Excel Parking "Services"
 

Have any other pilots been ripped off by this outfit? They make a living by charging flight crew extortionate fines for parking in staff car parks at various UK airports.

I grudgingly paid an outrageous £60 fine a few months ago -and have just received another bill for £100 together with a summons. Their only point of contact is a premium rate phone number. Has anyone else been stitched up by them?

LOTS of people S.O.!! - Talk to your bosses, they will certainly be active in this matter. Remember, your company applied for your permit, and neither they, or the airport, told you you'd be fined for whatever "transgressions" you have allegedly committed, so get them fighting on your behalf - you won't be the only one. Excel is going way over the top and should be stopped NOW! I hope Excel realise the negative feeling and publicity the company is generating - last week a flight attendant was stranded in a huge car park in the middle of the night due to a clamping. How long could Excel survive if this incident could be shown to have put this person at risk. Let's hope the company can see sense and moderate the behavior of it's attendants.

PS. non premium rate no. is 01142678008. Good Luck!

[ 21 January 2002: Message edited by: homer j ]</p>

they tried to fine me also.

I wrote them a letter of appeal. They wrote back saying that they still wanted me to pay. They also threatened me with court and costs. SO WHAT! LIKE I CARE! They can sue me. Id love to go to court and explain to the judge about their crappy little outfit. Put this into perspective, its just a parking ticket.

they rely on people to roll over and play dead. thats how companys like this survive. remember the onus is on them to prove you are guilty.

...Yes, just had another demand from them;

-"Notice of intent to issue court procedings" -the bill has gone up to £170 (£20 court fee and £50 "solicitor's scale costs").There is NO WAY they are getting any of that!

Park in the right place with a valid sticker. If you think you might use the other car - get a sticker for that too. No problem - no ticket -no fine.

ShotOne -oh yes you will, and more if you don't pay up soon. You have more chance of getting off if it were a case of theft, molestation or drugs, but a parking fine -never!

Sorry Joyce Tick, tried that! Only one sticker per employee, unless you lie and say you have lost the original and pay approx £7 for a spare. Why should we have to do that? People are being fined because passes are left on dashboards, and not affixed to the windscreen, and because a dirty windscreen and / or a windscreen wiper obscures some detail on the pass! Surely this gives some idea of the company ethos with which we are all dealing?

I honestly don't need hassles like legal consultations on my days off, but, like Shot One and aileron, it will be a cold day in hell before these bully boys get any of my hard earned cash - just ask my solicitor!

Top of the f**k off list as far as I'm concerned. By the way, one of their vans was parked outside Olympic House the other day and I truly wished for the cops to come along and tow the ******* away!

Oi Joyce tick,-

I feel that I must apologise for not being quite as amazingly perfect as you must most certianly be.

You must be fun on a nightstop....

Try copying a few sticker passes on a good quality scanner/printer. They produce excellent fakes!!

Do you have some basis for saying that Pete'O -like you used to work there?

Many employees have been intimidated into paying up. The letters are very menacing, with threats of court action and huge escalation in these charges if not paid immediately.

How does the company manage to get away with this -and is the airport authority taking a cut?

It's not clear from this if the parking people are resorting to wheel clamps, but if so you can always do what I did, i.e. nip down to your local hardware store, purchase a sodding great pair of bolt-cutters, ...... nuff said ! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

The best one I ever saw was a builders van with a clamp on it. The builder came back, looked quizzically at the clamp, opened the rear door or van, pulled out the biggest petrol powered angle-grinder I'd ever seen, and after a deft bit of handiwork no more clamp. He then drove off, but not before he'd finished grinding 'F*** you !' right through the metal of the clamp itself - pure art it was, pure art - yep, nice one !

Good story. Unfortunately Excel's ideal victim is more likely to be a stewardess returning from a flight at 3 in the morning.

These people are sharks. They know that their intimidation tactics will work as we go away a lot and are too busy to want the hassle of fighting a claim in court.

