Author Topic: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170  (Read 3430 times)

Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« on: 12 June, 2019, 11:37:55 pm »
I've just received a demand for £170 for parking without a permit in Huntingdon car park on the day of the Double Dutch.  Fortunately I paid by Debit card as I didn't have any change and (miracle of miracles) the parking ticket was stacked in the parking ticket holder in my windscreen.


It seems I mistyped one letter of my vehicle registration number (WT instead of WU). My hazy recollection is that the display on the ticket machine was a bit faint and misty as it was quite chilly that morning so a mistyping is not a surprise.  But it does surprise me that they don't have a system to check for such errors.  It can't be an uncommon mistake.


I never received the first letter they claim they sent me regarding the parking ticket so I've now been referred to a debt collection agency.  I've explained the situation to the debt collection agency but they don't want to know. 


I'm happy to let this one run until I get a court summons.  In the meantime I've also emailed Saba parking to see if they have more common sense than zzps.




LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #1 on: 12 June, 2019, 11:52:20 pm »
HK got the letter for a slightly mistyped registration number at the same location on the same day. A photo of the ticket over the fine got the fine cancelled with a '"don't do it again".
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #2 on: 13 June, 2019, 07:31:43 am »

Ben T

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #3 on: 13 June, 2019, 09:48:37 am »
+1 for MSE - also look at their forum: https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163
lots of helpful stickies with up to date information etc.


Martin

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #4 on: 13 June, 2019, 10:22:05 am »
Sorry to hear that freeflow  :( which car park was it? I'll make a note for next year as it could be a scam

I've used car parks before with number plate recognition, when you go to type your registration in it already knows which cars are in the car park and only allows you to type in a number which the cameras have already clocked so no margin for error

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #5 on: 13 June, 2019, 10:25:47 am »
The proper railway station carpark. No scam but no interest in avoiding 'inadvertent' fines.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

hillbilly

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #6 on: 13 June, 2019, 03:30:21 pm »
Alternatively

This and This

 :demon:

Martin

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #7 on: 13 June, 2019, 04:47:16 pm »
Freeflow and LWAB Please PM your registration numbers; I have emailed Saba Customer services requesting that the charge be cancelled.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #8 on: 13 June, 2019, 05:14:32 pm »
No need to do so in our case. Our charge has already been cancelled as we received the first letter/ fine and still had the ticket to compare it with. Fine cancelled after our email.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #9 on: 14 June, 2019, 12:26:12 am »
Martin. Thanks for your offer of support ( and those others who have been supportive) but I think the only warning should be that riders check the ticket against their registration number and that they pay by the ( much slower) debit card option.


My view is that I have two proofs that I paid. The £170 demand was a bit of a surprise but not one I'm worried about. Just a heads up for other users.  I'll enjoy the entertainment of them getting excited about my not paying the debt collection agency.

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #10 on: 14 June, 2019, 01:03:28 am »
Quote
AlternativelyThis and This[\quote]


I don't think so.  The display was lcd (grey on grey), on a cold morning substantially below eye level view.  The keyboard wasn't querty but a linear a-z with buttons smaller than your average male finger end (hence the t u transposition).  IMHO they are asking for trouble and are extremely delinquent in the fact that they couldn't check that a number plate had been mistyped.

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #11 on: 14 June, 2019, 11:54:16 am »
I would explain the situation to them once in writing, with a photo of the ticket, and then just let the letters come.

They're not going to take you to court to recover this because they know they'd get nowhere. I expect you'll get letters with increasing admin charges for a while until their automated system to send them gets bored. Some of these will look like they're from lawyers they've instructed, but if you look carefully, they won't have actually instructed the lawyers...

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
    • the Igloo
Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #12 on: 14 June, 2019, 12:03:06 pm »
Quote
AlternativelyThis and This[\quote]


I don't think so.  The display was lcd (grey on grey), on a cold morning substantially below eye level view.  The keyboard wasn't querty but a linear a-z with buttons smaller than your average male finger end (hence the t u transposition).  IMHO they are asking for trouble and are extremely delinquent in the fact that they couldn't check that a number plate had been mistyped.

Arf  ;D

Martin

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #13 on: 19 June, 2019, 04:26:43 pm »
I got a reply from Saba; basically saying that because the reduced fee period had passed it had been referred to the debt collection agency so nuffink they can do. So IMO they should have sent the original demand as a signed for letter as they have no proof it was delivered to you, and you were otherwise unaware that there was a problem.

I suspect the debt agency stand to make a substantial wedge of the £170 and also rely on maximum income in order to keep their contract so don't expect them to give up too easily  :(

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #14 on: 19 June, 2019, 06:31:18 pm »
Same excuse is used by zzfs, as it has been referred to them they can' t refer back to Saba. It's a catch 22 situation !!!


I've not yet had any response from Saba to my complaint.


Thanks for your efforts though.

Martin

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #15 on: 19 June, 2019, 10:15:41 pm »
it's also worth pointing out that LWAB / HK made the same mistake on the same day and were let off, the difference being you didn't receive the initial letter

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #16 on: 26 June, 2019, 01:28:59 pm »
And the fun continues.  I'm not requesting input.  This update is for entertainment purposes only.


Saba did not reply to the complaint I made via their web page.


I received a second letter from the debt recovery company.


I then emailed Saba customer services directly including the response from the debt recovery agency (saying I must refer back to Saba).


Saba's response is that they have referred the matter to the debt collection agency and therefore cannot assist.  I must contact the debt collection company.


I've resp0onses to Saba's response by pointing out that I was referred back to them from the debt collection agency.


Let's see how this runs.
 :P

Planet X Paul

  • The Green Machine
Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #17 on: 30 June, 2019, 06:31:07 pm »
Last year, I received a parking charge notice for overstaying my welcome at a retail park, even though I spent over £400 while I was there.  After a bit of research, I following the 'Money Saving Expert' advice and the charge was cancelled  ;)

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #18 on: 30 June, 2019, 07:16:57 pm »
After an exchange of emails, eventually going back to the debt collection agency, the ticket was cancelled.  But I am a naughty boy and must not do it again else I will have to pay.

Martin

Re: Double Dutch - 1 letter costs £170
« Reply #19 on: 01 July, 2019, 08:34:50 pm »
 :thumbsup: