Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Parking ticket

24 replies

CalIie · 19/01/2022 14:36

Hello,

I used a courtesy car in July last year whilst my car was in the garage for 3 days.

I was told when I picked it up that it had trade plates so wouldn’t need a parking permit to park on my street. I was a bit dubious as it didn’t look like a trade plate, so wrote down my parking permit number with an explainer to the traffic warden that this was a short term courtesy car just to be sure.

Didn’t think anything of it until today when I received an email from the courtesy car company explaining I received a ticket for parking outside my house. As I was told nothing about it had risen from £35 to £105.

They said they have paid it and want me to pay them back plus £30 administration fee.

AIBU to be annoyed with them? And should I just go ahead and pay it now or fight it?

If they had told me right away I would have paid the £35, but due to their screw up I now need to pay £100 more.

I might also have been able to appeal to the council to get it overturned. Of course none of this would have happened if they hadn’t told me it had trade plates to begin with. I would have just bought a parking ticket for a few quid…

OP posts:
ED94 · 19/01/2022 14:44

YANBU. Their fault they messed it up. Tell them you'll pay the initial £35 but not the rest.

MarineBlue33 · 19/01/2022 14:47

They have paid because it is registered to them. Tell them in no uncertain terms the advice they gave you and who it was who gave it to you. Tell them you will sue them for harassment if they continue to contact you.

asnippersdream · 19/01/2022 14:48

Definitely don't pay the extra, its not your fault they didn't let you know. I'd be tempted not to pay it at all due to the misinformation they gave you, but not sure where you stand legally on that

MarineBlue33 · 19/01/2022 14:50

Don't pay the £35

asnippersdream · 19/01/2022 14:50

Hang on, Ive just seen this is from July. Don't pay it at all. That's a ridiculous amount of time that they've known about this and not told you.

Original poster
CalIie · 19/01/2022 15:07

Thanks for your advice everyone.

I’m not sure where I stand legally here if I refuse to pay it? I’ve looked up reviews of the company online and there is a review from someone in a similar situation saying the company bullied them and threatened to take them to court after they refused to pay their ticket.

OP posts:
eldora · 19/01/2022 15:45

Is there anything in writing about the trade plates being exempt from requiring a permit?

Suzanne999 · 19/01/2022 15:52

@MarineBlue33

They have paid because it is registered to them. Tell them in no uncertain terms the advice they gave you and who it was who gave it to you. Tell them you will sue them for harassment if they continue to contact you.
^ This. My guess is someone is catching up with the books and they’re just chancing their arm that you’ll pay. I’d tell them where to go,
bcc89 · 19/01/2022 16:07

They told you you wouldn't need a permit, now they're telling you to pay a fine? That's not scammy at all, is it? Grin

MsAgnesDiPesto · 19/01/2022 16:14

Have they actually sent you a copy of the penalty notice? They could be scamming you and there was no ticket if they haven’t.

Chely · 19/01/2022 16:15

Did you sign for the courtesy car? Was there small print?
Often states in their paperwork that you will be charged admin on top of any parking or speeding fines issued to them. Best to check anything you signed as they may well take you to small claims costing you much more.

Lochroy · 19/01/2022 16:17

Going against the grain but I think the onus to check if a permit or ticket was required was on you to check with the council/parking enforcement authority.

HOWEVER that delay is ridiculous and you should have been able to argue your case with the council so on that basis I'd tell them to jog on and worst case, pay the £35 only.

EvilPea · 19/01/2022 16:18

They could have their trade plates removed from them for lending them to you.
There are strict rules and regulations surrounding their use, lending a car to a customer and not bothering to tax it is not one of them.

You could have been in the shit if you’d had an accident as it would have been a nightmare to unpick with insurance etc.

Depending if your want to use them again would depend on how I responded

EvilPea · 19/01/2022 16:19

@eldora

Is there anything in writing about the trade plates being exempt from requiring a permit?
Trade plates are for moving a car from a-b not for parking on the road.
Original poster
CalIie · 19/01/2022 16:28

Yeah, maybe it was my fault for not properly following up re the trade plates. I can’t find the paperwork but have been working for most of the day (albeit WFH). Will have a good look tonight.

I have seen the penalty notice, but only the one saying it was going up to £105. It was sent out on 17th December 2021. I’ve not seen the original notice.

Just a bit peeved they didn’t tell me to begin with. I could have probably sorted it out with the council.

On another note - I’ve tried calling the council but turns out no one has been back in the office since March 2020 which seems crazy to me! Have to email instead.

It’s complicated by the fact I no longer have the car they repaired and that it was in fact a lease car from a work for a company I no longer work at 😣

Life is never simple 😅

OP posts:
eldora · 19/01/2022 16:29

They want you to pay for their mistake.

girlmom21 · 19/01/2022 16:31

Courtesy cars don't have trade plates. They just have different insurance.

Could you speak to the parking management company and explain the situation?

MsAgnesDiPesto · 19/01/2022 16:46

Yes, as others have said I don’t think they were trade plates - you’d have noticed if they were white with red letters and surround, wouldn’t you? And they are only legal for delivery.

I think the whole thing is bollocks unless they’ve sent you the actual penalty notice.

quitefranklyabsurd · 19/01/2022 16:51

Hang on - a council parking ticket for parking without a permit would have been in a yellow envelope stuck to your car. I would ask for all the proof before you pay anything.

anniegun · 19/01/2022 16:56

As they have paid the parking fine it is now a dispute between you and courtesy car company. They will have to take you to court to recover their costs (parking fine). You could argue they told you the car was covered by "trade plates" but if they deny that the judge might well take the view that it was entirely your fault. I would argue that it was reasonable to re-imburse the original fine £35 but not the higher penalty or "admin" costs. In fact I would send them a cheque for that amount. Did you not get a parking ticket on the car?

Original poster
CalIie · 19/01/2022 16:59

@quitefranklyabsurd Hmm that is both interesting and confusing.

They have attached a letter they received from the Council titled “CHARGE CERTIFICATE” and another called “NOTICE TO OWNER”. They look very legitimate to me but now I’m really confused.

I think I’m going to have to give them a call but I want to plan out what I’m going to say first.

OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 19/01/2022 16:59

@quitefranklyabsurd

Hang on - a council parking ticket for parking without a permit would have been in a yellow envelope stuck to your car. I would ask for all the proof before you pay anything.
This. Tell them to jog on and take you to court. They won’t.
Original poster
CalIie · 19/01/2022 17:04

@anniegun No ticket left on the car Confused

My family are saying I should contact the council asking for proof they left the ticket on the car. Ugh all of this is so much hassle 😑

OP posts:
VanCleefArpels · 19/01/2022 17:10

I’d keep everything in writing from now on. Your issue is only with the courtesy car people not the council. However as others have said you will have seen a parking ticket on the windscreen. Are you sure it wasn’t eg a driving in a bus Lane ticket which is issued after a camera catches you?

One option is to write and set out the situation as you gave here:

  1. You told he I don’t need a permit (date, time, identity of person ). I relied on this and as a result should not be held liable for the repercussions of your inaccurate statement.
  2. Notwithstanding (1) you did not inform me in a timely manner of the charge. As a result I am not liable for any increase in the charge as a result of your delay.

If they bring small claims action against you the above will be your defence to the claim

New posts on this thread. Refresh page