to think that DVLA should not sell driver details to companies who make money out of imposing unlawful parking 'fines'?

[Dolcelatte]

I am currently in a dispute with Parking Eye, who are seeking to impose a significant 'fine' for parking inside one of their car parks (in fact, it doesn't belong to them, but they rent it. The car park is at Aldi (the second and last time I will be shopping there, however good the bargains). They had recently changed the time allowed from two hours to one hour, since the last time I visited, and the notice was very small and in a place where it wasn't easily visible on entering the car park.

Parking Eye are very aggressive in their communications and try to suggest it is a parking 'fine', when my understanding is that only the police or local authorities can issue penal notices. They try to argue that there is some sort of a contract, which seems to me to be tenuous. In any event, how can they justify a cost of £80 to park for 15 minutes (given that the first hour was apparently free). The going rate is 80p for an hour.

I know that Parking Eye are not the only company to behave in what I regard as a disgraceful and disreputable manner. I am surprised that Aldi want to be associated with them, as apparently it is causing them to lose many customers, who have been 'caught out' in the same way. It is the same sort of behaviour that Wonga have recently been penalised for.

Of more concern, however, is that the DVLA are selling personal information about drivers to companies who have no legal status to issue fines. Surely they must know that the information is being used improperly. How long will it be before the NHS start selling our personal and private medical information for financial gain?

A woman recently won a case against a parking company who couldn't prove that her car occupying a space cost them the amount they wanted her to pay, especially given that the parking was free. I think the thread was in Legal Matters.

As for the NHS selling your details, well, Jeremy Cunt has already said that is going ahead. Nothing we, the public, have is safe from those bastards.

A bit late to this, but if they have made any mention of it being a fine then you're probably in the clear. As you say they do not have the power to impose fines. So all you need to do is ask for your POPLA code (if they haven't already advised you of your right to appeal then that's something else they've done wrong). If you want any help go the the pepipoo forums - there's lots of info there.

The DVLA aren't really selling your information - they are advising interested parties who the registered keeper is, and it is all above board I'm afraid. They only get £2.50 per enquiry which probably only covers overheads.

I am no fan of these parking companies, but in general what they are doing is not unlawful. When claims have ended up in small claims court (which is pretty rare but does happen now and again if people don't pay), the judge often sides with the company. It is a civil matter however, due to breach of contract, rather than being because of any 'law' which you have broken.

Tell them to sue if they think you owe them money. They probably won't. Not worth their while.

As for DVLA the practice is beyond outrageous. Only insurance companies should be allowed access.

It was part of the settlement when they outlawed clamping. Owners have the right to say how their land should be used. But if they didn't let the parking companies find out who the car belongs to they would be completely toothless. Much as I detest the parking companies, I imagine it would be chaos if land owners had no way of controlling how people parked on their property.