Retail Parking Charge

[darbo1103]

I've received a letter stating my vehicle has overstayed the time in a local retail park. I've heard that if you don't pay, it costs too much to go to court. Is this right or just a myth?

[hc4361]

Some parking companies do pursue it right through to the Small Claims Procedure in the County Court but many don't.

What parking company is it?

[darbo1103]

It's a company called Paid Parking Company

[darbo1103]

Sorry it's called Paid Parking Company

[Mamyalynne]

Answerbank blocks the real name of that particular company.

[hc4361]

Mamya, can you s p e l l it out or something?

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Motoring/Question1274167-2.html

[Zeuhl]

Don't pay it.

They would have to prove you parked beyond their Terms and Conditions - unlikely to be worth their trouble

They will hope to intimidate people into paying up.

[Mamyalynne]

After I have finished PARKING and done my EYE drops.

[Khandro]

The maddening thing about these charges is that you have to predict how long you will require to stay in the car park, these machines being the cheapest to install. Most in Germany and elsewhere are the type where you take a ticket on entry and insert it in a machine when you return and are told the cost which you put into the machine in the form of coins or notes and change can be given.
If you for example have a dental appointment you can find yourself with serious delays, you can't return to the car and are then fined, which is not your fault, and is unfair.
What I suggest you do is write and say why you were delayed in returning, they will probably counter that with some bye-law which puts them in the 'right', ignore that and write again - and again if necessary, and they will give up.
Having an expired ticket is not considered as bad as having non at all. You wont be taken to court.

[sunny-dave]

Interesting that the Protection of Freedoms Act (2012), which was hailed as a 'good thing' because it outlawed the private/cowboy clampers, also introduced the concept of 'Keeper Liability' which effectively gives private parking companies the right to enforce excess charges (but not penalties) against the registered keeper of a vehicle.

I still think that the odds are that you won't be taken to court if you ignore these tickets, but the balance of probabilities seems to be shifting in favour of the enforcement companies.

You could argue that (as long as the signage is clear and unequivocal) this is only fair ....

[ dave waits for the sky to fall on his head ]

[hc4361]

Do you think this FOI is genuine?
http://tinypic.com/r/148iukw/5