Car Parking Fine.

[Gavmacp]

Friend parked in Norwich and returned to car after 2 hours. Received a parking fine for over staying the free 2 hours. Company is Euro Car Parks. Does she have to pay as there was a recent ruling regards this situation but did not hear of outcome.

[whiskeryron]

if it's free parking for 2 hours & she returned to car AFTER 2 hours then yes she pays the fine.

[Retrochic]

I know this will be controversial and I'm in no way condoning or advising what to do (disclaimer) but I have had numerous tickets from Euro car Parks, mainly due to overstay for hospital visits and have never paid. You get a nasty letter that looks like they are going to take you to Court but if yu ignore it nothing ever comes of it. The only time I would pay a parking fine would be if it was in a Council run park as they do follow through with CCJ's.

[Gavmacp]

I personally prefer paying and parking as I try to give myself extra time for distractions. But if they are not going to enforce it through the courts then I would ignore. All rather daft as I know she will worry.

[Retrochic]

Thats what these private companies rely on -people worrying they are going to get huge fines. Don't get me wrong -I always pay for a ticket but sometimes, especially with hospital appointments, its hard to know how long to get on the ticket.

[Maydup]

Waitrose? toys r us? Somewhere else?

[Maydup]

as far as I know, there is no requirement in law for a driver to disclose the identity of the driver. Without this admission the parking company cannot take any further action as they need to have somebody to actually sue - namely the driver for breach of contract. If you refuse to identify the driver, that's where the matter ends.

The position is different with the Council issued and police issued parking fines which can be enforced through the courts but unless you identify the driver for a parking fine issued in a private car park, no further action can take place.

[EDDIE51]

This is NOT a fine it is an invoice for a parking charge.

[lcg]

no she does not have to pay - as stated, it is a request for payment (an invoice) for 'costs' as she returned late to the car. it looks like an official police/council fine on purpose to trick people into paying, so the majority do. the minority who do not are not chased through the small claims court as it costs too much for the company in time and effort, and they get a fat income from the idiots who do pay......so why would they make their life difficult chasing the odd few? i wouldn't pay and i wouldn't give it a second thought either. the three that i have had came to nothing, and there is no legal duty to pay.

[EDDIE51]

Look at this link
http://www.popla.org.uk/
The POPLA organisation was set up to provide a means to appeal a private parking charge. These charges are usuallyway out of proportion to the actual loss to the parking company. POPLA will set a fair amount to pay to settle the parking fee, it will normally be MUCH less than the amount asked by the parking company.
You need to appeal to Euro car parks (or any other private parking company) on the grounds that the fee asked is excessive, they will reject the appeal but they MUST give you a POPLA code. You then appeal to POPLA using the code who give you an amount to pay to settle the invoice. This is normally less than £10 often as little as £1.