Parking charges
Discussion
Just looking for some advice to see if it’s worth me following up some appeals on parking charges.
We spent two weeks in Cornwall over the summer and all the car parks there are run by private parking companies. We parked in one of these everyday, sometimes multiple ones in the same day. Almost inevitably, we have fallen foul of there contracts!
On the first day I entered my car reg, instead of my wife’s car which is what we were in. The parking company have declined the appeal on the basis that the sign says something along the lines of “you must enter the correct reg.”
I’m wondering whether there is any mileage in going down the independent appeals process, or if it will just be a waste of time as technically I didn’t follow the rules?
Similarly I am expecting another appeal to be rejected for leaving 7 minutes after my (4hour) ticket expired.
I do release that in the first instance I did it wrong, and in the second I didn’t quite pay for my whole stay, but when you’re in and out of car parks and cajoling children off the beach, it doesn't always go like clockwork!
We spent two weeks in Cornwall over the summer and all the car parks there are run by private parking companies. We parked in one of these everyday, sometimes multiple ones in the same day. Almost inevitably, we have fallen foul of there contracts!
On the first day I entered my car reg, instead of my wife’s car which is what we were in. The parking company have declined the appeal on the basis that the sign says something along the lines of “you must enter the correct reg.”
I’m wondering whether there is any mileage in going down the independent appeals process, or if it will just be a waste of time as technically I didn’t follow the rules?
Similarly I am expecting another appeal to be rejected for leaving 7 minutes after my (4hour) ticket expired.
I do release that in the first instance I did it wrong, and in the second I didn’t quite pay for my whole stay, but when you’re in and out of car parks and cajoling children off the beach, it doesn't always go like clockwork!
Private car park rules are specifically written to catch people out on technicalities. They have no interest in the spirit of the rules, and will rigidly stick to the letter of them. Unfortunately the appeals bodies invariably seem to support them on this.
You could try to appeal if you have time on your hands, and may get lucky, but it's more likely it will be rejected given that you breached the rules in both cases.
You could try to appeal if you have time on your hands, and may get lucky, but it's more likely it will be rejected given that you breached the rules in both cases.
jimmy156 said:
Just looking for some advice to see if it’s worth me following up some appeals on parking charges.
We spent two weeks in Cornwall over the summer and all the car parks there are run by private parking companies. We parked in one of these everyday, sometimes multiple ones in the same day. Almost inevitably, we have fallen foul of there contracts!
On the first day I entered my car reg, instead of my wife’s car which is what we were in. The parking company have declined the appeal on the basis that the sign says something along the lines of “you must enter the correct reg.”
I’m wondering whether there is any mileage in going down the independent appeals process, or if it will just be a waste of time as technically I didn’t follow the rules?
Similarly I am expecting another appeal to be rejected for leaving 7 minutes after my (4hour) ticket expired.
I do release that in the first instance I did it wrong, and in the second I didn’t quite pay for my whole stay, but when you’re in and out of car parks and cajoling children off the beach, it doesn't always go like clockwork!
With regard to the second ticket:We spent two weeks in Cornwall over the summer and all the car parks there are run by private parking companies. We parked in one of these everyday, sometimes multiple ones in the same day. Almost inevitably, we have fallen foul of there contracts!
On the first day I entered my car reg, instead of my wife’s car which is what we were in. The parking company have declined the appeal on the basis that the sign says something along the lines of “you must enter the correct reg.”
I’m wondering whether there is any mileage in going down the independent appeals process, or if it will just be a waste of time as technically I didn’t follow the rules?
Similarly I am expecting another appeal to be rejected for leaving 7 minutes after my (4hour) ticket expired.
I do release that in the first instance I did it wrong, and in the second I didn’t quite pay for my whole stay, but when you’re in and out of car parks and cajoling children off the beach, it doesn't always go like clockwork!
https://nationaldebtline.org/fact-sheet-library/pa...
10 minute grace period
Parking operators who are members of an accredited trade association, such as the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC), should give you a 10 minute grace period before issuing a parking charge notice. This is to allow you a reasonable period after your parking time has finished to leave the car park. If you weren’t given this grace period, you may be able to challenge the charge. See the later section If you do not agree that you owe the parking charge for more information.
OutInTheShed said:
That's not actually a fact is it?
of course it’s not fact.But every car park conveniently located to places you might go as a tourist, in the part of Cornwall we were in certainly was.
What is a fact is that in the two weeks we were there, we only ever found privately controlled car parks to park in, unless going to a national trust property or similar.
Louis Balfour said:
With regard to the second ticket:
https://nationaldebtline.org/fact-sheet-library/pa...
