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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:
SewingWarriorQueen76 · 06/12/2019 08:02

Please look on the Martin Lewis website. These are not a fine per se.

BlaueLagune · 06/12/2019 08:04

To be honest I would just send them a letter stating the grounds on which you won't pay it and that you will vigorously defend any action in court. They're likely to back off, they did with me in similar circumstances (although that was before the Supreme Court decision in the Parking Eye case, but even so).

GiveHerHellFromUs · 06/12/2019 08:07

To be honest as long as you can prove they were in the shop it's likely they'll waive the fine given the exceptional circumstances

Notwiththeseknees · 06/12/2019 08:22

Good luck in the store OP. I'm sure it will be cancelled straight away without fuss. The parking limit isn't there to penalise the customers - it's to stop the CFs who would park there for days.

diddl · 06/12/2019 08:28

I hope that you get it cancelled, Op.

I realise that these shops want people in & out as quickly as possible, but some common sense/compassion is needed.

I'm surprised that a blue badge holder was ticketed at all tbh.

FairfaxAikman · 06/12/2019 08:47

There's some good advice here OP but one thing I haven't seen asked is if you are in Scotland or elsewhere as there's a bit of a loophole in Scotland right now (though that's to close very soon).
Basically it's not a fine, it's a charge as a result of a contract. The contract is between the driver and the car park company.
However in Scotland they cannot pursue the registered keeper if they cannot identify the driver. Do not contact the firm as this is seen as admission you were driving.

If the land is owned by the supermarket then it is the agent of the parking company and usually (depending on the contract between them) can order the cancellation of a ticket. I'd contact the supermarket head office rather than the manager in this instance.

Caveat: I'm not a lawyer but we had a lot of bother with the private parking firm running the car park at my old flat so I made sure I knew where I stood.

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 06/12/2019 12:53

FairfaxAikman we are in the south of England.
I have sent off the email, so fingers crossed!

OP posts:
sheila47 · 06/12/2019 13:28

Never panic: keep your nerve. See below copy of a letter I sent to a car park operator when I took an elderly disabled friend to shop at LIDL before Christmas 2 years ago; we overstayed 6 minutes. Nothing further happened. (Bit long but pick out bits that are true for your Dad.)

Dear Sirs
Ref. ??? (from the top of your dad’s fine notice)
On XXXX I drove from X Care Home with two elderly disabled people (aged 97 and 89) in my car to LIDL. Mrs X has a Blue Badge parking permit so I parked in one of the Disabled Only spots.
I first went to collect a trolley, put a token in and brought it back to the car. I got Mrs X’s wheelchair out of the back of the car, unfolded and assembled it; put back into its storage box her tissues, medicines, purse etc. I brought the wheelchair to the front passenger door, got her out of her seatbelt and seat and helped her into the chair; then I helped Mr X out of the back seat and got him ready to lean on the trolley. Lastly, I put the blue badge visible in the car windscreen showing 10.25 the time we were ready, and locked the car.
We all went into the shop where I pushed the wheelchair. As Mrs X is blind we went down each aisle with me calling out many items on display and the prices. When we reached the till (one only was manned) we waited about six minutes before being attended to. I pushed Mrs X to near the windows to get her out of the way of the queues; Mr X stayed with her as I put the items on the belt and put them back into the trolley and paid for the 2 separate sets of purchases. I then pushed Mrs X out to the car, while Mr X pushed the trolley next to us. When I had got Mrs X into the car seat and belted her in, I got Mr X into the back seat. I then emptied the wheelchair of its contents into a bag, folded it and put it into the boot of the car. I then put the shopping out of the trolley into the boot and returned the trolley to the store, got my token back and returned to the car. We then queued behind three cars which were blocking our exit for 4 minutes before being able to drive out onto the road.
I have not used this car park before as I have previously parked in the street using the blue badge which allow 2-3 hours for disabled parking. I did not notice the time restrictions on your car park, to be honest I did not even look as I was preoccupied with finding where the disabled spots were.
Your letter came as a complete shock. I often use the car park in under one hour when alone, but not with the passengers I had on that rainy day. Arrangements to keep them safe and mobile take far more time than for the rest of us. Also, the point of an outing for them is to go somewhere they normally cannot to have the experience of shopping freely, which we take for granted.
Please reconsider your charge, as you can tell this was not a case of careless taking advantage.

