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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not pay a parking charge

59 replies

Rain1975 · 13/09/2012 09:38

I was parked in a retail car park yesterday afternoon for about half an hour and on returning to my car I saw that I had a yellow sticker attached to my windscreen. It was a charge for £90 which stated 'not parked correctly within the markings of the bay or space'

I use p and c spaces if available as I really struggle getting uncooperative three year old dd and sleeping baby ds in and out if cars are parked either side. No spaces available yesterday so as it wasn't busy I parked far away from the shops so no other cars were next to me.

I would never win any prizes for parking and yesterday I was indeed over the white lines but as that section of the car park was empty I didn't think about straightening up so wrangled the dc out the car and did my shopping.

I know IABU for having a stupid large car that I struggle to park and for being lazy in not parking properly but my DH says to ignore the charge and any other letters and I'm not so sure.

So AIBU to not pay. Thanks.

OP posts:
FutTheShuckUp · 13/09/2012 09:39

If its a private car park you dont have to pay- you do know that right?
They cannot legally enforce it- its no more than an invoice

FutTheShuckUp · 13/09/2012 09:40

But as an aside not parking properly is selfish in the extreme.
It may not have been busy at the time you were there but got busy later on and people may have had somewhere to park if others parked correctly.

ImSlimShadyImTheRealSlimShady · 13/09/2012 09:41

Was the fine from a private parking company? I wonder if you have to pay it if so, ie if they have any legal recourse? Sounds like money for old rope to me.

FutTheShuckUp · 13/09/2012 09:43

There is a thread about this on money saving expert

fluffyraggies · 13/09/2012 09:44

I know IABU for having a stupid large car that I struggle to park and for being lazy in not parking properly

You don't need to ask us if YABU not to pay then surely Hmm

Learn to park your car.

ImSlimShadyImTheRealSlimShady · 13/09/2012 09:48

Cross post! But yes, learn to park. It's not that hard especially if not many other cars to manoeuvre around.

BoysBoysBoysAndMe · 13/09/2012 09:52

Hmm - over zealous car parking attendant if car park not busy.

I didn't pay my car parking one as I completely forgot about it. Remembered months later and nothing has come of it. Maybe it was a private car park.

Doesn't the fine increase if you don't pay though?

Could always appeal against the decision if you feel it's unfair.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 13/09/2012 09:55

Don't appeal - do not enter into correspondence.

If it is a council penalty - pay it.

If it is from a private firm - IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE

read this

I have done it - you get a few letters then they stop, honestly.

squeakytoy · 13/09/2012 09:58

If there were no cars parked either side of you, why was it so difficult to get into the space.

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 13/09/2012 09:59

depends on the parking company whether you'll get away with it - who does it say on the ticket?

But yes, YABU not to try to park properly.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 13/09/2012 10:14

Unless its issued by a LA traffic warden, throw it in thr bin and forget about it.

Also, learn to park!

SpottedGurnard · 13/09/2012 10:19

YABU to drive a car you can't park and YABU to not read the T&Cs even in a private car park. ALL car parks that are monitored will have in their T&Cs that you can get a ticket for going over 2 spaces.

gordyslovesheep · 13/09/2012 10:21

that link is for UNFAIR tickets - the ticket the OP was FAIR - the signs will state she should park within the bay - she really has no reason to appeal

don't pay it and they may take you to court ...and win because you did park badly

You can ignore it and hope they don't follow up - which they often don't but it is not UNFAIR at all

Dawndonna · 13/09/2012 10:22

As everybody has said, if it isn't a council car park, ignore it. There is nothing they can do, they're just trying to frighten you.
As far as I'm aware, there is no bylaw that states that your car has to be parked with absolute precision. Somebody however, may well come along and put me right.

MoaningMingeWhingesAgain · 13/09/2012 10:24

They are very very unlikely to pursue it, and they would be very unlikely to win - they have not suffered any financial loss by her parking badly.

The 'fine' will say something like a 'contractual parking charge'

Basically they are sending an invoice, because the 'contract' states that if you park badly they will expect you to pay £50/£70 or whatever.

OutragedAtThePriceOfFreddos · 13/09/2012 10:25

You can ignore it, it's not enforceable.

But you deserved the penalty. People who can't park the vehicles they choose to drive boil my piss, and people who park over two spaces boil my piss even more.

gordyslovesheep · 13/09/2012 10:25

why would they not win - the contact was breached - the fine legitimate

Dawndonna · 13/09/2012 10:27

It's not enforceable on private land, gordy.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 13/09/2012 10:32

*Quite simply, don't respond to just getting a ticket slapped on your windscreen or sent via the post. Wait to see if you get court papers in the post demanding payment. Often they don't follow through (though if you've been clamped/towed you'll need to pay to get the vehicle released ? see the clamping & towed away section).

This is all about contract law. A firm will allege you breached a 'contract' you tacitly entered into when parking, though you say you didn't. To press its case, it'd need to take you to court. Don't worry, it's not a criminal problem, just a contract dispute. The important point to remember is...

Let it do the chasing! Trying to reclaim money already paid isn't easy. It's far easier to dispute it by not paying.

While these parking tickets are flawed it's still useful to gather evidence in case you do need to dispute the ticket. If it does follow up with an invoice or letter, you may then want to respond. Jump to the parking tickets section below for more.*

Viviennemary · 13/09/2012 10:34

I wouldn't pay it. But really why couldn't you park the car properly.

missmartha · 13/09/2012 10:44

I've had a parking ticket (well a letter informing me I had parked illegally) in a shopping complex car park. So on private land.

I have no memory of this and I was informed that they have photographic evidence, but it would cost me to get it.

I ignored it. Heaps of letters followed, threatening to take me to court, then they passed 'the case' to their legal dept., I googled it, it's a shoe box run by a few kids.

Haven't heard anything for a few months now. Hopefully they have backed off.

ZillionChocolate · 13/09/2012 11:01

If it's from a private company, ignore it but start parking properly or get a car you can drive.

SaggyOldClothCatPuss · 13/09/2012 11:06

TBF, you parked badly ina deserted corner of the car park. You could esily have straightened up. You do really deserve the ticket.

SammyTheSwedishSquirrel · 13/09/2012 11:09

If it is from a private firm - IGNORE IGNORE IGNORE

Unless the private firm are contracted by the council to police council carparks, which is happening more and more now.

gordyslovesheep · 13/09/2012 11:41

Dawn it is still able to go to court and if they have proof she broke the contract by parking in between bays then the court would uphold the fine - private parking firms do actually have rights and can and do take people to court :)

It's not a criminal offence but it is breach of contract and that can go to court