Parking companies grrrrrr
 

So, I'm in a parking dispute with a private parking company.

I parked my car in a disabled space in the car park of a shopping centre. I had a friend with me who is disabled and he had a disabled badge which we displayed on the dashboard. I also collected a free for "two hours" parking ticket and placed it on the dashboard too.

My friend and I were in the shop maybe 15 minutes, when we came out there was a parking fine left on the bonnet of my car, not even attached to the windscreen. I looked around but could not see an attendant so I took a photograph of the front of my vehicle displaying both the parking ticket and blue disabled badge.

I sent a letter to the parking company including a photo copy of their parking fine (Parking Charge Notice) and also a photograph of the front of my car showing the parking ticket and disabled badge. In my letter I stated that I was unhappy about their parking attendant hadn't even bothered to check the windscreen of my car properly and that I wouldn't be paying their parking charge notice. I also stated that I consider the matter closed and should I hear back from them I would charge them a £50 administration fee for my time and expenses to reply to them.

Well, would you believe it. A few days ago another letter from them stating that any time to appeal had lapsed and that I owed them £90 otherwise they would consider court action. So true to my word I've written back to them stating that I have supplied them a photograph as evidence that the car was not parked in contravention to their rules and that they now must pay my £50, otherwise I will take them to the Small Claims Court for my £50 administration fee.

What do you think they will do? I think they're so up their own arse that they'll send me another final final demand.

Oh, and I intend to see it through if they don't pay up. lol

lol, what does the ticket say you have been done for?

Don't think you would win your £50 to be fair, as they haven't agreed to any contract with you.

I'm in the middle of a fight with one too, ticket fell off the window, £50 moving to £100 is more than unfair, so I will see them in court.

It says "parked in a disabled parking space without clearly displaying a disabled persons badge." They have included a photograph of the rear of my car :cuckoo:

Unless they are Council run, ignore them.
They can't do anything any more.

Yes they have by replying to my letter whereby I stated that any further correspondence would cost £50 per letter - in my initial reply to them where I included all the evidence I need to dispute their parking charge.



Good, keep fighting and eventually we'll beat these unscrupulous companies.

I know :thumb: but I'm feeling confrontational - and it's p***ed me right off :mad:

This^^^^

Also try this site for info, getoutofdebtfree.org

The old mantra of "unless it is council/police you can ignore" is unfortunatly outdated advice

The law has been changed recently giving them more powers of enforcement

(Obviously they have to conform to the correct legislation/signage/procedure etc - and if they have then they may well be able to enforce the fine)

IIRC they can "force" you to disclose the driver, that's about it. Since there was no charge for parking (but you still need to display the 'free' ticket) they have suffered no loss. I can't see any judge in the land awarding them anything, especially since I had a valid disabled badge on display!

Did you display the free ticket?

If they just have a photo of the rear of your car, and the disabled badge was in the front - then they will lose with that evidence.

By writing back to you, they have entered your contract for £50 per letter - I would draw up an invoice and send it to them.

They have changed the law so now these private car parks have a lot more power and are winning cases ..... it's not a case of ignoring a request for payment these days.

I would fight, but that's because I am a cantankerous old tw4t ...... wait for their summons and counter claim your agreed costs.

Let them attend court .......

Looking forward to reading the outcome of this. Im glad I live in Scotland where this isn't as large a problem as it is for our Southern cousins.

I gotta laugh at companies like KFC up here with the signs up threatening to clamp your car if you stay for longer than two hours as clamping is illegal in Scotland as it is considered extortion and only the DVLA / Police are allowed to clamp vehicles here.

I will have my day Pete :D

Good luck mate .. fight fight fight

It will never get to court. They will quietly drop it. You will have to issue small claims to the court to get all your costs re £50 per letter.

If the car park in question has one or more BPA notices then they can enforce their PCNs, but I'm yet to hear of one that has done so even for a genuine case whereas yours is clearly a 'mistake' on behalf of the parking attendant. If they don;t have BPA notices ignore them completely.