Thegreymethod · 06/12/2019 13:36

Sorry haven't had time to read the full thread so someone may have already suggested it but contact the shop directly we had something similar and they said bring it in and we'll sort it

sophiasnail · 06/12/2019 13:50

I think you are BU because you are causing extra stress to your father who clearly wants to pay the fine and put it behind him. That's his choice..... the money is obviously less important to him than the stress.

Whattodoabout · 06/12/2019 14:16

Appeal, I think he would win due to having a blue badge.

lisag1969 · 06/12/2019 14:22

Appeal the disability alone should help.

slinkysaluki · 06/12/2019 16:34

This happened to me at Aldi, i was actually in the store. I sent a copy if my till receipt from that day as proof and i wasnt charged

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 10/12/2019 22:04

Quick update if anyone is interested?
I’ve just heard back from Aldi and they say that, unfortunately as a company Aldi are unable to help as that particular parking company (Athena) will only accept appeals directly from the driver of the car. I suppose my dad has three options:- ignore the ‘fines’ and hope for the best, appeal directly to the company and hope someone there has a heart or pay the fine (just seems so unfair that he should have to do this).

OP posts:
cricketmum84 · 10/12/2019 22:07

@Afternooninthepark yes we got the same responses

Use my email, amend to your own details and send to Athena on the email address I posted with a picture of the recipes. I guarantee it will be revoked.

Original poster
Afternooninthepark · 10/12/2019 22:15

Thanks cricketmum84 I will try that tomorrow.

OP posts:
Itssosunnyout · 11/12/2019 08:49

I dont think its very fair to have the fine cancelled.
There are plenty of signs about. Everyone else has to adhere to them and it doesn't matter if youve spent 1000 there or 1.60. There are rules there for a reason.. 15 minutes over their time of 90 mins is a very long time to spend at lidl even if you are old and frail.

Rules are there for a reason and unless there was a medical emergency there is no reason for it to be cancelled.

slinkysaluki · 11/12/2019 09:08

The rules are there to stop people who arent shopping in the store parking there. Lots of people use the car park and go elsewhere.

Bit much getting fined if you are in the store spending your money on their goods.

Like i said, i sent in my receipt to prove i was actually in the store and the fine was revoked

SuperMeerkat · 11/12/2019 09:12

I’d be fuming but these companies are like Nazis and don’t let things go easily. Hope it works out.

Chocmallows · 11/12/2019 09:12

Good luck with the appeal OP.

cricketmum84 · 11/12/2019 09:13

@Itssosunnyout you left your heart behind today or something?? Or do you work for one of these companies....

The fines are there to stop people using the car parks and not shopping there. Not for the genuine shoppers who (shock, horror!) might sometimes take more than 90 minutes to do a full shop.

JFC!

Roselilly36 · 11/12/2019 09:20

Go to appeal, don’t ignore it as it will worry your Dad. Good luck OP. Well worth sending an email to challenge.

LASH38 · 11/12/2019 09:22

I used Martin Lewis some time ago to overturn such a fine.

Firstly Do not ignore the letters.

If I remember correctly I refused to confirm exactly who was driving then, then took the appeal to POPLA who over turned it.

These companies are predators, however you will need to keep on it otherwise it can get nasty.

Itssosunnyout · 11/12/2019 09:25

@cricketmum84

I do have a heart and dont work for those companies.

I take my mum and gran shopping. My mum is disabled and my gran has dementia, COPD and can't speak english who is also disabled. For those reasons I make sure I check what parking signs say and prepare as much as possible before I go with a list whilst doing what you need to do explaining what new items are there and what they do.

If your mum and dad are happy to pay the fine and it will cause them any unnecessary stress isnt that the best outcome..

IncognitoIsMyFavouriteWord · 11/12/2019 09:42

If there are signs in the car park stating 90 minutes then they should pay it.

These car parks are outsourced to other companies and challenged the price will just go up.

If the CCTV shows they were not over then obviously fight it but the just because they are a good spender and are elderly, is not a winner in an appeal.