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Original poster

To not want to pay hospital parking fine !!

61 replies

Baffledandbewildered · 06/02/2013 12:30

I had an appointment with my consultant on Monday.( I have a life threatening condition so it is very important I do not miss appointments ) . I arrived 20minutes early to give myself time to park in a disabled bay ( I do have a badge !!!)
The hospital had decided to close the main car park for the hospital so it was chaotic . I kept driving around but could find nowhere to park in a disabled bay. As a last ditch attempt I decided to park in the other car park but there was a huge queue, so I would have missed my appointment :( . As I needed to see the consultant urgently I decided to park my car at the end of the disabled row displaying my badge. It was not causing an obstruction and I went. To my appointment.
I had to wait over an hour to see the consultant but as they do various tests sometimes I didn't feel I could leave to try and move the car. Anyway when I returned to my car I find I have just been given a ticket !!! I understand why they ticket but would I be unreasonable to think it is unfair given these circumstances and not pay ??????
Also car park was shut but they were not doing anything to it !!!!

OP posts:
VivaLeBeaver · 07/02/2013 07:42

Midnitescribbler, did you read the OP where she says she got there early but the car park was closed? Which was kind of unforseeable on her part. Though it would have been nice if the hospital had told her when they sent the appt as I'm guessing they knew. And the bit about her having a life threatening condition and a blue badge, so I'm presuming public transport may not be a solution?

Anyway, I've had loads of tickets from Total Parking Solutions for parking at my local hospital where I work. I owe £hundreds according to them. I've never responded to a single letter. They send increasingly nasty letters, some of which are written from their in house solicitor (but look like an external solicitor). They threaten ccj, court action, bailiffs, etc. Its all bollocks. I'd love for them to take me to court as I'd have quite a few things to say. Sadly I don't think they ever will as if they did they wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

The most they can legally claim from someone is the amount of money they've lost from you parking where you have. They haven't lost any money from you been parked not in a bay.

lemonandlimes · 07/02/2013 08:04

VivaLeBeaver

Is there some reason why you get so many tickets?

MidniteScribbler · 07/02/2013 08:16

Anyway, I've had loads of tickets from Total Parking Solutions for parking at my local hospital where I work. I owe £hundreds according to them. I've never responded to a single letter. They send increasingly nasty letters, some of which are written from their in house solicitor (but look like an external solicitor). They threaten ccj, court action, bailiffs, etc. Its all bollocks. I'd love for them to take me to court as I'd have quite a few things to say. Sadly I don't think they ever will as if they did they wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

All that telling me about your hundreds of pounds of parking tickets says is that you're a complete prat who thinks that you can do what you like. Are you too important, or just too stupid to park properly?

3birthdaybunnies · 07/02/2013 08:26

Midnight are you too important to apologise to the OP who has a blue badge and a life threatening condition for suggesting she parks further away or gets public transport?

VivaLeBeaver · 07/02/2013 08:26

All that telling me about your hundreds of pounds of parking tickets says is that you're a complete prat who thinks that you can do what you like. Are you too important, or just too stupid to park properly?

Too important.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/02/2013 08:33

If I'm been serious I would say its because TPS aren't rollowing the hospital rules.

Car parking was free (staff) for ever and I've spent 10 years along with all other staff parking whereever - never enough spaces but plenty of unmarked bays where people have parked daily without problems for years. So on verges, unmarked bays, etc - not blocking access.

Now we all have to pay £12 a month for parking and TPS are patrolling.

There still aren't enough spaces. The staff car park doesn't have a barrier so visitors and patients park in there and I can't get in. There is a bigger staff car park a bit away but its very dark, round the back of a derelict building and I won't park when I have to go back at 10pm. One of my colleagues had her car broken into there last week and was confronted by the 3 blokes in her car as she got back and someone else was attacked.

More importantly I have an email saved from Facilities saying that if we parked in an unmarked bay as long as we weren't blocking access this would be OK. However it looks like they haven't told TPS that as the majority of my tickets are for this. But the hospital said it was OK and I have it in writing. Some tickets are for parking in the visitors carpark which I'm not supposed to do.

But legally they're not supposed to charge me £12 a month and then not provide a parking space so it cuts both ways. Plus they can't even be arsed to barrier the staff car park - if they did I'd maybe be able to park.

missmartha · 07/02/2013 08:36

Total Parking Solutions are a joke.

They wrote to me and reckoned I'd parked illegally and that I could buy, yes buy, a photo to prove it from them for a tenner.WTF. I have no recollection of this and am pretty sure I didn't. I park legally.

If I had been a little old lady I might have been quite frightened by some of the letters they sent.

Threats to send bailiffs to remove my car/furniture etc.

Increasing the 'fine' every few weeks they eventually past it on to a solicitor. I googled his name and it's joke, it really is.

Ignore the whole lot, they rely on intimidation, not the law, to get money out of people by any means open to them.

VivaLeBeaver · 07/02/2013 08:38

TPS have actually been on Watchdog and Anne Robinson said they were cowboys.

lemonandlimes · 07/02/2013 09:10

If you pay, you have a right to a space.
So rather than extend the hospital car park over where the new wards should have been, I probably agree it's fair to park on the grass, the footpaths, access roads etc (providing you leave a squeeze through for ambulances) because at the moment they can't touch you, and I certainly can't walk anywhere too far.
It's a bit difficult if too many have the same view though, as it's a pain if someone parks too close and stops you getting out again.

lemonandlimes · 07/02/2013 09:14

VivaLeBeaver

I don't agree with the barrier on staff car parks, I've often not found a space in visitors car parks at times, so been forced to use an empty "staff only" bay.
And even barriers don't work if you can drive around them, which you can on a fair few. I've always paid and displayed though, so they've lost nothing.

throckenholt · 07/02/2013 11:31

topical - this came up in Martin's Money tips email today.

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