Stansted Airport - APCOA PCN Not Received

Stansted Airport - APCOA PCN Not Received
Posted by eppilef on 21 Apr, 2025 15:49
Hello,

After reading some of the old posts in the forum, I´m still not sure what the best decision to make and what actually to do at this point.

So here are the facts:

* 31/01/2025 - Picking up my wife at Stansted Airport I forgot to pay the normal Pick Up fee online within 24h or so

* 22/03/2025 - Letter received from Debt Recovery Plus mentioning the case, PCN number (that was never received) and giving the option to pay £170 in full or 4 instalments by 28/03/2025. Saying that doing nothing this case would escalate to Court.

I have done nothing yet. So many things going on with personal and professional life that I forgot this for the whole month. But need need to sort this and understand where I stand.

Please would really appreciate advices.

Thanks!

#1 Reply
Posted by DWMB2 on 21 Apr, 2025 15:53
The airport is not 'relevant land' for the purposes of Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act, meaning they cannot hold you liable as the keeper. They could only pursue the driver, whose identity they do not know.

Additionally, in our experience, APCOA never litigate. I would recommend ignoring the various debt collector letters. In the very unlikely case that you receive a 'Letter of Claim', come back for advice.

Whenever someone reports not receiving a PCN, but subsequently receiving debt collector letters, the first thing I advise you to do is to get your car's V5C document out and check it has the correct address on it.

#2 Reply
Posted by eppilef on 21 Apr, 2025 16:16
Much appreciated for the quick reply!

I´m abroad now but getting back I will double check the V5C.

Are there any risk of they coming to knock my door asking for payment or goods after few letters? I'm concerned because I understand I should pay and I´m even happy to pay a normal ticket fine, but not £170.

#3 Reply
Posted by b789 on 21 Apr, 2025 16:35
Check your V5C online and amend any address online too.

No one can simply come "knocking at your door".

Quote
Why no bailiff can knock on your door

1. County Court Judgment (CCJ):

• A bailiff (enforcement agent) can only get involved after a creditor has obtained a CCJ against you in a county court.
• If the CCJ is under £600, the creditor cannot transfer it to the High Court for enforcement by a High Court Enforcement Officer (HCEO). Instead, enforcement would remain under the county court's jurisdiction.

2. Threshold for High Court Enforcement:

• If a CCJ is over £600 (including fees and interest), the creditor can transfer it to the High Court for enforcement by an HCEO. This is a common method because HCEOs tend to be more effective at recovering money.

3. Cost-Benefit Analysis for Creditors:

• For CCJs under £600, creditors may find it uneconomical to pursue enforcement through county court bailiffs, as they are generally slower and less effective than HCEOs.
• As a result, creditors may opt not to escalate enforcement for small amounts.

4. Private Parking Charges and Bailiffs:

• In the context of private parking charges, no bailiff action can occur unless the parking operator has gone to court, won a case, obtained a CCJ, and you fail to pay the judgment within the stipulated time (usually 30 days).

So, no bailiff will come to your door for a debt under £600 unless the creditor deems it worth pursuing through county court enforcement. However, even if the debt is over £600, bailiff involvement only happens after a CCJ is issued, and enforcement is transferred to the High Court.

Also, do you have any understanding of how someone gets a CCJ? Nothing we advise on here will make anyone get a CCJ.

Quote
A County Court Judgment (CCJ) does not just happen—it follows a clear legal process. If someone gets a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from a private parking company, here's what happens step by step:

1. Parking Charge Notice (PCN) Issued

• The parking company sends a letter (Notice to Keeper) demanding money.

• This is not a fine—it’s an invoice for an alleged breach of contract.

2. Opportunity to Appeal

• The recipient can appeal to the parking company.

•If rejected, they may be able to appeal to POPLA (if BPA member) or IAS (if IPC member).

• If an appeal is lost or ignored, the parking company demands payment.

3. Debt Collection Letters

• The parking company might send scary letters or pass the case to a debt collector.

• Debt collectors have no power—they just send letters and can be ignored.

• No CCJ happens at this stage.

4. Letter Before Claim (LBC)

• If ignored for long enough, the parking company (or their solicitor) sends a Letter Before Claim (LBC).

• This is a warning that they may start a court case.

• The recipient has 30 days to reply before a claim is filed.

• No CCJ happens at this stage.

5. County Court Claim Issued

• If ignored or unpaid, the parking company may file a claim with the County Court.

• The court sends a Claim Form with details of the claim and how to respond.

• The recipient has 14 days to respond (or 28 days if they acknowledge it).

• No CCJ happens at this stage.

6. Court Process

• If the recipient defends the claim, a judge decides if they owe money.

• If the recipient ignores the claim, the parking company wins by default.

• No CCJ happens yet unless the recipient loses and ignores the court.

7. Judgment & Payment

• If the court rules that money is owed, the recipient has 30 days to pay in full.

• If they pay within 30 days, no CCJ goes on their credit file.

• If they don’t pay within 30 days, the CCJ stays on their credit file for 6 years.

Conclusion

CCJs do not appear out of thin air. They only happen if:

• A parking company takes the case to court.

• The person loses or ignores the case.

• The person fails to pay within 30 days.

If you engage with the process (appeal, defend, or pay on time), no CCJ happens.