Parking fine

[schoolgovernor]

Help! ParkingEye have sent me photos of my car arriving in a private car park at 9.40 am and leaving at 12.20 pm (less than 3 hours) and are demanding a fine of £85.

I have the ticket for the car park, I purchased it when my friend and I arrived at the car park at 11.19 am and it was valid until 15.19 pm (four hours). I know we couldn't have been there at 9.40 because she didn't arrive at my house until after 10 am and the car park in question is over half an hour's drive away. I know the ticket was correctly displayed because we actually looked at it through the windscreen when we got back and commented on the fact that we had brought more time than we needed.

So obviously the clock attached to their cameras was wrong.

They have attached a leaflet that implies that, due to changes in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, which came into effect from 1 October, they can pursue me for this charge. I say implies, because I think what it actually says is that they are able to obtain details of the ownership of the car, but it's carefully worded.

Bearing in mind how dodgy these companies are known to be, do you think I should take this up with them and try to argue the case? Or, am I correct in thinking that these charges aren't legally enforceable (and that nothing has changed from 1st October in that respect) and I'd probably be better off just ignoring it as they can't pursue it as a debt anyway?

Thank you in anticipation of your responses.

Ignore, ignore and ignore

Keep the parking ticket, just incase but Ignore, do not acknowledge the ticket at all

Wow! That was quick! Thanks very much. I was right in thinking it's a piece of paper I can ignore then!

The charges aren't legally enforcable. Trust me, I'm becoming my workplace expert on tickets.

The only rule change on 1st Oct was that the companies can now make you say who was driving, prior to that you could just say it wasn;t you and refuse to say who it was.

It does sound like their camera was wrong but I wouldn't get into arguing with them as they won't believe you.

Keep the letters but don't respond.

The letters will get worse, you may get phone calls. They will threaten all sorts, some letters will talk about baliffs, some will look like they've come from a solicitor. Ignore them all.

They can't send baliffs round, they can't ruin your credit rating without a CCJ. They can't get a CCJ without taking you to court.

In the very unlikely event they take you to court you would get a letter from the court telling you what date/time to attend. I would bet a lot of money it won't go this far.

If it does go that far then go to court and tell them about how its impossible you were there then. In the unlikely event the court found you guilty I believe all you could be made to pay is the amount of money that should have been paid for the time they say you were there without a ticket. So a couple of £.

Martin Lewis money saving forum has a sub forum dedicated to this.

I've had loads of tickets. Never responded, never paid, never been taken to court.

Thank you so much for your help. You have reassured me. Have a mince pie!