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AIBU?

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Original poster

Unreasonable parking fine

51 replies

Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:07

I am so cross. I have received a fine from the National Parking Control for £60.

I paid for 30 minutes on the Ringo app and they said I was on the car park for 30 minutes and 16 seconds. It just feels criminal that they can do this. I have appealed with photo evidence of the Ringo app payment and they have declined with no explanation. I have escalated the appeal.

AIBU to hold my nerve as I can't believe this fine will be upheld in court?

Has this happened to anyone else and did you appeal and succeed?

OP posts:
makemineadoublee · 27/04/2023 19:09

You didn’t pay for 16 seconds
there is no leeway just pay the fine

TheWorldsGoneMadAndSoHaveI · 27/04/2023 19:09

Hold your nerve. I do believe they are suppose to give you a number of minutes grace too
They wont take you to court for 16 seconds, they wont win

custardbear · 27/04/2023 19:11

I thought you had sone grace time too - 16 seconds is a joke !

arethereanyleftatall · 27/04/2023 19:11

But what's the cut off? 16 seconds over is fine, but 17 seconds is not? Why? If their cut off is 30 minutes, then you've gone over it.

Hotfootgoose · 27/04/2023 19:13

Hold your ground. They have actively stood by your car and timed you, ridiculous. It’s 16 seconds for gods sake.

Original poster
Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:16

I've just read the advice that all companies should give a 5-10 minute grace period. So 16 seconds is ridiculous.

There was a camera on the entrance which timed it. I only ever look at the minutes never the seconds. I feel like they are trying to rip me off.

OP posts:
Eyesofdisarray · 27/04/2023 19:18

These are not fines- only the police and traffic wardens issue fines
These are speculative invoices!
Look at Martin Lewis for info and Pepipoo websites- good advice there.
The parking companies do very well as people often pay up to get it ' out of the way'
16 seconds is ridiculous- good luck

Panteranoir · 27/04/2023 19:19

They are. Ignore the first poster, you can't get in, park, start up your app, get the location code in, choose the time you want to stay and set the app going in 16 seconds.

Ridiculous. I'd definitely escalate.

Eyesofdisarray · 27/04/2023 19:19

Yes many councils also give a 'grace period'

GoodChat · 27/04/2023 19:23

Panteranoir · 27/04/2023 19:19

They are. Ignore the first poster, you can't get in, park, start up your app, get the location code in, choose the time you want to stay and set the app going in 16 seconds.

Ridiculous. I'd definitely escalate.

But you can choose to get back to your car before the 30 minutes expires. Ringo text you and tell you when your ticket expires. If you arrive back at your car after that time, you've not adhered to their terms and conditions.

Eyesofdisarray · 27/04/2023 19:25

You can also appeal to POPLA- it costs the car parking company if you do this 🙂

tommika · 27/04/2023 19:42

Ignore statements that it ‘isn’t a fine but an invoice’

If the appropriate signage etc is in place on the policies then it is enforceable in court, and though it may not seem worth it for companies to go to court they do or they sell on the debt to those who do. The cumulate cases make the effort worth the enforcement

National Parking Control state that they pass debts to collection agency’s

https://www.nationalparkingcontrol.co.uk/about-us/car-park-legalities

POPLA are the ombudsman for BPA members, and National Parking Control are members

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/providers/parking-on-private-land-appeals-popla

https://www.britishparking.co.uk/bpa-members

The fine level is enforceable, your argument would be the time of 30:16
Is that 30:16 the time of entry and exit of the car park on camera, or could it be that entry and exit were even longer on the basis that you drove into the car park, parked, opened the app, paid, came back to your car and left.
If 30:16 is only from payment to exit then they will have ANPR for longer which strengthens their case for the fine as entry to exit will be longer

Parking on Private Land Appeals [POPLA] Complaints Ombudsman: See if We Can Help

Do you have a complaint with Parking on Private Land Appeals [POPLA] that you haven't been able to resolve? We're here to help you reach a fair outcome.

https://www.ombudsman-services.org/providers/parking-on-private-land-appeals-popla

connie26 · 27/04/2023 19:48

Surely, seconds can't be counted. If it was 31 minutes then yes.
I would ignore it as I don't think they would pursue it.

SecretsIWouldNeverTell · 27/04/2023 19:49

PAY IT. And then dispute it.

Quveas · 27/04/2023 19:51

TheWorldsGoneMadAndSoHaveI · 27/04/2023 19:09

Hold your nerve. I do believe they are suppose to give you a number of minutes grace too
They wont take you to court for 16 seconds, they wont win

Can you prove that?

Original poster
Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:51

@tommika

The entry was 1.51:44pm and the exit was 2.22pm so from entry to exit 30 minutes 16 seconds exactly

OP posts:
WeWereInParis · 27/04/2023 19:53

Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:51

@tommika

The entry was 1.51:44pm and the exit was 2.22pm so from entry to exit 30 minutes 16 seconds exactly

That does seem ridiculous because when I pay on the RingGo app, it gives me 30 mins from when I pay, and confirms the time my parking needs to end. So I'd always end up being in the car park a bit longer, taking into account the time between entering, and actually paying (time spent driving to a space and parking). Did you go past the time on the app?

whatdoidonowffs · 27/04/2023 19:59

Appeal to POPLA check the parking company’s t&c’s they should give a grace period

newaccountoldlurker · 27/04/2023 20:01

Surely you paid for 30 mins parking, not 30 mins being in the car park, if there wasnt a space and you drove round and left you wouldnt pay for 2 minutes of being there would you? So 30 minutes of parking should include a few minutes leeway for parking and leaving the car park?!

tommika · 27/04/2023 20:10

Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:51

@tommika

The entry was 1.51:44pm and the exit was 2.22pm so from entry to exit 30 minutes 16 seconds exactly

I’d agree with you then that it’s unfair, a computer has calculated over 39 minutes, and an appeal would be reasonable

……. it’s then a matter of whether the appeals process agrees

tommika · 27/04/2023 20:11

tommika · 27/04/2023 20:10

I’d agree with you then that it’s unfair, a computer has calculated over 39 minutes, and an appeal would be reasonable

……. it’s then a matter of whether the appeals process agrees

Show quote history

(Typo - should read ‘over 30 minutes’ not 39)

YouNeverSeeTheRealMe · 27/04/2023 20:11

TheWorldsGoneMadAndSoHaveI · 27/04/2023 19:09

Hold your nerve. I do believe they are suppose to give you a number of minutes grace too
They wont take you to court for 16 seconds, they wont win

this

TheSnowyOwl · 27/04/2023 20:16

Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 19:51

@tommika

The entry was 1.51:44pm and the exit was 2.22pm so from entry to exit 30 minutes 16 seconds exactly

That’s how long you were in the car park but not how long you were parked. You will have taken more than 16 seconds to get from the entrance to the space and out again to the exit. Presumably you pay for parking and you were parked in the space for under 30 mins; albeit in the car park for 16 seconds longer.

roses2 · 27/04/2023 20:20

SecretsIWouldNeverTell · 27/04/2023 19:49

PAY IT. And then dispute it.

This is BAD advice. You'll never get your money back if you pay and then dispute!

Original poster
Needingadvice2023 · 27/04/2023 20:28

I just feel they have you over a barrel and I will try to hold my nerve as I truly believe I am in the right and this is crazy. However, this is really stressing me as they will just escalate without a care if they are being unreasonable.

OP posts: