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Original poster

Are parking tickets from supermarkets enforcable ?

32 replies

mamatomany · 30/10/2010 22:55

The reason I ask is that DD's friend had undone her seat belt or not done it up properly as we were pulling out of the supermarket car park.
Now I was scarred having somebody else's unrestrained child in the car and so quickly pulled into the first space I could to turn around and buckle her up.
Well you guessed it, it was a disabled space.
We've received a parking ticket for £170 and a CCTV photo of me in the space.
I said to DH to ignore it because I don't believe the debt is enforceable and if they take me to court it'll get laughed out. DH is getting nervous because they now want £250 or else they are threatening court.
The original fine was £35 which they claim to have put on the windscreen but they simply couldn't have because the engine didn't even stop I was that quick.
What do you think ?

OP posts:
Maisiethemorningsidecat · 30/10/2010 22:58

What, they fined you for pulling into a disabled space to do up a child's seatbelt, and then driving away immediately afterwards? Confused

Original poster
mamatomany · 30/10/2010 22:59

Yes, that's the size of it.
No ticket inspector at the time they've just seen it on CCTV.

OP posts:
Maisiethemorningsidecat · 30/10/2010 23:00

But the CCTV should show you turning around or getting out of the car, thenmoving away again immediately surely?

UltimateNachos · 30/10/2010 23:02

Whereabouts are you? If in Scotland, not enforceable.

LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:02

Do their letters notify you what the appeal process is? What notices are posted in the car park to say what the regulations are in that car park?

Your defence could it be that you were NOT "parked" in the space. It was an emergency stop to deal with a mis-behaving child. Let them take you to court.

Have you kept your till receipt for that visit to the supermarket.

LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:03

How did they get your address?

HerBeatitude · 30/10/2010 23:03

Have you actually put in writing waht happened?

Have the council ignored your letters?

UltimateNachos · 30/10/2010 23:03

The DVLA sells your address on to these agencies..nice of them Hmm

LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:03

What name is used on their requests for payment.

HerBeatitude · 30/10/2010 23:04

LC - DVLA

MsHighwater · 30/10/2010 23:04

I don't think you should ignore it. Get some advice about the status of the "fine" and challenge it.

Original poster
mamatomany · 30/10/2010 23:04

I'm in the north of England.
I don't believe it'll get to court and if it does the fine is not reasonable.
I haven't appealed because i thought they were talking shite but hubby is thinking of writing back to them due to the fact that they want so much money.

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:05

Who owns the Car Park? When you were parked there first did you have a proper ticket for that parking space.

Original poster
mamatomany · 30/10/2010 23:07

It's not the council I know you have to pay their fines or be forced to hand over your first born. It's a private company in Tesco's.
DH has been charged £75 for staying over three hours when he was actually doing three hours of shopping before now. He paid it but i'm sure i've read it's not enforceable.
It's DH's car and so his name but it's clearly a woman driving.

OP posts:
Original poster
mamatomany · 30/10/2010 23:08

Nope no ticket issued, we weren't in the space more than a minute.

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:08

What is the name of the organisation to whom the "fine" should be paid to.

Is the fine addressed to your husband?

Original poster
mamatomany · 30/10/2010 23:09

Yes addressed to DH and it's with a debt collection agency, no mention of the company who own the car park.

OP posts:
LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:12

If they take him to court, he can say that the parking fine is incorrectly delivered.

He can say that their process is flawed.

They may not take it to court because it will cost them too much money.

Can you stage a picket of the car park to highlight their bad practice. Prevent people using the car park and get Granada to come and film your protest.

Funkychunkymunky · 30/10/2010 23:12

Ignore it and don't write to them. They'll leave you alone soon. Keep their letters though and if they do take you to court ask them to prove they put a fine on your windscreen. Should be on their CCTV surely? How do they know you didn't have a blue badge if they didn't come over to car?

ghoulishglendawhingesagain · 30/10/2010 23:12

Some good info here

Sounds like unenforceable bollocks to me[hgrin]

LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:15

Complain to the DVLA about the bullying tactics of the company and request DVLA to stop disclosing data to them on the grounds that they are not following the rules of DVLA correctly.

eaglewings · 30/10/2010 23:19

If they posted a ticket on your car they then have to take a photo of the ticket on your car to prove that they did. They also need a photo of your carwindscreen close enough to show no blue badge. Ask for them to show you both!

The blue badge is not issued to a car but a person who can use any car, so it must be a close up photo and not just the reg of your car

Good Luck

AuntAda · 30/10/2010 23:22

The motoring columnist from the Torygraph recommends sending them a cheque for a tenner along with a letter making clear that this amount is 'in full and final settlement of this matter' or some such phrasing.

Apparently as long as you do that, they can't reasonably claim that the rest of the debt is really owed.

LucindaCarlisle · 30/10/2010 23:22

Do not write to them. Do not communicate with them by phone either.

Casmama · 30/10/2010 23:23

I would ignore it. They probably find that by sending letters demanding ever increasing amounts of money people pay up. I really can't imagine that they would go to the expense of taking you to court.