Thank you Greg Pope.

[garinda]

I've just recieved today's post and I'm chuffed to little mint balls.

Baically I was issued with a parking fine last year in Accrington, and have had no success myself in resolving this matter myself, but thanks to the help of Greg Pope the matter is now at an end.

Long story, and should serve as a warning about the 'firms' who police private car parks on behalf of the firms who employ them.

The following are extracts from an original letter sent to both the retailer and the car park firm.

'This fine was issued whilst shopping at Style Furniture, Grange Lane, Accrington on 22nd January, 2008. We left the car on the carpark, with the owner’s permission, only to go to the bank so we could return to purchase furniture from your client’s store. On our return we found a parking ticket attached to our car.'

'I immediately asked the owner of Style Furniture why we’d been issued with a ticket, as we were customers and had permission from them to park there. He took the issued fine off us, and said he would contact the company and explain that it had been issued by mistake. The ticket, and all the relevant contact details, were left with the owner of Style Furniture.'

(A year later I)'...received a letter demanding £100.00 to be paid within 28 days, after which time the fine would rise to £135.00, and if it wasn’t paid a threat that the matter would then be passed on to a firm of bailiffs.'

The letter was sent to a company called CPM, Carpark Management UK Ltd, PO Box 201. Accrington BB5 6WP, who demanded the money. No number to call to query any matter, and just a P.O. box as a contact.

I recieved the new fine, after presuming it had been dealt with over a year previously. It actually arrived on my birthday.

I did panic, fearing I was about to be visited by baliffs, or to appear on a credit blacklist, and paid the £100, not wanting to have any more hassle in my life than I already have.

Although Style Furniture were pleasant they insisted that my problem was with the firm they paid to police their carpark. My letters were ignored and I was at my wits end what to do next.

I know that without the help Greg Pope, and the influence and pressure he has at his disposal, I wouldn't just have recieved a full refund and a letter saying the matter is now resolved.

Thank you so very much for your help.

[emamum]

I got a lovely letter from Greg Pope a few weeks ago

glad its all sorted Rindy

[kestrelx]

M.P.'s can only help with the small things in life. You try and get them to change something major such as policy and they ignore you. P.M. Gordon Brown won't even give us the right to vote and have a say about the EU, which will take away our rights to have a say over major issues. Brown is prepared to sign away our democracy to a central European President.

This country is becoming less and less of a democracy.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Libertas enter EU elections in UK

Kestrel X

[garinda]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

M.P.'s can only help with the small things in life. You try and get them to change something major such as policy and they ignore you.

Happily I've never felt ignored by my M.P. Greg Pope.

I've only contacted him once before, and that was concerned with 'policy', in as much that the House was about to have a free vote on an issue relating to health and medical research.

I told him my thoughts and experiences, and he promptly replied with his own thoughts and experiences, and how he was likely to vote.

He offered to come and see me at home if I thought I had more I wanted to tell him. I declined the offer, happy that I'd told him everything I wanted him to know by email.

[emzy]

Greg Pope has helped me and my ex partner before (this was obviously when me and my ex were together) and also tried to help on another matter too, granted was not successfull on that occasion but did try to help us.

[emamum]

I agree, i think he will do everything he can to help and then keeps you updated afterwards as well so you know he hasnt forgotten about you

[kestrelx]

I've had all that with my MP, letters, e-mails, information, offers to come round for tea and biscuits, she even invited me up to the House of Commons, bought me a cup of tea and biscuits and then took me into Questions with Harriet Harmen in the House of Commons. But when it came to a really serious issue relating to policy, she couldn't help me. So the most important thing I needed nothing could be done about it.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by kestrelx

I've had all that with my MP, letters, e-mails, information, offers to come round for tea and biscuits, she even invited me up to the House of Commons, bought me a cup of tea and biscuits and then took me into Questions with Harriet Harmen in the House of Commons. But when it came to a really serious issue relating to policy, she couldn't help me. So the most important thing I needed nothing could be done about it.

With out you giving any details about what policy you were trying to influence it's a little difficult to comment on how much help a Member of Parliament could be. If you were trying to make Britain a tax free haven, for example, you were probably wasting both your's and your M.P.'s time.

When I lived in Glasgow I requested the help of my M.P. on a civil liberties question of law, and again was very happy with the help and influence I recieved as part of the democratic process we have in place in this country.

Perhaps I'm just better at getting the right help I need, or am a little more realistic about what can be achieved by one M.P.

[MargaretR]

I have never needed to ask for his help, fortunately, but it is good to know we have an MP who cares.

Euro MPs are a waste of space - mailed two of them about the European Food Directive, and never even had an acknowledgement

[lancsdave]

Glad Greg helped you to get it sorted. However this makes very sorry reading for a retailer;

Originally Posted by garinda

Although Style Furniture were pleasant they insisted that my problem was with the firm they paid to police their carpark. My letters were ignored and I was at my wits end what to do next.

I could make assumptions about the relationship between retailer and car park management but I won't

Lousy attitude and one will should put people off shopping there.

[pipinfort]

I know a lot of people who have been helped out by Greg Pope with great satisfaction, glad to hear he got your problem sorted too Garinda

[garinda]

Originally Posted by lancsdave

Glad Greg helped you to get it sorted. However this makes very sorry reading for a retailer;



I could make assumptions about the relationship between retailer and car park management but I won't

Lousy attitude and one will should put people off shopping there.

I agree. They were pleasant when we went in to try and sort this out. He did remember us from the year before, when all this started, and he said he'd had lots of complaints from other of his customers, and had a pile of letters on his desk to prove this.

However he employs this 'firm', and was very unwilling to take any responsibility.

Further research has revealed this Accy based car park policing 'firm' have been causing worry and mayhem all over the north west, and there are many disputes with them, and their threatening behavior.

[cashman]

on reading this thread, this is one local firm i definitely will not support, enough hassle in life, without using their car park. might be n idea to e-mail em a link to this thread, may just shake em up a bit, so others will not share your fate. but fer a good M.P. ya would be £100 worse off.

[pipinfort]

Well it certainly is`nt a good advert for `Style Furniture`...................

[jaysay]

Is the firm housed in what was the old Coop store on Grange Lane Rindi, if it is then parking problems go back a long way, can remember the ex wife getting caught up in a parking fiasco, so you can say there is form, but the firm is definitely one to miss in the future