Parking charge - to pay or not?
Discussion
My partner took her mum shopping in a local town recently and parked in a car park my partner had used several times before.
Her mum has a blue badge so they left it on display and thought no more about it till a parking charge arrived in the post this morning. Turns out it's a private car park and they don't make allowances for blue badges.
That's okay - it's their land they make the rules. But the charge is £100 or £60 if we pay up straightaway.
Partner has made an appeal to the parking company and it's been turned down and she's been pointed in the direction of some trade body the company belongs to apparently. Yep, we can all see where this is going...
Even £60 seems a bit rich. Ignore?
Her mum has a blue badge so they left it on display and thought no more about it till a parking charge arrived in the post this morning. Turns out it's a private car park and they don't make allowances for blue badges.
That's okay - it's their land they make the rules. But the charge is £100 or £60 if we pay up straightaway.
Partner has made an appeal to the parking company and it's been turned down and she's been pointed in the direction of some trade body the company belongs to apparently. Yep, we can all see where this is going...
Even £60 seems a bit rich. Ignore?
clive_candy said:
My partner took her mum shopping in a local town recently and parked in a car park my partner had used several times before.
Her mum has a blue badge so they left it on display and thought no more about it till a parking charge arrived in the post this morning. Turns out it's a private car park and they don't make allowances for blue badges.
That's okay - it's their land they make the rules. But the charge is £100 or £60 if we pay up straightaway.
Partner has made an appeal to the parking company and it's been turned down and she's been pointed in the direction of some trade body the company belongs to apparently. Yep, we can all see where this is going...
Even £60 seems a bit rich. Ignore?
Pay.Her mum has a blue badge so they left it on display and thought no more about it till a parking charge arrived in the post this morning. Turns out it's a private car park and they don't make allowances for blue badges.
That's okay - it's their land they make the rules. But the charge is £100 or £60 if we pay up straightaway.
Partner has made an appeal to the parking company and it's been turned down and she's been pointed in the direction of some trade body the company belongs to apparently. Yep, we can all see where this is going...
Even £60 seems a bit rich. Ignore?
Similar, but different.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
If you’re not in Scotland, don’t ignore. But If you don’t want to pay then continue to follow the parking company’s procedures for now. When you continue to refuse to pay you’ll eventually find a Letter Before Claim on your doormat and then later a small claim against you from them. A sound defence stating the things that are wrong in their original penalty charge, procedures, signage, legal standing to charge the keeper etc will be needed. Then you’ll have a small claims hearing at some point where you can make your pitch to a Judge, having submitted more of your evidence and witness statements.
You’ll find templates and forum-style advice on the moneysavingexpert .co.uk site. Start a thread on the Private Parking bit of the Motoring section making sure you’ve read the ‘Stickies’ first (they get quite excited if you fail to do this before asking for help). Pepipoo .com is another good resource if you want to take a look somewhere else.
If you’re in Scotland you escape most of this shenanigans.
You’ll find templates and forum-style advice on the moneysavingexpert .co.uk site. Start a thread on the Private Parking bit of the Motoring section making sure you’ve read the ‘Stickies’ first (they get quite excited if you fail to do this before asking for help). Pepipoo .com is another good resource if you want to take a look somewhere else.
If you’re in Scotland you escape most of this shenanigans.
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Similar, but different.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
Seriousy? How many car parks is your Ford Ranger too heavy for?I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
I'd research the company and ask on pepipoo. If you didn't read the terms then maybe a contract wasn't formed. I got stuffed a while back and ignored it. I kept getting solicitors letters but I ignored those as well. It was basically a racket, a money making scam using a car park on hospital premises. They gave up in the end.
BertBert said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Similar, but different.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
Seriousy? How many car parks is your Ford Ranger too heavy for?I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
I had a glance at the guidance for blue badges on .gov.U.K. as knowing nothing about them I assumed they were applicable everywhere.
Literally the second line down said ‘The badge is intended for on-street parking only.
Off-street car parks, such as those provided by shopping centres, hospitals or supermarkets are covered by separate rules.’
Which I suppose is correct as it’s intended use is to let you park closer to your destination rather than park for free.
Unless the terms of the contract are wrong then I don’t think you have any other choice than pay up. Isn’t 60 quid the going rate for a private car park anyway?
BertBert said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Similar, but different.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
Seriousy? How many car parks is your Ford Ranger too heavy for?I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
MYOB said:
BertBert said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Similar, but different.
I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
Seriousy? How many car parks is your Ford Ranger too heavy for?I drive a Ford Ranger which is a bit weighty. Many car parks have weight limits. I always go & read the published T & C to make sure I don't fall foul of an easy error.
I'd say the only reason to contest the charge would be if either the T & C were not displayed, or if they did not specifically mention blue badges.
Otherwise, if it were me, I'd recognise the slip up & pay the £60 before it became £100.
Drawweight said:
I had a glance at the guidance for blue badges on .gov.U.K. as knowing nothing about them I assumed they were applicable everywhere.
Literally the second line down said ‘The badge is intended for on-street parking only.
Off-street car parks, such as those provided by shopping centres, hospitals or supermarkets are covered by separate rules.’
Which I suppose is correct as it’s intended use is to let you park closer to your destination rather than park for free.
Unless the terms of the contract are wrong then I don’t think you have any other choice than pay up. Isn’t 60 quid the going rate for a private car park anyway?
Yup, my Mum has a blue badge and always checks the signs when she goes somewhere new.Literally the second line down said ‘The badge is intended for on-street parking only.
Off-street car parks, such as those provided by shopping centres, hospitals or supermarkets are covered by separate rules.’
Which I suppose is correct as it’s intended use is to let you park closer to your destination rather than park for free.
Unless the terms of the contract are wrong then I don’t think you have any other choice than pay up. Isn’t 60 quid the going rate for a private car park anyway?
Especially when the disabled spaces are already full of vans, Range Rovers and other non-badge holding people just sat 'waiting' for someone in the shop.
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