Parking Charge at Mcdonalds

[Pippa105]

I received a parking charge at Mcdonalds 10th October for staying from 21:32 - 11:15 (13 minutes over 90 minute limit). At this point it was £50 if I paid in the next couple of weeks. I wasn't aware of the limit which I know it's an excuse but it's never even crossed my mind. We like to go and get some late night food regularly and decompress/gossip after work.
I spoke to a member of staff on 31st October who agreed that because I had ordered food twice 90 minutes apart, sat in the restaurant the whole time and none of the surrounding businesses were even open, that it was absolutely no problem to get the charge lifted as it's just there to deter people abusing the car park. They took my details and my documents from me in order to sort it.
After that I received 2 more letters demanding payment, went into Mcdonalds and spoke to staff who said it would get sorted.
Now on 3rd January I receive a letter threatening court and my fine is now £170. Mcdonalds are saying it's not their fault and there's nothing they can do and to speak to Debt Recovery Plus but they're not budging and they're saying it's not their fault and I need to pay. I just can't afford it and I'm furious about it all.
Any thoughts/advice?
Thanks in advance!

The advice is always to pay first then argue the case and hope for a refund. I know possession is nine tenths etc, but you should not have relied on the McD staff regardless. They don't own or run the car park. Maybe pay the fine, contact McDonald's head office and explain the information you were given and see if they will refund, minus the initial £50?

Rules are rules unfortunately.
You should have taken it for granted than the MD staff would sort it out, they can request but don't have the authority, or at least you should have followed up with them before the payment deadline to check it was wiped.

Yeah I get that, I did chase it up 5 times in total, each time they said it would be sorted which is what it really winding me up

I was told by McDonald’s staff not to pay it under any circumstances as otherwise there’s nothing that can be done afterwards or changed or refunded

I just wrote them a letter saying I had no interest in paying their invoice, and to stop writing me letters. Surprisingly, I never heard from them again.
It costs more to take you to court than they can recover anyway.

Since the parking companies take over 500,000 cases to court annually and win, they clearly don't agree with you that it costs more than they can recover. They can, after all, claim court costs from you along with their charge for overstaying.

Whilst some parking companies are more likely to sue you than others, ignoring them has been risky since the Supreme Court decided ParkingEye Limited vs Beavis in 2015. In that case, Mr Beavis had stayed nearly 3 hours in a free car park which had a 2 hour limit. ParkingEye sent him a demand for £85 as per the notices displayed around the car park, with a reduction to £50 if he paid within 14 days. Beavis ignored the demand and subsequent communications. ParkingEye took legal action against him. Beavis fought it all the way to the Supreme Court and lost.

No, it is not. You have no chance of getting any money back that way.

OP, when McDonald's said they would sort it, did you get it in writing?

Hi im having the same issue how did this end up?