Private parking cowboys.

[Beebo]

I was given a ticket for parking in a gym car park.

The company had photographed my car entering and leaving, claiming I had parked on site in excess of 24 hours.

I had actually been there twice in 2 days, which I presume is fairly common. This was easily explained by the fact the CCTV must have missed me leaving and re entering the next day. So I hadn’t been on site for 24 hours,

I appealed and explained this to them and asked them to recheck all the car park CCTV footage to see me leave and coming back.

They dismissed my appeal without even commenting on the issues I raised. I suspect they no longer have the footage to check.

So I then had to take more time to appeal to the third party dispute resolution service, who immediately kicked the fine out.

So a good result for me.

But what annoys me most is the fact that the parking ticket was clearly issued incorrectly, by a CCTV failure. And despite making a reasonable case the appeal was rejected without any additional evidence. Thus forcing me to the ombudsman service.

How many people would have just paid the £60 to make this go away, as there is the threat that the fine will rise to £120 if you fail. Or worse, bailiffs and court action.

 

[Sterlo]

I had the same issue in Asda a few years ago, logged me going in on the morning when I dropped my wife off on the way to work and out when I left after going in for something myself when I left work, stating I was in there from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm with a 3 hour limit. Fortunately, we have CCTV at work so I sent them a still of me arriving at work at 8.00, therefore proving I had been in and out in about 2 minutes. Fine was cancelled. I've heard of this plenty of other times and I agree that they do it in the hope people won't argue and just pay. These parking companies need regulating more.

 

[BrumJim]

You got off lightly. There are many parking cowboys who would have clamped your car and not let you have it back until the fine is paid.

 

[Electric_Andy]

There is a good thread on battling these exact things on moneysavingexpert forum. They have complaint templates etc if it's any use to anyone

 

[Beebo]

You got off lightly. There are many parking cowboys who would have clamped your car and not let you have it back until the fine is paid.

They couldn’t clamp me because I was never parked there in the first place.

 

[Drago]

I was given a ticket for parking in a gym car park.

The company had photographed my car entering and leaving, claiming I had parked on site in excess of 24 hours.

I had actually been there twice in 2 days, which I presume is fairly common. This was easily explained by the fact the CCTV must have missed me leaving and re entering the next day. So I hadn’t been on site for 24 hours,

I appealed and explained this to them and asked them to recheck all the car park CCTV footage to see me leave and coming back.

They dismissed my appeal without even commenting on the issues I raised. I suspect they no longer have the footage to check.

So I then had to take more time to appeal to the third party dispute resolution service, who immediately kicked the fine out.

So a good result for me.

But what annoys me most is the fact that the parking ticket was clearly issued incorrectly, by a CCTV failure. And despite making a reasonable case the appeal was rejected without any additional evidence. Thus forcing me to the ombudsman service.

How many people would have just paid the £60 to make this go away, as there is the threat that the fine will rise to £120 if you fail. Or worse, bailiffs and court action.

And it ain't just the private parking people.

My eldest sold a car and duly sent off the V5. Between her sending off the V5 and the DVLA receiving and processing it th new keeper racked up £££s fines in Coventry, and Coventry Shitty Council came after her for it.

In due course the DVLA sent her the confirmation letter that she did not own the car from the date she sold it and she forward a copy to Coventry City Council who still wouldn't have it.

The council engaged debt collectors, and my lass showed the debt collectors the DVLA letter. The could see straight away it was not her debt and agreed theh would leave her her alone and inform the council they would not be pursuing her for it.

And the council still wouldn't have it.

So my lass let it go to court, turned up with her solicitor and the DVLA letter and the Councils solicitor took one loom at the letter and turned white. The council's solicitor advised the court of the monumental magnitude of the council's incompetence and the court awarded her several grand from the council for her lost days wages (£800 or so for her), her legal costs, travel, etc.

She isn't letting this go and currently has an FOI request in with the council to establish how much public money they spent chasing her for a debt that she evidenced early on was not hers. If she gets that figure she's going straight to the Daily Mail with it, stoke a bit of outrage and embarrassment for them.

