witness statements with information not in the knowledge of the witness
Sending in witness statements with opinions the witness is not qualified to make
Sending in witness statements with true, but deliberately misleading information
Signing witness statement on behalf of the witness, without their knowledge
Signing witness statements while pretending to be an employee of the witness
Refusing appeals and forcing the motorist to use POPLA, even though large numbers of appeals have been lost on the same point.
Happy Parking
The Parking Prankster
Will BBC Watchdog be aware of all these points?
ReplyDeleteIt's touted as being a 5 minute slot, which if correct, don't expect to much. At least it's get air time though, so the good news is that it will be less money going into the pockets of The PPC's.
DeleteHow about deferring a soft appeal, pending further information and listing it as "ongoing". A practice we know that BPA appear to find acceptable.
ReplyDeleteI hope that it also covers such things as POPLA's non notification of allowing other appeal points instead of the very narrow list currently made known to drivers.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good to get a quite separate appearance by Greenslade to answer questions too. Quite how POPLA can be independent when its paymaster is the BPA funded by their members, why they can be independent when they issue notices to the PPC's regarding how to construct a defence to a challenge. Why they have never addressed certain very important appeal points such as the PPC not operating on relevant land. The list is almost as long as that in the above the PPC list
It's a five minute slot, not a four part mini-series!
DeleteThey have three cases where (allegedly) operators have tried to circumvent the POPLA process. They will feature those, followed by a 'What are the BPA going to do about it' interview with Patrick Troy.
Then it's over to Matt Allwright and more dodgy tradesmen, salesmen etc.