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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should my parents pay this supermarket car park fine?

211 replies

Afternooninthepark · 05/12/2019 19:44

My parents always shop in our local Lidl supermarket.
My dad has just received a car park fine stating they were 15 minutes over the allotted 90 minutes. TBH, they were totally unaware it was 90 minutes and assumed it was 3 hours like many of our local supermarkets.
My dad says he will pay the fine as he doesn’t want any hassle but I don’t think he should because of several things :-
A) They spend over £80 in that supermarket (and have the receipt) and regularly shop in that store.
B) They are both in their late 70’s and quite slow (mainly because of mum, see below)
C) Mum has Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and a disability parking permit

Dad is panicking and says he wants to pay it but I think that would be wrong as they spent money in the store and didn’t wander off and leave their car in the car park to do other things, why should they have to pay a fine after genuinely spending money in the store?
AIBU thinking they should challenge this?

OP posts:
Bumfuzzled · 05/12/2019 20:26

My mum got a car park fine for Lidl. She contested it by showing her receipt and they cancelled the fine. It really upset her though and she stopped shopping there. 90 mins isn’t long enough for her - she is fairly old, quite slow at shopping and very very chatty!

sarahjconnor · 05/12/2019 20:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pumpkinpie1 · 05/12/2019 20:27

90 minutes isn’t long if you’re with someone with a disability. We struggle particularly if there’s a cafe and they are tired

Daisydoola · 05/12/2019 20:28

Have they got a blue badge? Should be exempt if so surely?

Lidl · 05/12/2019 20:32

why you calling me out g

Molly2016 · 05/12/2019 20:32

Appeal!
My sil parked in Tesco for a week while her drive was being re-done, not realising it had a 3 hour limit. She got the first ticket, went into Tesco, explained that she lived nearby and why she parked there. Believe it or not, Tesco cancelled the lot. She wasn’t even shopping there.

ColdRainAgain · 05/12/2019 20:34

If you think it is just going to be a one off, it sounds like it might be less hassle to just pay. However, it sounds like this is somewhere they regularly shop, and may well end up needing more than 90 minutes quite often. I'd establish the blue badge situation regarding parking time. It would be really sad if the parking restrictions meant they had to shop elsewhere with a longer parking time.

MirkwoodMiss · 05/12/2019 20:34

It's always worth appealing it. I did the same but mine was not upheld. Believing I was still in the right, I did the thing where I refused to pay the 'fine' as it was just a penalty notice and I thought it would 'go away'. It didn't it finally went to court where I had to pay 3x the initial penalty plus costs. If they uphold your appeal, great- if not, pay the penalty (IMHO)

rhubarbcrumbles · 05/12/2019 20:35

Neither age, disability, ignorance of parking restrictions, or the amount you spend in the shop entitle you to park for more than 90 minutes.

Then the system should change. Also, @Illeana, you should develop some compassion.

Quartz2208 · 05/12/2019 20:39

yes of course they should they were not using it for any purpose other than shopping. It is not their fault they took so long. Showing proof of purchase and disability hopefully will work

cricketmum84 · 05/12/2019 20:39

No no no do not let him pay it! That bloody Athena parking company that lidl use are ansolutenrobbers.

We had the exact same fine a few weeks ago from our local lidl.

Firstly this not a fine. Not in the strict sense of the word. It's an invoice for their charge.

We emailed them with proof of receipt and stated we shopped there every week and regularly spent between £80-£100. The "fine" was wiped within 2 days.

The email address is on the back of their invoice. Message me if you want me to send the wording I used to get it wiped.

countdowntochristmas · 05/12/2019 20:40

When you appeal the cost won't go up so if they are unsuccessful then it will still be the reduced cost so do it ASAP as usually reduced cost is 14 days .
I've known appeal to be successful on those grounds so worth a try and I know as I work for a huge company that racks up many PCN's some appealed successfully some not and they are paid .

ForalltheSaints · 05/12/2019 20:41

I think it should be challenged, perhaps on the grounds of never having received a penalty notice before, and say of course they will remember it is only 90 minutes in future. Worth a try.

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 05/12/2019 20:41

I think I will start by contacting Lidl’s customer service in the morning and see what they may suggest.
And thank you to those who understand what it means to go shopping with disabilities, dementia or just being elderly, it just isn’t something you can do in a hurry. I do everything in my life at break neck speed but just can not do that when I’m with my mum, tbh and hour and a half in a shop isn’t an unusual situation for us.

OP posts:
HavelockVetinari · 05/12/2019 20:41

Contact the store, explain that due to disability they take a long time to shop, show the receipt. They won't have to pay, I guarantee it.

INeedNewShoes · 05/12/2019 20:42

Our local Waitrose has reduced the max parking time to 1.5 hours even though it's a big store with a cafe that serves lunches. I can easily imagine that 1.5 would be pushing it for some of their customers who could wait easily spend an hour doing the shopping and then want lunch.

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 05/12/2019 20:42

cricket yes, it’s Athena parking, I was trying to remember the name, thanks.

OP posts:
Mammajay · 05/12/2019 20:43

I just googled " can I use my blue badge in lidl car park?" Lots of articles and info. Take a look Might be easiest for you to contact their head office. Good luck and it is nice that you are looking out for your parents.

Catsandchardonnay · 05/12/2019 20:43

Definitely worth a challenge. My mum has similar issues, often gets parking tickets and we’ve managed to get off all but one (we drove into a pedestrian zone and parked there, oops!) I reckon your DM and DF would have good grounds under the Equalities Act. If not, go to the papers!

And to those on this thread with no compassion: I hope karma bites you on the bum when you’re old.

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 05/12/2019 20:45

cricketmum84 thnaks that would be great, I’ve been on Mumsnet for years but never messaged anyone, how do I do that?

OP posts:
icantbecani · 05/12/2019 20:46

If your parents have a blue badge I suspect they will be successful on appeal. My dad had something similar at Aldi and was told that the time limits didn't apply to blue badge holders.

Becca19962014 · 05/12/2019 20:47

It depends on the sign where they parked.

Some are being reduced down to stop people parking and going shopping elsewhere, where I am there's no extra time for blue badge holders and they clearly state not to ask in shops about fines. The fine I half if paid within two weeks, if it isn't then it isn't halved and if ignored increases rapidly.

So check the signage for appeal information.

Incidentally car parks in my area and even council now severely restrict blue badge spaces, some are 60 or even 30 minutes and people park there expecting 3 hours and get fined.

Unfortunately I know here those circumstances wouldn't win an appeal; BUT it's not the same everywhere so check the sign!

Dementedmagpie · 05/12/2019 20:48

I think a lot of places have time limits so you don't for example use the carpark as station parking, and leave your car all day, or use the supermarket carpark as free parking and then go to lots of other shops although I have done this before in a town to avoid the complicated one way system, albeit within the time limit guidelines of the supermarket parking

Becca19962014 · 05/12/2019 20:49

AthenaANPR are registered as a call centre with companies house, NOT parking firm like others are.

Bluerussian · 05/12/2019 20:50

It won't hurt to challenge the fine, giving all the details, but I don't know whether it will work. Worth a try.