And you can be sure thwt when she next sells a dar she won't be doing it by post, but will do the deed online before they new owner is even out of sight!

I once got chased because some witness idiot had seen a white transit van knock over a telegraph pole and misread the VRM. They gave the VRM, which turned out to be my VRM, and BT tried to sue me. They wouldn't have it that my black Astra Coupe was not the white transit thet knocked their pole over, and it it took a letter to BT from the area commander confirming that at the time of the incident my car was parked in the station car park 200 miles away and I was on duty, and there would be 20 professional witnesses in court to testify to that effect if they didnt leave m alone. How the foxtrot a normal joe would have got them to see sense without solicitors etc is anyone's guess.

The DVLA dish out owner information far too freely. If there had been some proper scrutiny it would have been obvious my black Astr Coupe was not a white Ford Tramsit. Each request should be properly scrutinised and the evidence assessed for its integrity before information is divulged (and the company requesting made to pay for the process) rather than the more or less automatic system of disclosure that exists at present.

 

[Drago]

You got off lightly. There are many parking cowboys who would have clamped your car and not let you have it back until the fine is paid.

Private clamping is unlawful. I'd take an angle grinder to it and dare them to sue me.

 

[markemark]

I'm on a few local WhatsApp groups which are useful for the area. There's a constant stream of complaints about parking and driving fines. The majority, at some point in the whinge, mention the driver's mistake. I was barley on the kerb...I was only 2 minutes late...my reg was only 1 digit out....the address I entered was almost identical.
I suspect the vast majority of queries these companies get are from people who genuinely make a mistake..but they made a mistake. As such, I never have an issue as I know there's zero tolerance so need to get it right.

I entirely empathise with your circumstances as it seems this is definitely their fault. I have zero sympathy or compassion for them, but I can easily see why you're lumped in with, what I suspect, is the vast majority where they're not at fault.

 

[BrumJim]

Private clamping is unlawful. I'd take an angle grinder to it and dare them to sue me.

Rarely do I have one to hand, and generally they are bigger in number and bulk than me.

 

[Alex321]

You got off lightly. There are many parking cowboys who would have clamped your car and not let you have it back until the fine is paid.

They don't have any right to clamp your car for any private car parking infringement.

 

[Drago]

generally they are bigger in number and bulk than me.

A quick R.I.N. drops the biggest of them

(Rap In the Nuts.)

 

[Chris S]

The council's solicitor advised the court of the monumental magnitude of the council's incompetence and the court awarded her several grand from the council for her lost days wages (£800 or so for her), her legal costs, travel, etc.

Is she a plumber?

 

[Drago]

Is she a plumber?

She owns two hair salons, but cuts hair for 2 or 3 private clients a day. She specialises in upmarket clients, the seriously minted. One recently even flew her out to Cyprus for a hairdo and then had her stay as a guest in their villa for a few days.

She's done better than me. My customers used to make oink oink noises and hurt my feelings.

 

[Gunk]

I had one last year for allegedly parking all day in the local Coop car park. I actually visited it twice, once in the morning and once in the evening on the way home from Heathrow. Fortunately I had the ticket from Heathrow Terminal 2 short stay. I sent off the evidence (absolute PITA) that was 5 months ago, not even an acknowledgement.

These idiots are really disrupting local trade, as people are frightened to use the car park, loads of similar stories on the local FB group.

 

[Emanresu]

Have had the same issue as @Beebo. The cameras are 95% accurate so 1 in 20 can have a problem. I was in and out but went to another car park. Even had the receipt to show them but they persisted with the threats. Pointless and annoying but they gave up in the end.

There's supposed to be a new single Ombudsman rather than two at the moment but no sign yet. As mentioned above, MoneySavingExpert or FreeTrafficLegalAdvice are the best sites. FTLA also do speeding tickets and council fines if you happen to be an unlucky sort.