Parking charges

[Aspiemum2]

Hi, wondering if anyone can help me.
A couple of weeks ago we went to a large shopping area in town. It has lots of different shops with one main car park area.
We browsed various stores and then went to a cafe (still on site) for lunch, followed by a bit more shopping.

Today I received a letter stating I had exceeded the conditions of parking as the time limit is 4hours and I stayed 20 minutes over that. They want £85 or £50 within 14 days.

I'm sure I remember reading that I don't have to pay this kind of charge but don't remember where or why, can anyone help?

[Chanatan]

It all depends on who issued the ticket,if its the council then you have to pay up,if it,s a private company then ignore,is the advice that I have seen in the past, however I,m not sure if the rules have,nt been changed recently.Best to go to the motoring section of the Money Saving Expert forums,they will be able to tell the best course of action.

[Aspiemum2]

Hi,

It's a private company. I will check out that website, thank you.

I just fine it daft that with all those shops and eateries there is this secret 4 hour limit - we didn't see any signs about it

[VivaLeBeaver]

You're right, if its a private company you don't have to pay. You'll need nerves of steel though to ignore the letters - you'll get lots. Some look like they're from a solicitor's firm, from baliffs, etc - but its all the same company.

They can't (no matter what they tell you) issue you with a ccj or send baliffs round unless they actually take you to court. If they take you to court or they can sue you for is the amount of revenue they lost..so how much would 20 mins parking cost - £1? And if its a free 4 hour car park they've lost nothing so can't charge you anything.

I ignored one last year and they've given up writing to me now.

[Satnightdropout]

Yeah, if it's council then you have to pay it. But if it's private then you don't. I remember someone saying they used to work for a private parking company and that they never actually took someone to court as cost more than the fine. They just relied on some people paying in fear of the (non existant) consequences

[mooface]

Private parking companies are ridiculous. Ignore them. There's something about how they have to provide adequate signage, and even then they're on dodgy legal ground to issue you a 'fine' - it's not a fine, it's just an invoice!

[cantbloodywellchoose]

Private company = ignore ignore ignore. I needed balls of steel to do it (and I'm a solicitor) but do not back down.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Ignore completely. Do not enter into corrospondence with them. They send a few 'reminders' then usually give up.

[Aspiemum2]

Wow, thanks for all the replies. It does feel very official - they have photos of my car arriving and leaving & obviously got my address from dvla.
There is an option to appeal & provide receipts from the shops it caters for which I could do but I'm gathering it is best to ignore it entirely?

What a pain in the arse, I hate feeling like I'm in trouble!

[mooface]

They most likely reject any appeals and they'll just spend longer hounding you so don't bother responding. The letters I got from private car parking companies probably lasted about 6 months tops before they got fed up and stopped.

[hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman]

Yes, just ignore completely.

[Aspiemum2]

Will do, thanks for the advice. Hopefully they will give up quickly!

[tapdancingmum]

I completely agree with the ignore people. I got one from parking in Staples between 9.30pm and 12.30pm (store was shut fgs, massive big car park) and they wanted £90. DH got onto the MSE website and they all say DON'T PAY IT.... I received four letters from them and they eventually went away.

[flatmum]

I was given a ticket at a Sainsburys carpark run by NCP. The guy saw me arrive, drive round, then park in the last normal space a no free child spaces left as I had the infant car seat with me and the normal spaces are narrow. One side had a car and the other had a motorbike so I could easily get my baby out. When I came back, the motorbike had been replaced by a car so that I couldn't open the door on that side and the other space was now free on the wrong side. He watched me pull out, reverse back half into the free space to free up room on the driver and carseat side, strap my baby in, unload trolley of shopping, lock car and walk about 100m to the trolley park to get my £1 back. As I got back he was ticketing me for "parking outside the bay"!

I was so incensed I drove off. They sent me a ticket which I "appealed" with a letter. They refused "appeal". I sent them another letter saying hell will freeze over before I pay this. They sent more threatening letters for about a year and a half then gave up.

More recently I got a meteor ticket as the station carpark while I was inside renewing my season ticket and about to but a ticket. The guy said you will need to appeal so I didn't even bother and ignored from day 1. No letters so far this was about 8 weeks ago.

[wakeupandsmellthecoffee]

Platinum sorry I think you have to pay the station one.Check it out as I seriously wouldn't want you to get a nasty surprise.I had a stupid car park one and they do give up eventually.

[flatmum]

Station ones normally run by Meteor which is same situation as any other privately run carpark like NCP so no difference except I there is a deed on the land and they have expressly been given permission blah blah by British rail. Even then they've got to take you to court, prove that the charge is reasonable, which it never is etc etc, all on that pepipoo website.