Drivers are left scratching their heads after being hit with parking fines at holiday hotspot… from YEARS ago
Cornwall motorists have been left in shock after being hit with a parking ticket years after it was issued.
One woman said she received a £170 fine from a debt collection company two years after staying in Polzeath.
Jill Rae had already paid her parking fee on the day the ticket was said to arrive, and she thought she was already dealing with the incorrectly issued ticket.
The 71-year-old man said he and his husband were staying at the resort in March 2023 when they pulled up to the Sea View parking lot.
Jill’s husband paid for the bay and the couple left within the allotted time, only to receive a fine from the Alliance following their holiday.
So far, Jill hasn’t heard anything more after sending the physical receipt as proof that she coughed up the money.
The OAP received a letter stating that the debt collection agency would take action if he did not pay the £170.
The retiree explained that he was really worried: ‘I’m doing the best I can. I contacted Citizens Advice who referred me to the National Debtline.
Some motorists around Cornwall have taken to social media to vent their frustrations about the parking fines they received two years ago (file photo)
“He also emailed your MP, Ben Maguire, saying he was aware of many of the issues in the area,” Jill said.
After sharing her concerns on Facebook, she discovered that she was not alone and that many people were experiencing similar headaches.
John Andrews said: ‘I came across Alliance Parking recently. I really had to fight my case, providing proof that I had paid a parking ticket. They eventually reduced the ‘fine’ to £20. I paid just to get rid of them.’
Boe Lovegrove added: ‘A friend of mine recently received two letters from Alliance Parking about incidents in 2022 at a car park on the Cornish coast; He didn’t remember any of this or had any correspondence about it in the last three years.
‘They charge more than £150 each. It’s really weird!’
Sara-Jane Tossoun said she contacted Citizens Advice Cornwall, who suggested contacting Alliance Parking and requesting a subject access request, which is a copy of correspondence sent to drivers.
A spokesperson for the Alliance said: ‘We would like to clarify that we retain a Certificate of Postage for every letter we issue. All correspondence is automatically sent via our hybrid mail provider, where it is printed, attached and passed to Royal Mail for delivery. This way we can show that every notification we generate has been sent.
‘Under UK law, any notice sent by post is deemed to have been delivered on the second business day after it is sent, unless proven otherwise. For these purposes, a ‘working day’ in England and Wales does not include Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (see paragraph 9(6) of Schedule 4 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012).’
The Alliance has revealed three reasons why drivers claim they are not charged parking fees, including vehicle registration details not being updated and Royal Mail’s rare delivery error.
Another reason, the debt collector explained, involves drivers receiving notice but only stepping in once debt collection has begun.
The alliance took aim at misinformation on social media, saying Facebook comments claiming people could ignore fines were false.
‘This is wrong; Such charges are fully enforceable by law. The Alliance added that claims of non-receipt are sometimes made with the aim of obtaining a discounted price and therefore a legal presumption of delivery exists.
Meanwhile, Citizens Advice Cornwall is warning motorists of scammers claiming to collect money for agencies’ fines by sending fake emails, texts and letters.
‘If the company asks you to pay via PayPal or bank transfer, it’s most likely a scam. You might be suspicious if it directs you to a website for payment that doesn’t look right, contains unusual grammar, or has no office address.
Check ‘URL’; If it doesn’t start with ‘https’ or looks like an official site but isn’t exactly the same, like a minor typo, it’s probably a fake site.
‘If you think the letter is genuine, do not ignore it as this could lead to bailiffs getting involved and could affect your credit rating. If in doubt please contact us at Citizens Advice.’
