Private parking charge - Reading

[HairyMaclary]

So I picked DS2 up from Reading festival at some ungodly hour (1am) in a car park I was directed to by a police officer. I have now received a parking fine from UKPC. I suspect they much have sent out loads as the car park was heaving!

I really don’t want to pay but what is the best way with these? Ignore? Engage? Does anyone have knowledge of UKPC specifically?

My younger brother has a load of parking eye fines as he's an Uber driver and he is in and out of the carpark collecting food all the live long day so the cameras sometimes think he has been there all day.

Also, there's a carpark near us where if you go in at all after eleven at night you get an automatic fine. If that's why you got a fine then I'd appeal as you were instructed to go in there by a police officer.

Sometimes, you can find a Facebook group for the specific car park or firm.

Also, there's some information on MoneySavingExpert.

However, these companies are ruthless. They can pursue you for five years or something like that.

Was this the TGI Fridays/Aldi car park off the roundabout? I saw quite a few warnings on my local fb group telling people not to go in there despite them leaving the gates open- seemed like an excuse to get the fines out!

I reckon they will be quite strict with the fines but unfortunately don't know if they would take it to court! I imagine it would be too many fines to chase all of them!

@Alarae Yes it was! It wasn’t where I had planned to meet him but I took a wrong turn and then got directed in by a police officer. The traffic was so bad I thought I’d just tell him to meet me there instead!
it may be an expensive mistake.

Don’t pay, appeal. Also there’s so much legal nitpicking that can get you out of it. Been to court even for lots of these and always won.

hi - I'm in the same situation. Same car park, same time pick-up. Wondering which route you took to appeal? Thanks

hi. I'm in the same situation, I appealed (as per instructions on MSE aswell as other private parking appeal sites). UKPC have said the parking fine was correctly issued and are upholding the fine. What to do now? Think I will continue with the second appeal via POPLA. Anyone else done this & been successful? Thanks

Any Advice ?

Of course UKPC would say that. They are paid for by the robbing bastard parking companies. Claim to be independent but that's bollocks.

@HairyMaclary head over to Pepipoo website. Lots of knowledge and info over there.

Hi. We have also been charged a parking fine The gate was open so we assumed the car park was open and 2 hours was allowed and followed other cars in. The sign on the gate stated that the get was locked outside of trading hours - but the gate was open and TGI's had lights on and looked open / still trading.
The streets were gridlocked due to trainstrikes so we could not reach the festival car park which UKPC now state we should have done.
It was really dark and we did not see the signs or the tiny writing.
UKPC claim their signs were all lit. However around midnight it was totally dark.
Can anyone rememder seeing any brightly lit signs in the car park ?
We remember it as very dark and no clearly lit signs. UKPC have rejected our appeal.