To not want to pay parking charge

[coffeeforone]

I have been sent a parking charge notice from a private parking company for £100 (or £60 if I pay sooner). DH entered car park to pick me up (on xmas eve) after I had took DS to see santa and lunch with friends. He waited while I said bye to everyone and helped get DS/presents into car, but didn’t actually park or leave car unattended, so didn’t buy a ticket. They have CCTV of us entering and leaving car park (14 mins apart). We appealed but it was rejected as they say there is no evidence we didn’t park, and we used the car park. AIBU to not want to pay the £60?

[outofmydepth45]

14 minutes is a long time for a pick up. Think your stuck with a bill there

[Addy2]

Innocent until proven guilty- the onus of proof is on them, not you. People seem to forget that a lot nowadays.

[Rememberallball]

Speak to place you went to, they may be able to call off the parking company and get the ticket voided

[Notinmybackyard]

Look at the Martin Lewis website about parking fines. He advises you what to do in these situations.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I’m sorry but I don’t see much real difference between parking for 15 minutes in a parking space and stopping for the same length of time not in a space but still in the car park - you may not have used a space, but you DID use the car park, and you should have paid.

[50sQueen]

But why didn't you just pay? It would have been a min charge. You were still using space and you were in theory parked for 15 mins- ok prob not in an actual space but still!!

[SilverySurfer]

What excuse could you give for non payment? It's a car park which requires payment. your DH parked so he should have paid. It's irrelevant why you parked there.

[ShinyMe]

And if you weren't in an actual space, then you were blocking the path somewhere else.

[specialsubject]

I'm sure you don't want to pay.

You did park. No free time there. Pay up and learn.

[coffeeforone]

But why didn't you just pay?

Because we didn’t use a parking space, probably didn’t expect to be there that long so just didn’t bother to get a ticket. It’s usually monitored by a man walking round checking windscreens, we didn’t realise that entering and exiting was defined as parking.

[ghostyslovesheets]

if you don't get a free 10 mins or so then you know that if you drive in and out without paying you will be fined

yabu

[coffeeforone]

We weren’t blocking/obstructing any path btw, we were stopped near the entrance to the car park which is very wide and open. It was Christmas Eve and very quiet as most of the businesses the car park serves were closed.

[Blackteadrinker77]

The grace period is 10 minutes so you were over by 4 minutes.

You'll have to appeal on the grounds of the charge being dis-proportionate to the losses incurred.

The sample letters to do this are on Money saving expert website.

[coffeeforone]

But thanks for the responses! Good to get other views as it seems IABU!!

[Blackteadrinker77]

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=163

Here's the link for you.

[coffeeforone]

Thanks Blackteadrinker disproportionate losses sounds like a good reason to appeal! I might give that a go!

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

People on here are such ridiculous good toe shoes, these companies have very little powers and hope the majority pay on blind ignorance of their rights. Keep battling against it, theres good fb page that can help along with Martin Lawrenc.

[rosybell]

Yes a similar thing happened to us but I emailed customer services for the shop we had parked outside and they contacted the car parking enforcement and our charge was voided. Worth a try.

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

If you entered and there was no parking space and left they would try and get you too. There needs to be clear signage about the need to pay even when not parking, you would win on further appeal!

[FancyThatFenceEdge]

Which car park operator was it?

If it was Euro Car Parks, you can file their fine in the bin. They never go to court. ParkingEye are cunts and do.

(Disclosure, I have had "fines" from Euro Car Parks and have never had any come backs and have never paid their "fines").

The Pepipoo forum will further attest to the dithering of Euro Car Parks and why people do not pay. It is totally unenforceable.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

You didn’t just ‘enter and exit’, though, did you? Your dh was in the car park for 15 minutes.

[coffeeforone]

They are called NPS (Northern Parking Services). I haven’t heard of them, I think they may be just in North England.

I live near London but we were away for Christmas. I have appealed and won a few times with UKPC but it has always been a black and white case. This is a bit iffy IMO

[Blackteadrinker77]

It's never iffy, they can legally claim for losses. They did not lose £100.

They prey on people who don't know the law and just pay up.

[FancyThatFenceEdge]

NPS are chancers.

Appeal at POPLA and you will win all day long.

Fact is, you/your DH did not park, therefore there is no loss to them. End of.

[DeathStare]

I've had a similar. I pulled into the car park of a venue (think somewhere like a cinema, bowling alley, etc). Didn't use a parking space. Didn't switch the engine off, but did stop moving. Let two of my DC get out of the car - older DC to take younger DC in to meet the group she was meeting, then to come back out. I was there for 6 minutes and then drove off.

Got a letter through the post a couple of weeks later saying I had a fine for parking without getting a ticket and a camera had caught me. I just paid. I thought there was probably no point arguing to be honest.