To complain about supermarket parking fine of £70 for overstaying 2 hour period

[OhNoNotMyBaby]

I overstayed by 25 minutes. I get that. Hands up, I just forgot the time.

BUT, of that 2 hours 25 minutes I was parked, 1 hour and 10 minutes (approx) was spent in the store, spending in excess of £84.

I feel there should be an exemption for customers, or say, an extra hour - though I'm not sure how the store would manage that. They always used to have a tannoy system "Would the owner of car reg...."

I'm really fucked off at being presented with a £70 charge for the privilege of parking in their car park whilst I spend money in their shop (and have done for decades).

But I did overstay (because I did pop into town for an hour). AIBU?

Beavis v Parking Eye ruled that a supermarket could charge for an overstay in its car park as a deterrent to non-customers.

I completely sympathise, it is incredibly irritating. Unfortunately you chose to take the risk and overstay your welcome. May as well take another risk and completely ignore the correspondence!

Don't pay it. Sainsbury's can override the charge and they should.

Have a look on the Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert website they tell you exactly what to do.

I got a ticket in Lidl las year for overstaying by 10 mins. I paid an online company £20 to make it go away as I was going through lots of stress at the time.

Our Sainsburys has a notice at the customer service desk stating that they cannot help with parking fines.

I do expect that customer loyalty works both ways, ie I spend thousands each year = they should give me free parking.

You popped into town. You overstayed. You pay.

Echoing pp, this has happened to me too so sympathise. What I did was speak to the manager and showed my receipt and evidence that I was a regular customer.

Be reasonable and super polite, accept your responsibility that you're in the wrong but be clear that you're unhappy with the fine. And promise not to do it again. And mean it.

Good luck OP

As Alibobob says, check out MSE website. That site has so far helped me get 4 private parking notices cancelled.

Well I'll admit I do this. I park in tesco and go into town then pop in and get a few bits on my way home! I can't believe no other mumsnetter does this! What an outrage against using a car park!

I do make sure I'm inside the 3 hours though. Think you've been caught out really op. Hope you can get let off.

Well I'll admit I do this. I park in tesco and go into town then pop in and get a few bits on my way home! shock I can't believe no other mumsnetter does this! What an outrage against using a car park

Do people even read before commenting? Who said no-one ever did it or there was anything wrong with it? The problem is doing it, overstaying, and then complaining because you were inside one store when you weren't.

Of course YABU 🙄

The store can overturn this. Like somebody else said look on martin lewis site or legal beagles and they will tell you what to do if the store won't overturn it.

Of course I read it! This thread is full of people berating the op because that hot in town could have been used by another customer etc etc. Ffs

Hour not hot sorry!

Another YABU. You shouldn't complain about getting the fine because you did overstay (while window shopping elsewhere!).

Did the Sainsbury's have a cafe? You could argue that you were in the cafe.

Not that it matters.

You will probably have to sort it out with the parking company. Don't pay it. Ignore the letters or write and tell them you spent your time in the shop and copy the receipt in for proof.

They will drop it eventually. You just have to ride it out and ignore them.

Unless of course it's a council ticket then you should pay x

See what they say when they get your letter - they might let you off.

But you are being unreasonable: they have set times to stop commuter parking and people taking up spaces for hours so that you can't get in to do your shop. The other supermarket car parks will do exactly the same thing.

As others have said, they cab now enforce payment and some companies are very aggressive about it.

Tesco let me off one when I was a little over.

Do you think the shop should give you free stuff as well as free parking?
And the tannoy system wouldn't have worked in this case anyway!

In fact maybe they did use the tannoy

I think the advice now is not to ignore the notice but also don't pay it - appeal it. First with the parking company and if they reject your appeal, then appeal to POPLA.

For example, I challenged 2 tickets because the fine (£60) was much more than the parking company lost due to my parking without a valid ticket (£1.50ph). I offered to pay £3. POPLA found in my favour.

(Btw there were genuine reasons for why I parked there, I usually abide by all parking rules)

We appealed etc, declined and they took us to court. Looooooong story.

YABU however if it is a "parking charge notice" and not a "penalty charge notice" than its not enforceable.

Not so. It's enforceable whatever it's described as.

you dont even have to pay those, have a google.

I don't think you are unreasonable, OP.
I believe time restrictions are acceptable to deter commuters, football crowds etc - but a (regular) customer who multi-tasked during their shopping trip? I am not on the side of large companies over individuals. I suspect Sainsburys make enough money out of you.

But how are they meant to distinguish between the two types?

And anyway, surely wait for their response before assuming they wont help.