To not pay my parking fine of £100 for overstaying at a services for 10 minutes?

[NomadsLand]

Met a friend at a Services station for coffee and overstayed by 10 minutes over the apparent 2 hour limit. It is posted on a couple of signs but I must have missed them.
Received a parking ticket with time-stamped photos of me driving in and out (it is my car).
So annoyed! No ticket on my car - just these bloody photos and a £100 fine.
Seems unreasonable to me.
Anybody else dodged this bullet?

[Wallison]

Gosh, you MSE people are a messianical lot, aren't you? I do think it's funny how all the petrol-heads react when faced with the truth that actually you can't just park anywhere you damn well want.

[Ponders]

A court would not find in their favour when they demand a ludicrous amount like £100 for overstaying 10 minutes

How many of your "couple of hundred CCJs" were in favour of private companies issuing invoices at privately owned car parks?

[sukysue]

A CCJ is a judgment that a county court issues when someone has failed to pay money that they owe. CCJs are a simple way for creditors to claim the money they're entitled to.

CCJ: The facts
When you owe money to someone, they can apply to the County Court for a judgment (CCJ) against you to claim the money.

The Court will decide whether there really is a debt to pay. If there is, they will issue a CCJ. This will set out how the debt should be repaid.

Court forms
When someone takes a County Court action against you, you'll be sent a CCJ Claim Form. This court form will explain how much the creditor says you owe them.

You're also sent an Admission Form. Don't ignore this form - send it back within 14 days. If you're late, the CCJ may be issued anyway in a default judgment.

This form is your chance to put your side of the story before the CCJ is decided on.
What court in this land is going to charge you £100 for 10 mins ? answer NONE!

[lemonandlimes]

Wallison

There is always a risk of court, but no risk of a CCJ, unless you lose, then refuse to pay.
So, there is a risk in ignoring, but only if you ignore the court case.
But they can't spring that on you, if they decide to take it there, they have to tell you.
And they normally lose, in the rare caes they go that far.

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't really get it. There were signs saying there was a 2 hour limit but you missed them. You got a fine (which the signs presumably said) and now you don't want to pay it? Right.

[ComposHat]

If you can find me a single example of a Court ordering the motorist to pay the full sum dremed up by the Car parking company or their bullying debt recovery agents or bogus solicitors I will eat my chapeau.

[Wallison]

^ How many of your "couple of hundred CCJs" were in favour of private companies issuing invoices at privately owned car parks?

Erm, all of them. There was a link on a previous thread of the same nature. Like I say, it's a small proportion of suits issued, but it does happen. You just have to weigh up the risks as to whether or not to ignore, and that includes how risk-averse you are. But if it does get to the court stage, definitely don't ignore that.

[Wallison]

I know that the company themselves can't issue a CCJ and didn't say that they could - I'm not stupid. If you read back through the thread you will see that.

[Dawndonna]

Definitely ignore. As for the CCJs, unlikely for ten minutes over time, particularly if you used the services.

[Ponders]

How many of your "couple of hundred CCJs" were in favour of private companies issuing invoices at privately owned car parks?

Erm, all of them

Great! Details, please? Which companies? Which courts? How much were the fines? You will obviously have this information at your fingertips, to help us weigh up the risks in future.

[Dawndonna]

Oh, and there is no law covering private land for these things, so no, it can't go to court.

[ComposHat]

I know that the company themselves can't issue a CCJ and didn't say that they could

Yes you did

and yes they can issue a CCJ against you and in fact they have done a couple of hundred times last year alone

[Wallison]

I talked about CCJs ten posts up, Compos, and never said that the company themselves can issue a CCJ. Learn to fucking read.

And I don't know the details or which companies, Ponders - like I said, someone linked to the numbers on another thread of this nature. I certainly don't have it at my fingertips. There were 300-odd of them, that's all I can remember.

[NomadsLand]

Sparkling.....I might have seen the signs but I totally ignored them. That's just the way I roll! Anyway, never thought I'd stay for more than two hours but I certainly made up for it by paying over £3o for coffees and lunch and then another £50+ at Waitrose.

Is it really a surprise that the retail sector in this country is in a shambles when you can't even park for free in a MASSIVE car park and just go about your business without being penalised for it. My staying the extra time meant I spent more money at the retail outlets. Isn't that a win for the Services shops?

[Wallison]

Dawndonna, it can go to court as breach of contract. It's not a criminal matter.

[Wallison]

I don't think the retail sector in the UK has been brought to its knees by private parking companies. I rather think there are bigger factors at play there.

[Sparklingbrook]

I think our nearest service station has this 2 hour rule. Do you think it's to stop people parking all day? But then why would anyone want to park there all day?

I see your point about extra spending though Nomads. Was it a nice lunch?

[ComposHat]

I am perfectly capable of reading and you did saay that 'they' the private parking company could.

Basically you are begining to look a bit foolish.

So they sue you for breach of contract. It isn't unenforceable, or illegal and yes they can issue a CCJ against you and in fact they have done a couple of hundred times last year alone

So you did say the private parking company can issue a CCJ against someone. Then frantically back peddled when it was clear you were wrong.

but there were a couple of hundred CCJs issued to people in regard to these tickets

Then you were asked for proof, you start fudging the issue.

You are basically full of crap or a Parking company shill or both.

[Wallison]

Right, I've found the information about CCJs:

www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?357884-The-truth-about-the-number-of-parking-cases-lodged-by-BPA-members-in-the-Small-Claims-court-in-2011

Looks like it was 845, not 300-odd.

[Ponders]

someone linked to the numbers on another thread of this nature. I certainly don't have it at my fingertips. There were 300-odd of them, that's all I can remember

oh, 300-odd now, not 200.

gosh

if "someone" linked just to the numbers "on another thread" (where?), how would you know which parking companies were concerned & where the parking "offences" took place?

[Wallison]

Ok, I admit that my wording was a little careless. But still, there have been CCJs issued against people by courts where private parking companies have sued them. Which is I think the point. And I don't think many private parking companies would have someone posting shit on mumsnet at 11pm for the hell of it.

[Wallison]

Just put it up there for you Ponders. Just for you. Seeing as you asked so nicely.

[ComposHat]

That is the cases lodged in the court, it doesn't say whether they were succesful or not.

Try harder.

[Wallison]

Well, you just keep on telling yourself that it's illegal, Compos. It's a shame you're telling other people the same thing though, because it's not accurate.

[ComposHat]

I've never siad it is illegal, it is just hard - nigh on impossible - for them to recover the absurd amounts they pluck out of the air.

I have a problem with the lies, bullying tactics and the exotortionate amounts that these shitstains feel they can charge for overstaying their welcome in a free carpark for ten minutes or in my case have the misfortune to break down in a service station.