Parking Fine - I did not exceed the limit

[MissyPants]

Hi, just wondering if anybody is able to shed some light on why I have been issued a fine please.
In October (not the day the clocks went back) I went to KFC drive through, it was busy, however I was in and out of the drive through within 24 minutes. I didn't park up or anything.
A few weeks later I received a civil enforcement from a parking company saying I outstayed the 60 minute free parking, when I didn't?
The proof they sent me states my 24 minute duration - And the timing was between 23.55 - 00.19am - so is it because it crossed over into midnight?
I have appealed stating this as my reason however my appeal has been rejected based on the reason of outstaying the 60 minute time limit?
KFC have said they can't help with it and have said I have to go through the parking agent. I can now still pay the £60 which was the initial payment but I don't feel I should have to as I didn't do anything wrong?

Many thanks!

It clearly states you haven’t exceeded the time, surely they will accept your appeal and it is some sort of mistake. I would not pay.

Well everyone, looks like I'm taking it as far as I can go. Even their signage states 09.30 to 03.00am daily!
I'm going to appeal via POPLA with a time stamped bank transaction which I will call the bank for now, to use as my evidence, along with my original letter and this sign!
I will read everyone else's suggestions.
I AN NOT PAYING!!!

The fact you were in a queue in a drive thru to begin with should mean surely you were not parked anyway? Yes i would fight this to the death myself to be honest.

Fight the power OP! ✊

Worth the fight. I wonder if they think you were not a kfc customer but you can prove that!

Yes I sure can prove it, as I'm getting a bank transaction today.
But even if I was parked up it wasn't for over 60 minutes anyway.
I can't prove I was in the drive thru, but again I think that's irrelevant due to not exceeding 60 mins anyway.

You'd think so! But they rejected my appeal. I wonder if I will get any luck with POPLA as I now have more evidence! 🤣

I would write this in a review of that KFC, along with how they would not help you. Bet they suddenly remember that they can.

You can only try but they’re sneaky pigs aren’t they. It’s infuriating.

My DH had something similar. He had a parking fine come through from a private company stating he hadn’t paid for the parking. He had and appealed with proof of payment on a bank statement. They rejected it and demanded payment.

He is a lawyer so wasn’t having any of it and so he refused and said take me to court. They did issue court proceedings but then didn’t even turn up for the court date. My DH showed up with his payment evidence and the case was dismissed.

Dont pay. These parking companies are unscrupulous and rely on people just paying the fine. You have evidence that you didn’t outstay the time. Let them take you to court. The key is to not ignore them and to keep stating your evidence.

How disrespectful to not turn up though and your DP still had to take time out of his working life to attend, gather the evidence. It’s disgraceful.

Have you been able to speak to someone at the parking agency ? They may be more reasonable if you're able to speak to them

I've done this in the past.

I know! He was spitting feathers at the time.

It’s just scare tactics. They issued court proceedings in the hope that it would scare him into just paying. Obviously they didn’t realise that he’s a lawyer in and out of court throughout the year so had nothing to fear.

They are bastards preying on innocent people.

How handy that he is a lawyer as well!
I know I have evidence etc and I am willing to go to court if they do that, I'm just intrigued to what your DP thinks of my situation! Could you ask him and report back?!

whats wrong with you? Why would you pay money you have no obligation to pay?

@RosesAndHellebores nope, their signage states parking terms apply 09.30-03.00 am daily, which is off in itself as that isn't 24hrs. Nothing about overnight charges.
I was there 23.55-00.18 so within that frame.

This is so outrageous that it would be perfect for a newspaper consumer champion to cover... If you don't get anywhere with your next steps (which you absolutely should because it's ridiculous), google Katherine Denham at The Times - she's good!

This.
KFC will lose customers if this is happening to others too.
I would also ask to speak to the branch manager, not the shift manager, and make them aware.

Your second appeal should be simple.

"Please explain how the 24 minutes, as per the times printed on the fine, exceed 60 minutes."

I wouldn’t pay this! You’re entirely innocent and within the remit of the parking rules. It’s an error on their part and it wouldn’t stand up in court (not that it should come to that!)

This!!

Contact Tony Taylor on FB - he’s fantastic and for £16 will fight your ticket for you and if he fails he will pay it. He’s helped me with 2 legit parking tickets and has helped literally millions of people fight their parking tickets - you just email him your ticket and £16 and he sorts it out. There’s a FB page linked to this

I know this site has been mentioned OP but everything is on this link

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets/

Just for your information, you are clearly in the right. They wouldn’t take this to court, as they would lose. So I would just write back to them saying that you’re not going to pay, and state your reasons. You’ll probably find that miraculously they realise that you are not fault. Don’t let the threat of them doubling the fine concern you. If everything you’ve said here is right, then they haven’t got a leg to stand on.

It might be worth doublechecking the terms and conditions on the sign, or even asking them to clarify, to check there’s no nonsense about it being across two consecutive days.

Keep appealing until it goes to court. At some point someone with a brain will realise what’s happened or the judge will throw it out.