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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to consider not paying this parking charge notice?

55 replies

FreyaFridays · 25/01/2014 18:40

I'm sure I've seen a similar thread on mumsnet before, I've read some stuff on some consumer action websites, but I just wanted to get a general consensus from some 'telligent folk before I do anything about this.

Yesterday, I overstayed my welcome in a supermarket car park by 20mins (this part is unreasonable of me, I know, I took too long), and when I arrived back at my car, I had a parking charge notice from a private parking firm.

I've read before that this is just an invoice, and that they legally have no right to charge me anything. Does anyone know if this is true? Would I BU to not pay?

OP posts:
mrgarybarlow · 25/01/2014 20:33

I've had one in asda before. Ignored and never heard anymore. I had a Parking Eye one. Ignored and got a few letters which I also ignored. I got a letter threatening court. Ignored that too and haven't heard anything since. that was over 18mths ago though. I haven't heard the law has changed.

Original poster
FreyaFridays · 25/01/2014 20:37

Thanks for the info about the change in law everyone, I wasn't aware of that at all. I'll read up on it before appealing.

OP posts:
EirikurNoromaour · 25/01/2014 20:44

The law changed in October 2012.

snice · 25/01/2014 20:46

i ended up with a court notice from Parking Eye -took over a year to get to that point but they don't just give up I'm afraid Sad

bangersmashandbeans · 25/01/2014 20:53

I recently got myself out of a parking eye ticket in a Morrisons car park because I said I did my shopping and needed to breast feed my baby but they had nowhere suitable so I had to walk elsewhere (this was true) Sent Morrisons and parking eye a bank statement showing regular shopping at Morrisons and I got the fine cancelled and an apology!

HappySeven · 25/01/2014 21:03

I got a letter from Parking Eye having parked in a car park in a hurry that had previously not had a limit and not seen the signs saying it had changed (it was dark).

A colleague also got caught as it was a leaving do. We both challenged it and were both turned down by Private Eye and referred to the the independent panel. If you go that far you agree to pay the full fine not the reduced rate if you lose and they have to pay £27 for the pleasure. They implied that if we had had a receipt to prove we had shopped in that shop at that time we would have been let off.

We both went for it and I lost while my colleague won. It seems the important bit was that he asked for a breakdown as to why it cost Parking Eye as much as they 'charged' (they're not allowed to fine) while I had merely argued that they could only charge for lost revenue and there was none as the shop was shut.

I'm still not convinced of their logic but thought it might help.

Shutupanddrive · 25/01/2014 21:23

Unless it is from the council or a court ignore it! I had one for parking outside Matalan (then walked across the road to next and left my car there) for £90! Was from a private company. Ignored it , never heard anything since - this was August 2013

Shutupanddrive · 25/01/2014 21:24

Don't even challenge it, just completely ignore. Have a look on watchdog website, they had good info on this x

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 25/01/2014 21:32

Wow. Lots of completely wrong advice. These charges are legally enforceable and they are taking people to court. Go to pepipoo, where they have people who can help you dispute the charge.

If you ignore it ypu right get away with it, but you wouldn't have any legal grounds for not paying.

whatsthatcomingoverthehill · 25/01/2014 21:32

Wow. Lots of completely wrong advice. These charges are legally enforceable and they are taking people to court. Go to pepipoo, where they have people who can help you dispute the charge.

If you ignore it ypu right get away with it, but you wouldn't have any legal grounds for not paying.

DoJo · 25/01/2014 21:48

Sparklyma - But it does matter in terms of the contract that the OP entered into by parking there. In order to ascertain how much a company can reasonably charge in 'fines', there has to be some kind of link between the inconvenience to them and the sum they ask for. In the OP's case, there was clearly no loss suffered as the car park was nearly empty and they were actually a customer of the shop that the car park serves.

VivaLeBeaver · 25/01/2014 21:57

If I was parking in town I wouldn't have had to move the car because I'd have paid for 3 hours parking. Grin

Its unreasonable of supermarkets to enforce a limit but provide so many facilities that you could easily overstay. And not to have any way of paying a sum of money if you want to stay longer.

RedchairBluechair · 25/01/2014 22:12

It's nothing to do with the supermarket chain, they will have contracted parking arrangements to a private company. The company make their money from chasing motorists.
Do nothing. The parking company will get the name of the registered keeper from DVLC and write to that person -presumably you. Ignore it -if you write back they will smell blood and chase you. But even that means starting proceedings in the county court, and that's too much trouble for them.

nennypops · 25/01/2014 22:19

Was it really a two hour limit? Or was it a car park where you get two hours free but can pay a charge in advance if you're likely to be more than two hours?

Original poster
FreyaFridays · 25/01/2014 22:25

It was definitely just a two hour limit car park, no opportunity to pay and display or anything.

OP posts:
Fairyloo · 25/01/2014 23:21

What where are you getting that fines are enforceable?

Everything I've read suggest they arnt

patienceisvirtuous · 25/01/2014 23:31

Please don't take the wrong advice to ignore... Do your reading and sort quickly.

EirikurNoromaour · 25/01/2014 23:34

Fairy is you look on the mse site you will find loads explaining it.

Ceasre · 26/01/2014 00:33

I listen to a consumer programme on BBC Three counties radio and someone had a similiar problem. She ignored it as advised by some of her friends, and the parking company did take her to court. Can't remember exactly but they are issuing some sort of job lot type court dates now so advice now is not to ignore.

I would appeal to super market in first instance explaining what happened as they employ the parking company and may ask them to cancel the fine. Please don't ignore it. You may be lucky but then what an expensive pita if you are not.

DameDeepRedBetty · 26/01/2014 00:43

Agree with advice to look at Money Saving Expert site for up to date advice. You should be able to avoid paying this charge - supermarket receipts will probably help on this occasion, but safest to do it by the book.

The only time I got caught out by Parking Eye, I had a receipt from Go Outdoors (the shop involved) for about £200. The shop manager made a representation on my behalf and the whole thing was dropped with a polite and (almost) apologetic letter from Parking Eye.

feelingvunerable · 26/01/2014 07:54

Do parking eye have to prove it was you driving though?

And what about it only being for loss of income ie they can only charge n amount equivelant to the parking charge.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/01/2014 08:00

Parking eye are currently the only company taking people to court I believe.

Tough I'm sure the others will follow.

You are now legally obliged to say who was driving. Not up to them to prove it.

sparklyma · 26/01/2014 08:24

I disagree DoJo. Follow the 'rules' and you don't get fined. Its that simple!

kungfupannda · 26/01/2014 08:33

The advice was always to ignore - and I know two people who did and it went nowhere.

There is now new advice, after the company have started occasionally taking people to court, presumably just to try to pressurise others into paying. It's quite complicated, but it involves invoking a particular procedure which actually costs the firm money.

Original poster
FreyaFridays · 26/01/2014 12:27

Thanks very much to everybody who's given such helpful advice on this thread. I'll make sure to take the time to read everything carefully before considering my options. You clever lot, you! Cheers!

OP posts:
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