I have just discovered why Manchester Airport tolerate these parasites. They get an equal cut of any cash that they screw out of us. How low can you get -boosting their cash flow directly from the pockets of workers who have no choice but to park there.

Over half the pilots I've spoken to have fallen foul of Excel in one way or another. One guy ticketed because his windscreen was dirty. Another returned to find his car clamped then ticketed twice on successive days -a bill of £180. Why don't we let the airport authority know what we think of their money raising tactics by encouraging EVERYONE who has been done over by Excel to write directly to the Managing Director Geoff Muirhead at Manchester Airport. Lets Get Rid!

I arrived back yesterday and the clampers had been out playing. I was using a borrowed car as my own is u/s but I left a note to explain and they left me alone. Guess I was lucky, but the clamp would be worth more than the car. If we are to be clamped for minor transgressions then our airlines should issue proceedings against Excel for the cost of replacing crews who are having their rest periods compromised by waiting around for said clamp to be removed.

One suggestion may be a trick I tried with my bank a few years ago. write back to Excel explaining you have received their letter and you are charging them X pounds in administration costs for this confirmation letter, and they have five days to pay or you will take them to court. It certainly worked for me the bank manager rang me personally. One other trick is buy 4 Clamps and the next time your clamped get a couple of mates to come to your assistance and while the bloke is unclamping your car clamp his van, I'm sure it's probably illegal but then they sail extremely close to the wind.

. . <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

Be advised, much as we read in admirable awe as to the antics of people, who remove clamps with bolt-cutters/angle-grinders, this will be criminal damage.

The only way that I know of, is if you can jack the offending wheel up and see if the wheel can be manoeuvred off without damaging the clamp. This can only be done with certain designs of clamp and may not be possible with Excel at EGCC –GOOD LUCK. . <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0"> <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

OK Scotty you've had your fun now beam up my pants!!!!

Take the remains away with you. How can they *prove* they clamped you?

Leave the remains of the clamp where they are, they have to prove that YOU removed the clamp. You could always claim that the clamp was on the ground when you got back. You'd need to be careful about any CCTV though.

There is a continual problem of disposing of unwanted cars. Some people dump them by the side of the road, others pay to have them removed. Why not get Excel to help out with the problem: If you have an old banger that needs to be dumped, let Excel have it to practice clamping.

Do make sure that you remove the number plates and tax disc so that it can't be traced. Better still, once on private ground, swap the number plates around to give them even more fun.

Just a handful of dumped cars in each of their car parks should get the message across.

I admire the sentiment, Lou. The trouble is that these are not "their" car parks -they are OURS and having them filled with scrap cars doesn't help us.

While it doesn't have the attraction of some of the more aggressive ideas posted here, how about we start with all of us writing to Mr Muirhead, MAN airport MD, or fax to Ringway Handling on 0161 489 3306, (and to any local paper) to ask him to explain why he is extorting money from flight crew by putting this bunch of hyenas in charge of parking.

p.s. If anyone feels like telling Excel how much we like them, their address is PO Box 686, Sheffield, S11 8XR

ShotOne:

As a former colleague, may I say I am glad that I currently do not suffer the 'Best Airport in the World' or its car park policy.

May I humbly suggest 5 cubic yards of concrete dumped on their own doorsteps in Sheffield?

Shouldn't be too difficult to arrange for, say, 3am on a Sunday?

Well I like the idea. The trouble with all the suggestions which involve acts of vandalism or criminal damage is that they could ruin a pilots career. On the other hand, Excel's employees are unqualified toe-rags with nowhere near as much to lose.

We need to focus our attention on Manchester airport who have sanctioned this extortion racket and who almost certainly are getting a large cut of the proceeds. Write to/fax the airport MD and lets keep hassling him until this greedy scam he has started is no longer worth the bother.

Excel is simply a trading divison of :

Vehicle Control Services Ltd. .PO Box 686. .SHEFFIELD. .S11 8XR

to whom all legal documents should be served ! of course they do have a real address as opposed to the P.O. BOX.... .but legal reasons mean i couldnt possibly disclose it here ...

