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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To not pay a parking fine?

22 replies

sourpatchkid · 03/10/2017 13:09

I'm on maternity leave in the NHS. Had a keep in touch Day and (honestly) forgot to put my parking permit out when I parked.

The ticketing people are a private company (not NHS) - I explained the situation and they still want their money. It's £55, i really don't have that to spare.

Do I HAVE to pay it? They've said they'll issue court proceedings if I don't but so many people are saying just ignore it.

I wouldn't mind if I didn't have the fucking permit - it was literally JUST out of sight. Twats.

OP posts:

19lottie82 · 03/10/2017 13:12

Visit money saving expert and they have good sections on how to deal with these "charges" (not fines!)

I'm assuming you're in England? If not and you're in scotland you can just ignore it but things are slightly different in England now.

Emily7708 · 03/10/2017 13:15

Post your issue on the pepipoo website and someone on there will help you construct a reply.

forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?act=idx

Original poster

sourpatchkid · 03/10/2017 15:47

Thank you

OP posts:

Redglitter · 03/10/2017 15:50

You can't ignore them in Scotland. A nurse in Dundee I think it was taken to court for tickets issued in the hospital car park. These companies do seem to be pursuing more now. I just wouldn't risk it

Hillarious · 03/10/2017 15:53

Don't call them twats. You've admitted the permit was out of sight. You wouldn't be happy if you weren't able to park because people not entitled to were parking in your car park.

Doglikeafox · 03/10/2017 15:56

Unfortunately now that you have admitted to them that you were in the wrong you would have no chance if they did proceed to court action- which they may well do now you have admitted fault.
I think unfortunately you need to pay it and chalk it up to experience.

Joolsy · 03/10/2017 15:58

Well I overstayed in a car park and got a fine from a private company and just ignored all the correspondence. After about 6 letters they gave up. But I never contacted them at all. I think it may be different are you've already contacted them so they have your name. I believe the fine is payable by the driver and you've already admitted you were the driver.

ChelleDawg2020 · 03/10/2017 16:00

Pay it and remember to put your permit on display next time. If you park without displaying a permit, you are not parked in accordance of the Ts and Cs of the carpark, therefore you must pay the fine.

HaudYerWheeshtBawbag · 03/10/2017 16:00

I’m not sure why your being Busive towards them tbh, your a car with a number plate and you parked without permit, irregardless if your personal circumstances, therefore you are not facing the consequences of your forgetfulness!

Try the money saving website, as no point asking us with the limited information you have provided, we don’t know if the land is owned by the council or if it’s private, if the company is legit!

Migraleve · 03/10/2017 16:02

On what grounds do you think you should not have to pay?

You parked without the required permit, therefore the fine is justified.

kali110 · 03/10/2017 16:24

You can't ignore them now, they can and will take you too court.
Go onto pepipoo, however im not sure how successful you will be in this case as it's your error.

NerrSnerr · 03/10/2017 16:27

You're supposed to display a permit and you didn't. I don't see why that makes them twats? If they didn't fine people without permits I assume you'd struggle to park at work as it'd be full of people parking for free.

Original poster

sourpatchkid · 03/10/2017 17:29

Meh, I still think it's twatty. It's a private company charging double what the local council charge for fines for a car park that's for the sole use of our team of 20 people. A team I work for. There was no ticketing company when I went off on maternity so I'm not used to it . There have been signs up for years saying you'd get a ticket but up until march (I went off in December) there hadn't been a ticketing company employed for the 10'years I've worked there.

Honestly, I think the charges are too high even if someone parked there just to go shopping (it's a very deprived town) and I think it's entirely reasonable to just have to prove you have a permit to have the fine cancelled. They're not protecting the spaces for staff, they're just trying to suck money out of people.

