Tradespeople charged me parking while street parking is free WWYD

[GardenElff]

Just the title really. I am a bit confused as in what to do!

Streets outside / area near my house don't require a permit to park on (free for all). Tradespeople charged me 10 quid for parking for the day and I questioned the invoice. I asked for clarification, they said they had to pay for parking for permit, and would send me the proof but never did.

The wisdom of Mumsnet, WWYD?

Say that you will settle once you have proof

Free around my area too. For up to four hours. Otherwise permit required

Not pay until you've seen proof of permit!

Just don't pay it. Do traders need permits in your area?

That's also why I was so confused as they were here for an hour or so - I was like 10 quid where did you park really????

Not needed! I've used other tradesmen before and they said parking's not a problem - previous tradespeople just parked outside my house really!

Did they do a good job?

Okie doke thanks for the wisdom! Will do this!

Wasn’t that exactly what you did in the first place 😐

That's what I thought too - thank you DH thinks I am creating stress and should just pay up and I disagree. 10 quid is tea money for tonight!

No chance would I pay that. Did they park on the road? How many days are they claiming?

Pay the bill minus the parking x

Pay the invoice minus the £10. Reply and say you’ve done so because as per your previous email you don’t have parking charges on your road so assume it’s an error. Leave it with them to provide proof otherwise. Which they won’t have by the sounds of it so that should be the end of it, hopefully!

@Lesssugarketchup haha I was really self doubting - will be restating this to the tradespeople since they haven't sent anything since I last asked

It might be that they have to pay a high fee for a general permit that they can use in all sorts of places, and they offset that by adding a £10 parking charge for all visits rather than just the ones where parking is restricted?

They are pulling a shifty . Don’t pay it .

Creating stress?! What is it with people like him who are such wimps that they don’t even want to politely challenge a tradesman who’s trying it on?
It won’t be at all stressful to do as @FlounderingFruitcake suggested.

Even if someone had done a good job, I wouldn't trust them again or recommend them to others for something like this, unless it was just a clerical error with the invoice. If they add the cost of parking on when it's free, what else might they tack onto the bill dishonestly? They have really shot themselves in the foot in my eyes.

They probably do it in every job. And get away with it most times.

I've paid for parking for the trades I've had in the house recently, apart from one who already had a trade parking permit. His invoice said nothing about me contributing to the permit. He accepted that he had to buy a permit.

You don't have to be confrontational, just a chipper "oh you must have muddled us up with another job, no permit needed here"

They are just trying it on. Ignore the parking amount, pay the rest and that will be the end of it.

You don't have to be confrontational, just a chipper "oh you must have muddled us up with another job, no permit needed here
Agree with this. It's perfectly polite and lets them know you're aware of the parking arrangements for your own street

Ikr! Normally I would ask them to park in front of my drive, hassle free, (every house has a drive so no permit needed really just don't block peoples drives), but that day my in-laws are here so I've asked them to park a bit further down my street and I didnt see where their van was. Can't believe this.

In our city the contractor permit requirements are clearly set out on the council webpage. Purely residential contractor permits are free, controlled zonal permits (places the council controls to stop on street parking near the city centre) are paid for with the costs on the website.

You can strengthen your challenge to the extra cost by checking the requirements outlined by your council and quoting them...whilst also asking for proof. Take the rug from underneath any argument they may have before they can make it.

This. They are dishonest.