Vehicle Control Services Ltd . .356 Cemetery Rd . .Sheffield . .S11 8FT . .(0114) 267 8678 . .or a little more digging brings you:

Excel Parking Services Ltd Car Pk Mgrs . . 356 Cemetery Rd, Sheffield (0114) 267 8008 . . FAX, Sheffield (0114) 267 8009. .

classy address aint it !

<img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

I was also clamped at MAN back in December. I was unclamped for the fee (£40) and obviously complained bitterly. I have to confess that shouting at the 'Manager' on the premium line did little to help my case, but it certainly made me feel better.

I appealed, in writing, and claimed a fee for my time hanging around in the cold. They rejected it. However, the Base Captain was extremely helpful and, after consultation with Man airport, they have promised to refund the £40 and rip up the parking ticket. I have also claimed the telephone expenses back, but have yet to hear anything.

I agree that this company is criminal. I was clamped for not having the '2' on the passs visible in the windscreen. Although my pass had risen-up the 2 was still visible if you tried. What indicated the true value of this company to me was that they use a premium line if you wish to contact them, they will not call you back and they state on their letter that if you wish a receipt for the £60 parking fine you have to send an SAE. Get real people.

Oh, by the way, they do not clamp you for an hour after they have put the warning on the car. As I tried to explain (whilst paying them 50p a minute for the pleasure) thats a great deal of use in a long haul car park!!

Good luck Shot One et al. I was never going to pay them either and was quite relishing the challenge!

WELL YOU NEEDENT PAY 50P PER MINUTE ANY LONGER .

THE NORMAL PHONE LINE IS LISTED ABOVE ALONG WITH ITS ACTUAL ADDRESS SHOULD YOU WISH TO POP ROUND TO DISCUSS ANYTHING.!

Rent a set of bolt croppers and call Mr John Spooner, the new big wheel at Manchester.These wheel clampers are just a bunch of ill educated gypsies. I will grab John when he next appears. .at his local nr EMA. good luck.

They won't enter into discussions on the normal rate number !!! I know I tried !

NsR

Why don't you get your company to look at an independant staff parking company. There are plenty around who have half empty areas for half the year and would appreciate the year round income.

That way, you get away from Excel, have a service which is most likly to be better, no fines, no courts and it may cost less as you don't have to pay for each employee, just the amount of spaces required at peak time.

Simple, just takes someone to do their homework.. .Trust me, it works, we have done it.. . :) :) :)

Has anyone found who the directors of this racket are? it should be possible to fing that if they're a ltd company.

Their rip-offs seem to be geting even worse. One of our girls was recently clamped because her pass had curled slightly in the sunlight. This cost her one hundred quid.

Hello. I have been lurking for a while but this tipped me over the edge. To get around these cowboys keep the following items in the boot of your car.. .1/ huge pair of bolt croppers. .2/ Large padlock and key.. .If you get back to your car and its been clamped then use the croppers on the padlock. Then phone up the company and say . ." Hello, you've clamped my car. Unfortunatly the guy who clamped it left it unlocked and even left the key in the lock. So I'll be on my way. goodbye.". .Then hoik the clamp off your wheel, replace the broken padlock with the new one, drive out of the slot and just to nark them off place the clamp in the exact spot where it was left around your wheel. . .Remember, the only thing they can charge you for is the release fee. and as you have left the padlock for them then they can do nothing about it.. .reheat.. .P.S. and if youre feeling vindictive, send them an invoice for a scratched wheel.

If you want to have a laugh at their website.. <a href="http://www.excelparking.co.uk/docs/parking.htm" target="_blank">http://www.excelparking.co.uk/docs/parking.htm</a>. .and click on 'contact'!. .You have my sympathy

[email protected]

should save on the costly phone calls and you can keep a hard copy.

