To just ignore this parking notice?

[SharkiraSharkira]

There is a place near my local town centre that I, in the past, regularly parked my bike (motorbike). It's just a little patch of concrete on the end of a row of private parking spaces, the kind you have to pay for.

Since this bit of land is not a parking space, and not causing an obstruction at all, I thought it was ok to park there and have done so on many many occasions before now.

The last time I parked there, however, I found I had a parking notice attached to my bike saying I now have a £100 'fine' for parking there.

Wibu to just ignore this and not pay it? I really don't have the money spare at the moment and the way I'm looking at it I have a few options:

1. Appeal it because the space I was in was not a parking space and therefore they (the owners) were not losing any income from me parking there, it was just a patch of concrete not being used for any particular purpose.
   
2. Ignore it - on the back it specifically states it is not a 'fine' as it is from a private parking company and not the council. After a bit of research it appears that these kinds of 'fines' are not legally enforceable and therefore there is nothing they can actually do to get the money if I don't pay it.
   

What should I do? Wibu to not pay?

[ThePearlNecklaceOfTheresaMay]

If there's no sign up saying you're at risk of being fined for parking there, then they can go and fuck themselves TBH.

[SharkiraSharkira]

Tbh there was a sign but I didn't think it would apply to me because I wasn't parking in an actual parking space

[SoupDragon]

Appeal it because the space I was in was not a parking space

You can't just park your bike in random places that aren't parking spaces though.

That said, the private parking company thing bears looking into. I don't think you can just ignore them all now.

[greendale17]

Don't park on private land in the first place

[Spam88]

I thought it had all changed with regard to private parking 'fines' and you could be taken to court for them now? Certainly no harm in appealing, but normally one of the conditions of using a car park is that you park in a marked bay so I'm not really sure that argument will help. There's a website people always recommend on here that I can't remember the name of, but I'm sure someone will be along soon who knows!

(Also £100 is ridiculous )

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

The private fines thing has changed, so you'd be unwise to ignore it.

Appeal though, as if you weren't causing an obstruction you might have a case.

Park in marked bays in future though.

[Roundandroundtheapartment]

I wouldn't ignore...we had a ticket from a private company for the apartments we actually live in (had parked just outside of the space while I ran in to grab something, wasn't blocking anyone in/from getting
In)
I ignored it like lots of people had suggested and now I have a ccj!! It's for £260 and I can't afford to pay it in one go
Is there an option to pay a reduced price of its paid within a certain time?
If you think you have a good chance then appeal but don't ignore!

[purplesippycup]

It's worse that you parked in a space that isn't a parking space

If you look into it you might get away with the fine as not all of them are legitimate.

But I'm surprised that you seem surprised that you thought you could park on private land and not pay just because it wasn't an official parking space

[WhollyFather]

Have a read: www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

[SharkiraSharkira]

Soup, the advice I have been given about parking bikes basically says the exact opposite - that as long as you are not causing an obstruction, parked illegally etc, you pretty much can park it anywhere. Admittedly that advice has been given by other bike riders, but none of them have ever had this issue before.

This was not in a park car by the way, it was just a random row of spaces next to a residential street, behind some shops.

[SleepFreeZone]

I would google the company first of all and just make sure it's legit. Then I'd pay it.

[ThePearlNecklaceOfTheresaMay]

Well if there's a sign then they have you bang to rights unfortunately!

It's always worth appealing anyway.

[SharkiraSharkira]

She, If I park in marked car bays I have to pay. Otherwise I have to park in designated motorcycle bays (even if there aren't any or they aren't marked).

[PeppaPigTastesLikeBacon]

Parking issues like this have come up in the town I live in. They are not inforcable you are correct but the fine can be sold to a 3rd party company who will recover the debts. Not sure where this stands legally but on various forums it's been discussed I think people usually end up having to pay it once it's gone to a 3rd party

[SheRaaarghPrincessOfPower]

Just a thought.. Were you outside the boundary of the designated spaces? Or were you were just on a road/area that's outside their property?

[RainbowPastel]

Of course you should pay. You summed it up by saying "I didn't think it would apply to me".

[SoupDragon]

This was not in a park car by the way, it was just a random row of spaces next to a residential street, behind some shops.

So, private land??

Surely even other bikers cant think that's OK!

[Mulledwine1]

You probably do have to pay. A court has recently held that NHS workers owe thousands in back charges because they didn't pay to park (at work). There was a similar case in Scotland.

If the signs are clear, you effectively have a contract - you park there, you pay £100. The level of the "fine" is not relevant, sadly. Even though £5 would probably be a bit more proportionate!

Martin Lewis money saving website has plenty of guidance on this.

[Minkyfluffster]

So you have been getting free parking for some time at this location? I would probably pay it and not park there again.

[WeAllHaveWings]

You parked on private land where there are signs with charges. Unless the sign said the charges were for the bays only and other areas are ok to park on, you still parked on Private land.

Check out money saving expert, but I don't think you can get away without paying now.

Advise from biker friends was out of date/not a legal standpoint, just their experience/luck at not being caught.

[SharkiraSharkira]

The row of designated spaces was sort of triangular at the end so the little triangle of spare concrete next to the designated spaces was where I parked - it wasn't in front of/next to anyone's property.

[AlexanderHamilton]

You would be very unwise to ignore it. Private landowners have the right to say who can and cannot park on their private land & as long as they have compliant signage up detailing the terms & conditions of parking there or not, they are within their rights to charge you for parking on their land.

I've successfully appealed about a dozen of these charges but only because the signage was not compliant (hospital car park with signs but we were building contractors working on site parking in a contractors compound with no signs)

Whoever told you you can park your bike anywhere gave you stupid advice. If you parked your bike on our private car park where I work (lots of people try as we are next door to a sandwich shop) we'd block you in. It's PRIVATE land.

[SharkiraSharkira]

Ah well, it appears I ABU. Either way I don't park there any more!

[lanouvelleheloise]

Do your research. If you don't have to pay it, don't pay it! If you do, that sucks, but get it out of the way so you don't end up paying more in the long run.

[AlexanderHamilton]

Have you checked the small print? Often there is a discount par paying within so many days.