Ealing county council parking fine, unbelievable!!!

[Mumsworkneverdone]

I purchased a car at a car dealership in Chersey in March this year that needed some repairs to the clutch and tyres. The dealership did these repairs (which they were responsible for) at a garage in Ealing.

Whilst repairing my car the garage parked my car on a double yellow line and left it there for three days. Fast forward a month later and I receive three parking fines so sent an appeal including proof that the garage had the car during this period including their adress and contact details.

However I've just received three latters to day my appeal has been rejected and though they sympathize I am expected to pay £195.

What should I do? Am I unreasonable not to pay this? I do not have this money but I do not want to have any debts against my name. I am furious to say the least, any advice would be very helpful.

Inform the garage, id be demanding they pay. That's terrible

I've already informed the garage, they are ignoring.

This is between you and the dealership, not the council. Whoever's ignoring you, can you escalate it above them?

I'd take this one to tribunal.
The legal responsibility is with the driver of the vehicle, not the owner.

top and bottom of it your car was liable for these fines I don’t really see any grounds for appeal

threaten dealership with small claims and go in and see them

The contradictory posts of @rwalker and @ToBeOrNotToBee are why you need to speak to someone who knows their stuff rather than relying on randoms.

Maybe one is right, maybe neither but rather than using your time to work out which you'd be better to join a specialist forum or Facebook group

You have proof the vehicle wasn't in your care at the time. How can you be liable for it?

I'd be looking at whether small claims court or something could help

Thanks all I'm going to call citizens advice and the AA tomorrow as its an AA approved deslership. Re small claims generally do you have to pay first and claim back or do you just not pay?

Here's the Tribunal's page.
https://www.londontribunals.gov.uk/eat/understanding-enforcement-process/parking-penalty-charge-notice-enforcement-process

Thank you ToBeOrNotToBe this is very helpful. I shall update to let you know what happens.

If you signed a contract for the work with the garage, check that to see if there is any information about storage of car etc whilst in their care.
Find details of manager of the dealership or CEO of the company and contact them.
Public name and shame....
Small claims court....

You are responsible as the registered keeper.

You pay it then you claim it back from the garage

No, she isn't. The person who was responsible for the car at the time is liable.

Or would you happily pay up parking fines if your car was stolen and repeatedly parked illegally?

"No, she isn't. The person who was responsible for the car at the time is liable."

You might think that but something similar happened to my wife. The garage she left the car with Ran up 7 parking tickets and the first we knew was the reminders arriving. The council cancelled all but 1 but said she was responsible as the registered keeper.

Similarly if you get a speeding fine the forms get sent to the registered keeper, initially at least.

The council may say all sorts of things doesn’t mean it’s correct.

Go and post on here OP. They know what they are talking about….

https://www.ftla.uk/index.php

I would think that too. If you hire a car and get a speeding ticket etc, then you are responsible as the driver, not the hire company as the owner.

Ealing council are actually fairly reasonable on parking in my experience. I work there and due to the nature of my job I park all over the borough. I have appealed several tickets and all but one got cancelled as I could prove extenuating circumstances, failure of one of their parking apps, poor signage etc.
However, if parked on double yellows I guess there isn't a way to appeal against the fine itself, but room for a discussion around who should pay it

I’ve had a few run ins with this borough and parking fines. I’ve gone to the PATAS tribunal & won. I think they rely on most people not having the time or energy to do this.

Good luck!

Not the same situation, but I had three parking tickets on my car a couple of years ago. Totally my fault. I parked in the dark and the post with parking regulations on was under a tree but I should have made more of an effort to look. I left the car there three days.

Anyway, I paid for one ticket and appealed the other two. My argument was you can't fine someone three times for one parking contravention. I won the appeal.

So, if you get stuck, try that approach for now. It's normally £35 a ticket if you pay within, from memory, 7 days (but I may have made that up). Check the ticket and then raise it with the garage as a dispute.

Is there a section on the fine to say someone else was driving like on a speeding ticket?