To not pay this parking fine?

[MrsHughesCarson]

DH and I have recently moved to the UK from France. We brought our car with us, it is registered in France with a French number plate. Yesterday we got a parking ticket when we went into town. It was Sunday and we didn't think we had to pay. We were parked in a proper parking space, not on yellow lines or blocking anyone. DH thinks we should pay up but can they really find us if we don't. I'm tempted not to pay, what would you do in this situation?

[TeaBelle]

Yup, pay up. They will find you - you were in the wrong. And the longer you don't pay, the more they will ask for

[Matchingbluesocks]

No I wouldn't bother

[Guavaf1sh]

French fines find their way here and I'm sure the reverse is true too. Pay up. Less stress

[harderandharder2breathe]

Of course you should pay

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

Pay it and get it over with. Always check the boards by the ticket machines to see when the charging hours are. That's what I'd do anyway.

[daisiesinherfootsteps]

Forget the fine. You do know you must register the car here unless you intend to be here less than 6 months and are classed as visiting and don't officially live in the UK?

[NickNacks]

Why is you car not registered here? Does that mean you don't have insurance? MOT? Tax?

[OutDamnedWind]

If it was a council car park you definitely need to pay.

[daisiesinherfootsteps]

French insurance etc is fine as long as they are not now normally resident in the UK. But if they are they have 14 days to declare it and get it registered here IIRC.

[NickNacks]

The OP says they recently moved to the Uk- I take that to mean they are now normally residents here.

[NickNacks]

And why on earth shouldn't you pay the fine?!

[daisiesinherfootsteps]

Yup. www.gov.uk/importing-vehicles-into-the-uk/overview

So OP, to derail your parking thread. Are you resident here or in France? If the latter I might agree you will probably get away with the fine. But, if you are now resident here as your OP implies you have rather bigger issues to deal with.

[Matchingbluesocks]

Well of course morally she should pay the fine. But why part with £60 when you don't need to?

[Glastonbury]

Of course you should pay. Why didn't you think you had to pay because it was Sunday?

[NerrSnerr]

Of course you should pay, would you walk in a shop and walk out without paying because you don't feel that you should? I'm presuming you just didn't bother to read the signs in the car park?

[KinkyAfro]

Another here wondering why you'd consider not paying. You did wrong, got caught so you should pay

[lastnightiwenttomanderley]

This is analogous to 'aibu to stick a few extra things through the self scan till without paying'? What would you do then?
Just because you think you can get away with it doesn't make it right or acceptable.
You were in the wrong, pay the fine for goodness sake.

[MrsHughesCarson]

The fine is £25 if we pay within 14 days. If not it's double.,The contrôle technique is in order and our French insurance company has told us we have 3 months cover before we have to register the vehicle here. We are now in the UK for the long term and will shortly be changing the car for an english one. Anyway, i guess we will pay up and be more vigilant in future, i just assumed parking would be free on a Sunday.

[arethereanyleftatall]

Assuming the signs didn't say it's free on Sunday's, then yes I would pay. Because I'm honest. And I wouldn't want the risk of the fine doubling.

[Ameliablue]

Why on earth would you assume parking would be free?

[shggg245]

I've had a nightmare trying to pay a Portuguese parking fine. Tried at a post office but they couldn't take it. Can't pay on line as I don't have a Portuguese bank account (a necessity to make payment apparently) and despite calling the number 50 of times no one ever, ever answers. I'd gladly pay up - but blimey they don't make it easy.

I expect they'll eventually charge my credit card via the hire car company but it's very frustrating as fine will be 150 euros as opposed to 30 which it was when I've tried to pay.

If you can pay the fine - do.

[HicDraconis]

Parking always used to be free in the UK on Sundays, if you've been in France for a while and only recently moved back I can see how easily you would make that mistake.

However - it's not free, hasn't been for a while and if you park without paying the appropriate fee, you incur a fine. You should therefore pay it and check the parking meters more carefully next time.

Oh and for the next bazillion posts who say "pay up" because they haven't read that you are going to - cancel the cheque too ;)

[Glastonbury]

HicDraconis I have been driving since 1994 and Sunday parking has never been free in my city. It's sometimes a lower charge but never free.

[daisiesinherfootsteps]

OP whilst you are ok with your French insurance for up to 3 months in their t&c IF your permanent residence is not the UK I can assure you you are not ok to have the car here in the eyes of HMRC. It's 14 days as per the link above. It's only up to 6 monthsif you can prove you "don't usually live in the UK" so I assume that's have an address still in France and also not have a permanent job here...

And if you are importing, the contrôle technique isn't valid. You need the EU certificate of conformity plus a certificate of mutual recognition for LHD cars.

Like the parking fine you might very well get away with it, im sure lots do, but don't go kidding yourself that its legit!

Unless you are still legally resident in France in which case you're fine. Doesn't sound like the case though.

[WaitrosePigeon]

You've got to read the boardss/signs - you can't just assume...