Hello!

I have been following threads in forums about how APCOA, Graham White and Roxburghe play their game.
I have a small collection of their letters and following advice from this forums by never replying and ignoring their threats. All good and never had a problem with them.

However, I have a thought that has been hunting me for some time:
It seems like a Landowner has no power to protect their land, if all they can do is send the APCOAs and clampers your way. Is there nothing at all they can do?
I mean, why would someone bother paying for a ticket when parking in private land if he knows that APCOA won't be able to do anything about it than trying to scare you off?

Put in a different way: What is to stop someone from abusing the fact that APCOA is in charge of a car park by parking without paying tickets, on yellow lines or right across the car park in the most obstructing possible way... and still expect to get away with it? Same applies to hospitals, train stations, etc.
Something doesn't add up!! Are they really that powerless?
Happy to hear your comments! Any ideas?

Peter.

It's a business model that makes money.
Most people pay the parking fees required, never crosses their mind not to.
At the moment vehicles can be clamped and towed.... release fees may be penalties and there are ways to get your money back but most suffer in silence
Many people don't know to ignore, or are too scared to, so pay up when waste paper arrives demanding money.

They maybe powerless but make enough money to keep working to the model.

And landowners have plenty of ways to protect their land..... pay on exit is simple and fair way...but doesn't make the profits that more open to abuse methods allow.

Now now! Mine is a honest post. Not sure what you mean by funny feelings.
The truth is, I work in a hospital where APCOA operates. The number of parking notices I have acumulated over the past couple of years is quite significant. Yet, even though I haven't found myself in trouble for it, I'm curious to know for how long I can keep going by parking in 30 minutes drop off/collect only areas for much longer periods.

How long will your nerve last? the worst they could do is clamp your car for "unpaid fines"; after which you can sue them through the county courts as they can't clamp for unpaid fines!

Landowners are not defenceless, they just need to stay within the law. Where the PPCs err is that they go beyond what the law recognises as reasonable (not that the courts have actually defined what level of assessed damages is reasonable, but with successive judgments we seem to be ranging-in on amounts that the courts will accept as reasonable) and try to levy excessive "damages" which the courts regularly find are fines and therefore unenforceable.

Their problem is that they can't stop being greedy.

But a landowner is not defenceless. If you want to bone up on this try the report written for the RAC Foundation.

HCA