Jeez, what an example of how not to go about dealing with a speculative invoice from an unregulated private parking firm for an alleged breach of contract by the driver. Whilst it is not your fault for not understanding your rights and the whole process, you need to take a step back and understand how you need to deal with this.
First of all, as already explained by others, NOTHING illegal has happened. Your husband broke no laws when he stopped to pick up outside of the O2. All he did was maybe breach a contractual term on the signs that have been erected by a private parking operator.
The first big mistake you have made is referring to the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) which was issued as a postal Notice to Keeper (NtK) was to refer to it as a "fine". I will give you £500 for every occurrence of the word "fine" you can show us in the correspondence. The private parking firm is not an authority of any kind than can issue "fines". Of course they hope you think it is one. The whole process is set up to persuade the low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree to pay up out of ignorance and fear.
As for ZZPS and GCTT, which, by the way are one and the same company are powerless debt collectors. Never, ever, EVER communicate with a useless and powerless debt collector. You've already committed that cardinal sin. Bu now you know and cease any further communication with them. You can safely shred any correspondence from them and use it as hamster bedding for all anyone cares.
In future, should you ever receive another PCN from an unregulated private parking firm, you never, ever, EVER identify the driver. Unless you blab it to them, inadvertently or otherwise, they have no idea who the driver is and in almost all cases, they cannot transfer liability from the unknown driver to the known Keeper unless they have fully complied with ALL the requirements of PoFA 2012. So, you have probably thrown that defence away with all the panicky correspondence you made with the useless debt collectors.
Right now, it is too late to make any appeal. You just need to ignore everything unless it is a Letter of Claim (LoC).
What we need to fist determine is how Bridge Security issued the original PCN. According to the BPA, they do not use ANPR and only issue windscreen Notice to Driver (NtD). If that is the case, was an NtD affixed to the vehicle at the time? If it was or they claim it was, then if it is not responded to within 28 days, they can then make a request to the DVLA for the Keepers details and then they can issue an NtK. This has to be done no earlier than 28 days after the issue of the NtD and no later than 56 days after the alleged contravention if they intend to try and hold the Keeper liable.
THe NtD has to comply with all the requirements of PoFA paragraph 7 and any subsequent NtK has to comply with paragraph 8. Whilst the BPA website says they do not use ANPR, they can still just issue the PCN as a postal NtK but must do so for it to be delivered to the Keeper within 14 days if they intend to rely on Keeper liability under paragraph 9 of PoFA.
You say that your V5C is up to date with your current address. Was it up to date at the time of the alleged contravention? Very often people move home and update their drivers licence with the DVLA but forget that they must also update their V5C separately. So, please double check your V5C and if it was recently updated, was this done before or after the date of the alleged contravention?
For now, I suggest you take a deep breath and do the following... Email Bridge Security at info@bridgepam.com and also CC yourself with the following formal complaint. You can get the PCN number for any references to it in the letters from ZZPS:
Subject: Formal Complaint – Failure to Serve PCN [PCN number]
To: info@bridgepam.com
CC: chris.valentine@bridgepam.com,
[Your Email Address]
Date: [Insert Date]
Dear Bridge Security,
This is a formal complaint regarding your handling of an alleged parking contravention involving vehicle registration [INSERT VRM] outside the O2 Arena on [Date of alleged contravention].
No Notice to Driver (NtD) was affixed to the vehicle, and no Notice to Keeper (NtK) was received at the DVLA-registered address. The first contact was from ZZPS demanding £170, with no prior notice, no opportunity to appeal, and no lawful basis for escalation.
This complaint is submitted under:
• Your published complaints procedure which requires acknowledgment within 14 days and a full response within 28 days.
• Section 11 of the BPA/IPC Private Parking Single Code of Practice (PPSCoP), which mandates a response to formal complaints within 14 calendar days.
• Section 8.1.2(e) Note 2 of the PPSCoP, which places the burden of proof on the operator to demonstrate that the NtK was actually sent.
You are now required to provide the following:
• A copy of the original PCN, including timestamped photographic evidence.
• Confirmation of whether an NtD was issued.
• A copy of the NtK, along with proof that it was sent.
• A copy of the signage in place at the location at the time of the alleged contravention.
Do not refer this matter to any third-party debt recovery agent while this complaint is active. Any such action will be treated as harassment and procedural misconduct.
If this complaint is not acknowledged within 14 days or responded to within 28 days, it will be escalated to the BPA and the DVLA for breach of Code and policy obligations. All correspondence is being retained for regulatory escalation and potential costs recovery.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your Address]