Idiot mistake cost me £100!

[TheHoundOf]

DD and I went abroad in July, booked the business/long stay car park at Gatwick and rather stupidly got lost trying to find it (my advice is not to use Sat Nav!). While making a hash of it we accidentally drove through the drop off zone (we didn't stop at all) and have now been charged £100 for the 1 minute round trip! We've been sent the letter today, so obviously can't claim the "discount" of £15.

So, word of warning to all! Don't be an idiot and get charged for 1 minute of pure stress while trying to find the parking via Sat Nav! We weren't the only car that did this that day either and I think the other guy went around more than once!

If anyone knows if I can dispute this - can prove my parking booking at their car park and we didn't stop - please let me know!😖

You forgot to censor your name, can you edit the image out?

Why can’t you pay £15? You are within the 14 day discount period

Oh no that's awful. It definitely sounds worth appealing unless the fine goes up if you don't pay it straight away.

It’s a £15 discount I think, so £85 rather than £15, unless I have misunderstood.

@WaxhamSeals it was taken in July and they've sent it to me today, so wayyyyy over the 14 day limit for the "discount".

Thanks for the heads-up on the editing the name @unvillage (another idiot mistake) and have self reported to get it taken down.

Don't the tickets have to be sent within 14 days of the offence?
If I'm incorrect, what is the date of the notice? I think the "discount" is 14 days from the date of the letter.

My husband did the same thing and got a ticket too.

He explained that it was a genuine mistake and gave proof of his booking and the charge was waived, hooray!

The 14 days should run from the date of notification not the date of the 'offence'. How is the drop off area usually charged? Its usually extortionate but not £100.

I would try this as a first step .

Same for us.

Definitely worth giving a go.

it might be worth asking as at Leeds Bradford we did the same ended up in the short stay car park instead of the long stay one got on the intercom explained we had gone the wrong way and he let us through and we stopped in the no stop zone to ask someone where to go and didnt hear any more from that either

Oh god I'm driving to Gatwick alone next month and can see this happening. Why do you get a ticket for just driving through? It's such a confusing place anyway!

My husband did the opposite. Wanted the drop off zone ended up in the Car Park zone but without a ticket or booking and had to plead to be let out to get to the drop-off zone.

@VestPantsandSocks Oh really? So I can dispute it and show proof I'd booked parking and hopefully they'll clear it? I really hope so!

I feel like a complete pillock!

They have cctv evidence of your arrival and exit so the time stamps will back up your claim that you drove straight through in error.

Exactly what happened to us and they waived the fine.

Give it a go! Worst they can do is say no, you have to pay. Maybe also point out that you didn't have a chance to pay within 14 days for the discounted rate, and then if they don't waive the charge they may reduce it for you.

I used to contest stuff like this all the time at work. If you're apologetic and make it clear it was a genuine error on your part, very often they do waive the charge as a goodwill gesture.

Worth a shot OP. There's a code of practice now for parking operators which gives people right of appeal for making mistakes. I also don't think they're supposed to fine people who stay less than 5-10 minutes. DP used that to get out of a fine when he went somewhere in my car, but on autopilot entered his reg no into the parking meter.

@Isseywith3witchycats We've flown out of Leeds Bradford a few times this year, and there was always a long queue of people stuck at the exit from the drop off zone. We've either been dropping each other off and using the free one hour drop off, or coming in on the bus from the off site car park, but it must be an easy mistake to make because there always seems to be someone caught out by it.

My dd recently received a parking fine from ncp, in her case parking outside the bay (slightly over the line, but from their photo, so was everyone else).

We received it two days before the 14 day grace period was up, by the time we had opened it for her as she's away and got her to transfer funds it was one day outside the grace period. Had they sent it straight away, it would have been fine.

Is this a new thing to stop people getting the discounted rate? Just hold on to the letter for a week or few months.

I took my boys away earlier this year and because I wanted to save on parking costs, I got my DH to drop us off at the hotel the night before. He also got lost and got a fine. The cost of the fine, the hotel and the train home after cost more than the flights!

You may be alright. Parking fines and the like cannot be enforced after 14 days unless you were notified at the time [i e a ticket on car]

Look up Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 to see if you think that you qualify. If you do either write to the company pointing this out or go to court wen/if they summons you and "mock" them. I have had two run ins with NCP. Successful and grumpy withdrawal. @TheHoundOf

@TheHoundOf

Ah I see it's NCP - just write pointing out the law! If they do not cancel go to court!

My brother just had this - he called them and said he didn’t stop there as he had parked in the car park and paid at the time. They cancelled the fine.

The way I'm reading it is, if you pay within 14 days of the notice being sent, it's £15. Looks like the notice was sent on 13th November, so you have until Monday to get the discounted amount. Third paragraph.

That letter says as a gesture of goodwill, it's £15 if you pay within 14 days
They date stamped the letter, letter sent 13th Nov, so its £15 until the 27th Nov.
Still a rip off for a genuine mistake though.