10 minute grace period
Parking operators who are members of an accredited trade association, such as the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC), should give you a 10 minute grace period before issuing a parking charge notice. This is to allow you a reasonable period after your parking time has finished to leave the car park. If you weren’t given this grace period, you may be able to challenge the charge. See the later section If you do not agree that you owe the parking charge for more information.
This is good to know, I’ll see what they come back with!https://nationaldebtline.org/fact-sheet-library/pa...
10 minute grace period
Parking operators who are members of an accredited trade association, such as the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC), should give you a 10 minute grace period before issuing a parking charge notice. This is to allow you a reasonable period after your parking time has finished to leave the car park. If you weren’t given this grace period, you may be able to challenge the charge. See the later section If you do not agree that you owe the parking charge for more information.
On the first ticket, yes you broke the rules by inputting the wrong reg number.
However, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
However, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
Mandat said:
On the first ticket, yes you broke the rules by inputting the wrong reg number.
However, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
The problem is, people pay for a ticket, don't use all the time, then give away the ticket to random people.However, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
So cars showing the wrong reg number usually haven't paid.
We had a parking charge fine from a car park in Cornwall in the summer, arrived and no change for the machine, so tried the app, and that failed , as location was showing me somewhere in America, ended up calling the phone number advertised and payed that way via debit card.
Few weeks later, had a parking charge notice through the post, picture of our car entering the car park, and a fine due, took screenshots of bank transaction showing payment to them, and telephone log showing the call at the time of parking, was expecting some reply denying the appeal, but was confirmed quashed, so even the means stated for payment arnt exactly reliable.
Will ensure plenty of coins available for the next venture down there.
Few weeks later, had a parking charge notice through the post, picture of our car entering the car park, and a fine due, took screenshots of bank transaction showing payment to them, and telephone log showing the call at the time of parking, was expecting some reply denying the appeal, but was confirmed quashed, so even the means stated for payment arnt exactly reliable.
Will ensure plenty of coins available for the next venture down there.
Mandat said:
On the first ticket, yes you broke the rules by inputting the wrong reg number.
However, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
This, plus back it up with evidence like a copy of the V5 of your other car so you can show that it was a genuine mistake and you hadn't just been given a ticket from another carHowever, if I was in your position, I would argue that despite the incorrect reg number, you still paid for parking (albeit for a different car that did not park), therefore the parking company did not suffer a loss, and you did not attempt to circumvent the parking charges by not paying.
The appeal is likely to fail in the first instance but if this got in front of a real judge, I would hope that the judge would see that you acted in good faith, and that no loss was incurred by the parking company.
I was in Cornwall this summer too, lost count of the number of parking apps I ended up with on my phone. No parking tickets, mercifully. A royal pain to get somewhere, have to go looking for the parking app, download it with Cornwalls notoriously patchy phone signal, sign up, enter car and card details, select the location and all that jazz. Must've been 10 minutes each time we arrived at a car park with a new vulture waiting for our money.
Nimby said:
elanfan said:
Always appeal to POPLA even if you don’t win you cost the barstewards money.
You can only do that if the car park co. is a BPA member and issues you with a POPLA code.In situations where a major keying error has occurred, for example the motorist entered an entirely different registration, the parking operator is not expected to have identified this before issuing a Parking Charge Notice. it is recognised that the operator will have incurred charges in issuing a Parking Charge Notice and the Code of Practice permits that they can they seek to recover these by way of applying a modest charge of no more that £20 to the motorist.
RazerSauber said:
I was in Cornwall this summer too, lost count of the number of parking apps I ended up with on my phone. No parking tickets, mercifully. A royal pain to get somewhere, have to go looking for the parking app, download it with Cornwalls notoriously patchy phone signal, sign up, enter car and card details, select the location and all that jazz. Must've been 10 minutes each time we arrived at a car park with a new vulture waiting for our money.
Agreed! And the parking tariff on the boards is often different if you use the apps as they charge an admin fee!As they are using technicalities to extract money from you, you have to fight them the same way. They mostly are incapable of sending the correct paperwork, with the correct notice, and can be fought using this. Head over to Pepipoo, that will give you an idea on what you can use.
Unfortunately you may have already disclosed who the driver was, as that's the easy way of not paying these parasites, as they have to have issued the correct paperwork to be able to pursue the Registered Keeper, and if they don't know who the driver was, then they are stuffed.
Unfortunately you may have already disclosed who the driver was, as that's the easy way of not paying these parasites, as they have to have issued the correct paperwork to be able to pursue the Registered Keeper, and if they don't know who the driver was, then they are stuffed.
Lots of useful information from people, thank you!
The overstay is smart parking, who do give a route to appeal to popla
pavarotti1980 said:
OP - who were the parking companies involved?
The first one (wrong ref) is alliance parking, who don’t say for appeals to go through popla (there is an independent process though apparently)The overstay is smart parking, who do give a route to appeal to popla
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