serrac Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 A couple of weeks ago I stopped at a shopping centre on my way home from work. On returning to the car-park I paid at the machine. The charge was only 50p as I'd only been away for 20mins. I didn't have exact change so inserted a £1 coin, and the machine issued 50p change (which surprised me a little but helped me remember the event). The machine then told me to proceed to the exit, and the barrier lifted allowing me to leave. Yesterday I received a parking charge notice claiming I hadn't paid and demanding £100, reduced to £60 for good behaviour if I paid within 9 days. Wondering if anything like this has happened to anyone else and how you responded? I'm going to appeal stating that I paid and since their machine did not issue a receipt, the burden of proof rests with them to demonstrate that I did not. It was also within their power to prevent me leaving without paying since they had a barrier in operation, so lifting the barrier to allow me to exit the car-park could be construed as their acknowledgement that payment had been received. I've considered paying it and just moving on to avoid the unpleasantness of being chased by debt collectors or taken to court but this has really ticked me off. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Hiya A couple of links for you to consider that may give additional food for thought - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/ https://parkingmateuk.com/9-private-parking-appeal-loopholes/ L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holloway Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 who sent you the fine ? was it a private parking company ? if so they can be the lowest form of life on the planet ,stand your ground your clearly in the right ,did you have to put your reg number in the machine ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 26 minutes ago, Loki said: Hiya A couple of links for you to consider that may give additional food for thought - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/ https://parkingmateuk.com/9-private-parking-appeal-loopholes/ L Some good advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mellors Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 There will be cameras if you didn't have the type you put your registration in ask for timed photo entrance and exit evidence. The store you visited will have cameras entrance and exit. Get all the evidence you can before contacting them. There all at it easy money most people just pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westley Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Try going into the store and complaining. I had a similar incident in Morrisons car park. I complained to the store manager, he made a phone call, end of problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobba Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Surely if the barrier raised to let you out then the VPNR recognised you had paid otherwise you’d still be there. What more proof do they need.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd90 Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 These private companies are scum. They try and bully and harass people with fake letters make to look official and dodgy law firms etc. Parking rules need a serious overhaul. Genuine bad parking is a massive problem and does need to be addressed but these companies are just leaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 Solve any future problems yourself by simply not parking anywhere you have to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnfromUK Posted May 21 Report Share Posted May 21 1 hour ago, London Best said: Solve any future problems yourself by simply not parking anywhere you have to pay. That doesn't work. They tried to do me for parking in a car park where I had free parking (provided by the hotel in which I was staying). It turns out that my registration number was seen correctly by the camera on the car park gate which enabled me to be identified - but entered incorrectly by the hotel in their 'guest register', so there was no match in the list of hotel guest's cars. My (then) registration number had a letter 'O' which had I think been entered as a numeral 'zero'. The hotel informed the parking company (and copied me) of their error and that I was a legitimate guest - but the parking company (Euro Car Parks?) continued to write to me with ever increasing threats. They are very naughty as they threatened bailiffs - despite needing a court judgement before they can send bailiffs. They gave up before it went to court. Where you do pay, either use a parking 'app' such as 'Ringo' which keeps a record - or retain the receipt as these 'errors' are very common. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serrac Posted May 21 Author Report Share Posted May 21 Actually, it looks like I went off half-cocked on this one 😕 I went back to the car park today to take some photos of signage etc and realised one of the images on the PCN has features that don't match the entrance to the car park I thought the ticket related to. So I think the ticket actually relates to a visit to another part of the car park on a different day. On that occasion I was pretty stressed - my wife had me returning a couple of suitcases to TK-MAXX that she'd ordered online and decided not to keep. I was probably too busy thinking about the logistics of how to hump these 2 huge boxes into the shop, and either forgot to buy a ticket or absent-mindedly stuffed it in my pocket instead of putting it on the dashboard. So mea-culpa & apologies for creating a non-thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveboy Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 Are you sure you were driving.... I lent my car to a friend who was visiting from abroad and he got a ticket. My obligation was to name the driver... he never heard anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genghis Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 Take this advice as you will, but private companies cannot enforce parking tickets. Here’s what happens: - you get a ticket, they offer a reduced rate if you pay quickly (usually 14 days) - you get a second letter a month or so later saying you are now due to pay the full amount - you will then get a third letter saying that they are considering legal action. They will also add a fine at this point - you will get a 4th letter adding another charge - after quite some time you will get a 5th letter offering you the chance to settle at the original reduced rate If you never respond to any of the above then they eventually just give up. It’s worse if you try to negotiate with them. These companies are typically run by lowlifes who like to bully old people into paying fines that are usually unjustified. My advice is to completely ignore the letter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enfieldspares Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 (edited) 37 minutes ago, Genghis said: Take this advice as you will, but private companies cannot enforce parking tickets. Here’s what happens: - you get a ticket, they offer a reduced rate if you pay quickly (usually 14 days) - you get a second letter a month or so later saying you are now due to pay the full amount - you will then get a third letter saying that they are considering legal action. They will also add a fine at this point - you will get a 4th letter adding another charge - after quite some time you will get a 5th letter offering you the chance to settle at the original reduced rate If you never respond to any of the above then they eventually just give up. It’s worse if you try to negotiate with them. These companies are typically run by lowlifes who like to bully old people into paying fines that are usually unjustified. My advice is to completely ignore the letter. If at any time they use the word "fine" it is illegal. Bill of Rights. Only convictions under either lawfully enacted Acts of Parliament or lawfully enacted byelaws may impose fines. Everything else has to a parking charge that by parking at such and such a place you agree to pay. And advice of that charge must be displayed so that it is clear and visible. Edited May 25 by enfieldspares Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 2 hours ago, enfieldspares said: If at any time they use the word "fine" it is illegal. Bill of Rights. Only convictions under either lawfully enacted Acts of Parliament or lawfully enacted byelaws may impose fines. Everything else has to a parking charge that by parking at such and such a place you agree to pay. And advice of that charge must be displayed so that it is clear and visible. Never knew that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serrac Posted May 25 Author Report Share Posted May 25 An aspect of this I found interesting is they got my entrance and exit on ANPR cameras (just 12 minutes apart - if I'd been out 2 mins earlier I'd probably have escaped the ticket as the industry code of practice is supposed to allow a 10 min grace period in case you can't find a space, or realise you don't have a means to pay etc). However in that particular car park, the payment machines do not require you to enter your vehicle registration, so how do they match a registration number to the fact of non-payment? As I was likely only parked for 8-9 minutes, I must have been incredibly unlucky if a parking attendant happened to check my car for a ticket right then, given it's a large park with hundreds of spaces. I suspect they have CCTV watching for people getting out of their cars and heading into a shop rather than the payment machine. I've heard online of people complaining that they went to a shop for change for the machine, paid for a ticket, but still got a PCN for parking without displaying a valid ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imperfection Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 Appeal appeal appeal I pick up lots of parking pickets/enforcement charges while working and my employer never ever pays them (im exempt). However, it dont stop meter maids and private companies from slapping a ticket on windscreen or taking a photo of my vehicle. Most of them are simply trying their luck and issuing tickets to fulfil a quota the operator is obligated to do. Councils etc are relying on those people who just pay the reduced charge without questioning the ticket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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