Battery drill with screwdriver attatchment £20.00. Continual disappearance of Excel clampers vans number plates £Priceless

Light fingers £FOC. Continual loss of Exel Vans tax disc when ever anyone walks past it £Priceless

How about removing all your wheels when parking up.. .Halfords trolley jack aprox £25 Axel stands approx £25. Watching the poor numptey trying to figure out how to clamp your wheel less car £Priceless.

The person responsible for inflicting Excel Parking on emloyees at EGCC is a Mr Martyn Lloyd the business manager for MAPLC car parks, he has totally destroyed morale in the car parks section by totally ignoring the input of loyal staff. When we where in charge of our own clamping nobody was clamped unless they ignored several warnings. He introduced Excel at bristol where he worked previously and is slowly bringing in at MAN all the companies he had dealings with there. He has been awarded a directorship for his "sterling efforts" but we the staff have yet to see any improvments, things get worse each week. Just remember the staff at MAPLC car parks are just as opposed to Excel as you are.

Surely there must be some journos lurking out there would would love to expose another rip-off company?

The post about 'clamped & fined because the pass had curled' must be worth a few column-inches.. . . .Expose them for what they are!

Just remind these jokers that it actually took an act of parliament to enable the London Councils to clamp peoples' cars. If memory serves me correctly. These characters are relying on ancient common law which goes something along the lines of:- If an animal strays onto your land, you are entitled to hold onto it until the owner pays you a reasonable sum for the grass that it may have eaten. I think that "a reasonable sum" is the key word here, a few private clamping cases have been overturned because the court did not believe the amount to be reasonable. Another thing is that they have to display signs clearly stating how much you will be charged, don't know if they do this at Manchester as I never fly out of there?

One other suggestion; The AA and the RAC have quite militant motorist protection sections that love cases like these, and I think they probably have more resources then Excel Parking of Cemetery Road!!!!!

[email protected]

spam spam spam spam spam . .spam spam spam spam spam. .spaaammm, wonderful spam ....

Might not make any difference but it will probably make you feel better.

Thanks for that Squeak, I feel better already!! <img src="wink.gif" border="0">

God forbid that one might send the poor chaps at Excel lots of spam... That would be simply awful..

But just out of curiousity does anyone know any good spam websites, just so that, er, I can see how they work. Honest.

Apparently there was an article in the paper the other night about someone who cut off a wheel clamp and was not prosecuted - not sure how he got away with it though.

Also this below from Evening Standard...

. .Three Londoners clamp a clamper van

by Matthew Beard. .Three Londoners spent £30 to make a dream come true - they clamped a clamper van.

"We wanted to give Westminster council a taste of its own medicine," said Mitch Webber, who masterminded the plan to buy a clamp and hit back.

Fellow conspirator David Brady added: "It was quite a bit of an adrenaline rush doing it, but we felt much better for it. As every Londoner will know, it is bloody annoying to get clamped."

Yesterday's Evening Standard carried the story of how the white van had to be towed away by Westminster council after it was mysteriously immobilised.

Today, Mr Brady, Mr Webber, and Julia Benwell, all executives at Tugboat advertising agency in Greek Street, said they had acted on behalf of Soho's many small businesses which are paying out a small fortune in fines.

"The last straw came when I watched the TV show Clampers. There was one sympathetic guy who gave motorists fair warning and another in the City who was intent on getting 100 tickets in the day. It was then I realised it was time to act," said Mr Webber.

"They arrive in their van at about 10.30am and issue a load of tickets to cars parked on residents bays, but no one around here, including the residents, knows where they can legally park."

When they spotted the white transit van on a yellow line in Soho Square during a routine "swoop", the conspirators went into action.

After waiting for the legal time limit to elapse, Mitch and David snapped on the yellow device while Julia took the photographs. They slapped a tongue-in-cheek penalty notice on the windscreen which read: "STOP. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE IT. YOU HAVE BEEN CLAMPED. There is nothing you can do. There is no-one to call. There is no one to go to for help."

A spokeswoman for Westminster council said police had been notified, adding: "Any unauthorised interference with council vehicles is taken seriously."