Either way I wouldn't correspond any further and my guess is you will get a threatening letter or letters from a debt collection agency next that when you look them up on Companies House will just happen to be the same company as the parking company or have the same address or the likes. It's a legalised scam that the government seem reluctant to deal with (as is usual with our w4nker politicians).

Only if you get a court notice should you even worry and even then you have the evidence to prove your innocence, but I doubt very very VERY much that it will get that far.

With all due respect the only mistake you made was communicating with them. They then prioritise you somewaht for further communication or so it has been summised. Anyway what is done is done and I am fully confident you will just stop hearing from them eventually!

Shock! Horror!

"Government reluctant to deal with legal scam that milks motorists for even more cash...!"

1.Did you appeal within the time frame for appeals.
2.Have they replied specifically to your appeal. ie not a standard letter about paying within a timeframe.
3.Who is the parking company.

I was caught by parking eye 12 months ago. I appealed, it took three months to get a reply. (but the "standard" letters kept coming).

It is still ongoing btw, and yes, they do take "some" people to court.

^^^ Parking Eye do these days, I was caught out on a short(ish) stay carpark when i went to watch the footy and yes i know i shouldnt have parked there, lol, Got it revoked and cancelled within a week ;)

Have Parking Eye have won a court case yet though?

No toll roads either.some south of the border still think the Forth bridge is a toll :lol1:

The Forth Bridge is technically a toll, since you need a train ticket to cross it ;)

Maybe, but I won't. I fully intend to see this through to court unless they pay me £50.

I wrote a letter, not a direct appeal, but a letter within a few days, so in essence, yes. I've only had a standard response back from them, not a reply or even an acknowledgment of my initial letter to them. It wasn't parking eye, but another 'approved' cunch of bunts.

Mistake, no, not this time! I fully want them to try it on with me, call me PSL if you like but they've made a mistake and made threats. So let them take me to court (which is highly unlikely) and I'll tear them a new arsehole. If I have to issue a summons then it will be in a court local to them - which means if (once!) I win I can claim expenses too - I've already advised them of my costs £150 a day + travel and other expenses. My travel is £500 alone due to the distance. This could become quite lucrative for me :D

I've another one ongoing with a similar outfit whereby I parked at my customers premises and received a ticket. I should have signed for a permit but the guy I wanted to see wasn't in so I left. I returned to my car about 5 minutes later where a parking womble was completing a ticket. I explained and he just repeated permit, permit. So I told him to stuff it, see me in court if you like but it's not being paid. I've had three chasers so far and I'm quaking in my boots :lol1::lol1::lol1:

Can these people lodge a negative entry with the credit reference agencies

Only for the cases where the offender did not respond as far as i believe, Its easy enough to get rid of it before it goes that far...so why ignore ...I just don`t get that personally unless they are acting on bad advice?

Never needed a train ticket to cross it in my vehicle.... ;)

For that to happen they have to take you to court, then they have to win the case and an order is made to pay. If you pay straight away, no entry is made. It's only when you don't pay. So you have a long way to go.

Oh aye, I hope you sent them your letter recorded delivery to prove that they received it, if not send another!!!!

Yes, interesting, and that's what I would have thought

But I had an unpaid bill registered on my credit file 15 odd years ago

It was done by Vodaphone, I cancelled the contract and paid up the balance (or so I thought) as I got a new job (and phone - and I have never had a personal mobile since)

Fast forward a few (3) years and I got tuned down for a credit card - suspicious I paid for an experience credit report - and there it was, an unpaid bill of £60 odd pounds

I rang vodaphone and paid immediately - I did not even bother to argue the toss tbh

And in fact they we very good at removing from the credit file

Bu I am pretty certain they did not take me to court etc

This was all 14 odd years ago, maybe the rules have changed

Because in the past it's always been far easier to get rid of it if you don't respond.

I only had a quick look, but as yet can't find one case they've won reagrdless of whether someone responded or not (before the court summons). As I said only had a quick look though!

If it's not a BPA car park I still wouldn't respond and even if it was I would wait and see what ensues!