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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking Ticket At Asda

36 replies

midori1999 · 28/09/2012 15:08

I got a letter today saying I had been issued a parking ticket at my local Asda (I never found one on my car) and as the discount period was up, I now have to pay £70. Shock

At first I was a bit confused about how you get a ticket at Asda, but it seems it is from parking in a disabled bay with no badge. However, the only time I have ever done this was when I took my disabled friend shopping. She doesn't have a blue badge, but is a wheelchair user who gets higher rate mobility DLA (so has a car from her DLA) and cannot walk a single step unaided. She needs to be in a wheelchair to shop.

At the time, as we didn't have a blue badge I asked the security guard if we would be ok parked in the disabled bay and explained and he said there was no problem.

It seems this is a private firm, Town and City car parks, who have given the fine, but I obviously do not want to pay it and googling suggests it's not enforceable and they probably won't chase it up.

AIBU not to pay it? Has anyone else had similar?

OP posts:
VIX1980 · 28/09/2012 15:14

I have heard from friends that the likes of this ticket is not enforcable at all, they threaten you with big words etc but the only enforcable fines are from councils and such. i was given 1 by the same company last decenlber as my nans blue badges had expired, we both hadnt noticed they were out by 3 weeks. i didnt pay it at all and havent heard anything since - really hope im not tempting fate by writing this!

i think the difference is the word fine and penalty notice, googling it should being up some more answers, good luck.

HippoPottyMouth · 28/09/2012 15:19

no don't pay it, and don't get in touch with them (e.g. don't try ringing to explain the circs)

You'll probably get a 'Final Notice' and then nothing. There's nothing they can do.

OrangeHorraceTheGoldenOtter · 28/09/2012 15:49

Don't acknowloedge and don't pay. YANBU

BunnyLebowski · 28/09/2012 15:52

Ignore. Ignore. Ignore.

Only council parking tickets are legally enforceable.

CailinDana · 28/09/2012 15:53

What everyone else said. They can't legally enforce the fine, so feck em. If you see the security guard again though, set him straight, it would be horrible if another person in a similar situation was really worried and trying to scrape £70 together when they'd been told it was ok to park.

marmitericecakes · 28/09/2012 15:56

This happened to me in April. DO NOT PAY. They can't enforce it. You'll probably get another letter. Continue to ignore. I received 2 letters and no more. The letters are very scary which I guess makes people pay up before they realise that they don't legally have to.

MairyHinge · 28/09/2012 16:42

Just as an aside......if she gets higher rate mobility component of DLA, she is automatically entitled to a blue badge, so although she's "technically" right to park there, without the badge she shouldn't.
But as others have said, ignore the fine, do not communicate with this company, but get your freind to get her badge sorted.

ErikNorseman · 28/09/2012 18:01

Do not pay. Ignore. I got a ticket in asda in June and ignored, I haven't even received a letter! Then I scrapped that car so they can whistle :)
Empty car park, I parked in a p&c space without DS (had car seat in the car) because I was feeling dreadful and needed paracetamol. Meh.

Inneedofbrandy · 28/09/2012 18:04

Th law has actually just changed with fines and clamping. Any person clamping must be dvla registered and working for dvla, not some random company trying to make a buck. Hth

HappyAsChips · 28/09/2012 18:09

I wouldn't pay it.

Dawndonna · 28/09/2012 18:10

As others have said, ignore.
Also, if she has higher rate mobility, her tax disc will say 'Disabled' on it.
Next time, show that to the security guard.

VivaLeBeaver · 28/09/2012 18:16

Ignore it.

You'll get a lot of increasingly official looking letters. Baliffs will be mentioned as will taking you to court. You'll get letters that look like they're from debt recovery people (its not, its all from the first company), they'll threaten all sorts, CCJs, you never been able to get credit again, etc.

Its all bollocks, they give up after about ten letters. Money saving expert forum website is very good for info.

girlynut · 28/09/2012 18:21

Had similar in local Co-op carpark. Binned the initial notice and the red reminder. Nothing further heard.

You haven't broken any legislation so they can't enforce the fine in court.

SushiPaws · 28/09/2012 18:26

Ignore it.
Next they'll send you lawyers letters but if you check the address its usually the same as the parking company. Do not give them your phone number and if they call just block the number.
If your in Scotland, they haven't been able to enforce private parking fines ever, I think. In England I think it may have been more recent but the fact is, they can't do anything about it now.

Mayisout · 28/09/2012 18:38

Oh, so no one will be put off parking in disabled bays if they're not disabled- and someone (us) is paying either through council tax or asda prices for a company to send out fines. Great.

PuppyMonkey · 28/09/2012 18:42

I read on here that there's a template letter on Money Saving Expert to send back to them informing them that their fine is not enforceable. Go have a look?

HolyAutumnGoldBatman · 28/09/2012 18:55

Mayisoout I doubt it's got anything to do with council tax, the council use traffic wardens whose fines are legally enforceable. I also doubt that Asda are paying them to police the car park. They make profit by collecting on fines.

ohmeohmy · 28/09/2012 19:26

There was something on you and yours, radio 4 about this earlier in the week. You don't have to pay, worse they can do is take you to small claims court.

Original poster
midori1999 · 28/09/2012 19:38

Thankyou.

I've looked about a bit and the Watchdog site says that as the letter is actually addressed to Dh, who is the registered keeper, he can simply inform them he was not driving the car and he does not have to tell them who was at the time.

Accodring the the MSE forum, this particular company have a reputation for sending lots of 'threatening' letters but never taking it any further.

OP posts:
Original poster
midori1999 · 28/09/2012 19:40

Just to add, it's pretty disgusting really, as had DH opened the letter he would have immediately panicked his credit rating would be damaged and ohoned and paid it. I wonder how many others would do the same, some who really couldn't afford it. Sad

OP posts:
HippoPottyMouth · 28/09/2012 20:46

I really think it would be better to not reply than to enter into correspondence with them about who was or wasn't driving

sashh · 29/09/2012 06:07

How come your friend does not have a blue badge?

SleepyFergus · 29/09/2012 06:24

I think that's it, some folks would automatically pay for fear of the fine increasing, their credit raring being affected etc. so this company will be making money, if they send out enough letters, enough people will pay.

I got one in Lidl, freaked out, then did a bit of research and decided to ignore them. Got lots of letters from them, from their 'lawyers', from debt collection agencies, then even another letter from them offering to halve the fine! Ignored the lot and then finally they gave up. It simply isn't worth their while to follow up in small claims court.

It is a scandalous, the orig letter I got was very similar in layout and design to our local government so I immediately thought it was an enforceable fine. It wasn't thank god!

kcirtap · 31/05/2013 17:20

has anyone paid the fine

thebody · 31/05/2013 17:37

So just to confirm wise ladies, I had a parking fine in a car park. There were notices up about it being private but the barrier was permanently up and there were loads of spaces so I parked.

Got back to find my car parked in by a bloke in uniform who photographed my car plate in front if me and handed me a fine

It was for £125 and I had parked for 15 mins.

The fine went up on a sliding scale week by week if you didn't pay.

Didn't tell dh as he would have gone mad ( he's lovely but right). So I paid.

Shouldn't I have? It was a private company.