I would have minded less if they'd attempted to be human with me (my email was very polite - they haven't even replied using my name but rather my parking fine number Ie dear 134362) but they simply said - pay it or we will double it and then take you to court. That's twatty in my eyes

OP posts:

DrunkOnEther · 03/10/2017 19:40

I seem to think there's something about they can only fine you a 'reasonable amount' to cover any financial damages due to your parking without a permit. So, if a car park was full, and charges £5 an hour, & you were there for 2 hours, you lost them £10 + admin costs.
My mother got out of a parking fine a few months ago by using this.

chasingdaisy2 · 03/10/2017 19:50

I have never paid a parking ticket for the likes of these car parks or Asda etc.. if it's not the police or DVLA I don't think you have to. They will send a letter if they can be bothered and possibly threaten court action but legally I don't think they have a leg to stand on. I wouldn't but that's up to you. If it's somewhere you are going to be parking often (your work so I'm guessing yes) then maybe that's a different story as they'll always have your car details and now that you have contacted them, your personal details.

Timeywimey8 · 03/10/2017 20:09

*I seem to think there's something about they can only fine you a 'reasonable amount' to cover any financial damages due to your parking without a permit. So, if a car park was full, and charges £5 an hour, & you were there for 2 hours, you lost them £10 + admin costs.
My mother got out of a parking fine a few months ago by using this.
*

I used a similar argument but it was before the 2015 Supreme Court case.

Briefly, the law says that terms with consumer may not be unfair. But the term that is the main subject matter of the contract does not have to be fair, as long as it is obvious and the consumer knows about it. So if there is a sign in the car park saying "if you park here for more than 2 hours you pay £100" that is, sadly enforceable, even though it is ridiculously out of proportion to what someone would charge for say 30 mins parking.

Original poster

sourpatchkid · 03/10/2017 21:15

Thanks 😊 in their defence there is a sign saying they'll fine (didn't notice it until after) which is a shame because the parking is free staff parking and no one lost out by me being there (there are enough spaces for everyone who is supposed to park there)

OP posts:

Justdontknow4321 · 03/10/2017 21:34

You didn't show your permit, its your own fault, just pay the bloody fine now or wait til they take you to court and you have to pay double or triple!

kali110 · 03/10/2017 21:39

I have never paid a parking ticket for the likes of these car parks or Asda etc.. if it's not the police or DVLA I don't think you have to. They will send a letter if they can be bothered and possibly threaten court action but legally I don't think they have a leg to stand on.
Not true anymore, law changed in last few years.
Theyve taken people to court and won.
Never pay it straight off, always appeal it, but you can't ignore it now.

mrpotato · 03/10/2017 21:51

Wow some harsh replies here.

Take it to court definitely, if you only verbally admitted your mistake to the parking attendant then they have no record of your admittance so carry on as if it never happened.

Private car park Companies and councils are notoriously brutal in their pursuit of your money and reluctant to admit their own short comings so I have no sympathy for them as some of them they still operate and issue tickets without fully adhering to the law/rules and regulations of the road.

Skew the truth if you have to without lying - some adjudicators at court are partial and sometimes assist you in your case without actually meddling in the evidence e.g. They would say "so the council/company don't actually have a clear photo of the restrictions sign in their evidence pack" therefore they can't take their word on the ticket enforcement being legal and by default vote in your favour.

In either case pepipoo members are more understanding and will try and find you a way out if there is one - their common goal is to find a way to fight against people giving away their money regardless of who is at fault

WiseUpJanetWeiss · 03/10/2017 21:52

Contact the Trust Car Parking office and ask them to intervene. You have a permit, just failed to display it. The Trust hasn’t lost out. I’ve done this successfully. Perhaps ask your manager to do the same. I’ve also done this for a member of my staff.

If this doesn’t work check the websites linked above for advice. Again your defence is that the “fine” isn’t a genuine pre-estimate of loss. You have paid for your permit, you were parked in a space (presumably), and the Trust has not lost out.

Original poster

sourpatchkid · 04/10/2017 10:16

Thank you 😊

OP posts:

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