How to claim a parking charge back from Wycombe Hospital

This freedom of information request discloses that Bucks Healthcare Trust and their contractors, UKPC have been overcharging for parking charges issued at Wycombe hospital. They meant to charge £60 (discounted to £30), but actually charged £100 (discounted to £60). Actually, even £60/£30 is invalid, as The Prankster will discuss later.

If you paid out a parking charge at Wycombe hospital you can therefore claim the money back from Bucks Healthcare Trust and UKPC. You have six years to do this in, so you can claim back to June 2007; normally you would be expected to claim as soon as possible, however if there are reasons why you did not, such as you only found out you could when you read this blog, then this can be considered as a mitigating circumstance.

Step 1 is to write a letter before action to both UKPC and Bucks Healthcare Trust


Finance Director
UKPC
Unit 29, 1-2 Denham Parade,
Oxford Road,
Uxbridge,
Middlesex UB9 4DZ

Finance Director
Wycombe Hospital
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Bucks
HP11 2TT
Letter before action

To Finance Directors, Bucks Healthcare Trust, UKPC

Dear Sirs,

I paid a parking charge to you of [x] on [y-y-yyyy]. I have since found out that your pre-estimate of liquidated damages for £100 was incorrect and that you now consider the true value was £60. I refer you to this admission in the Freedom of Information disclosure published here:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/contract_with_uk_parking_control#incoming-393359

"We would like to clarify that the PCN charges at Wycombe Hospital are identical to those at Stoke Mandeville Hospital; an error had been made where reference to a fee £100 was stated."

I regard this as invalidating the parking charge notice. I require you to refund me the full amount of [x] by [14 days time]. If this is not done, then I reserve the right to name both parties as defendants in a county court claim.

This should do the trick. If not, then in a later post The Parking Prankster will explain how for a simple £15 you can file a county court claim for your money back.

Don't worry about this costing the NHS money. UKPC have indemnified Bucks healthcare Trust against all costs in section 3 of the contact:

"On the said land, the contractor shall indemnify and keep indemnified the Client from any claim arising against either party."

Happy Parking

The Parking Prankster

The Parking Prankster would like to thank G. Bozzino for bringing this FoI request and Philter at  pepipoo for bringing it to his attention.