I found myself immobile when I returned to my car at the car park adjacent TK Maxx last November. I had a flat tyre, no replacement as most modern cars don't carry them, and had to call the RAC.

To cut a long story short, by the time I was roadworthy again, I had overstayed the permitted 2 hours, and received as I expected, a fine.

I appealed immediately with official confirmation from the RAC to show my stay was enforced and not through choice or ignorance. It was rejected because they state there is plenty of signage around the car park reminding me of the 2 hours limit. Personally, I don't see how that is relevant to my situation, and I can only assume that they do not feel that joining the traffic around the car park with a flat tyre is unreasonable. The mind boggles.

I have contacted Julie Cooper for her advice, but just wondered if anyone else on here has had such experiences?

Check the parking forum on money saving expert.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/fo ... .php?f=163" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or the legislation

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/201 ... /4/enacted" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You need to follow the appeals process prescriptively.

They don't care about any mitigatingcircumstances they just want your money. You should never contact them it does no good.
Facebook page: FIGHT YOUR PRIVATE PARKING INVOICE.
We can help you with this.

Have a look at fight your private parking invoice group on f@cebook.

Edit: beat me to it Bob. Bad beat Bob!

Don’t expect a reply from Julie Cooper.
The forums are your best bet - fight it and they usually give up when you have a genuine / reasonable explanation like you do.

Private parking companies are unfortunately one of the many blots on our society these days.

Got one in progress at moment (since Sept). Didnt bother appealing just sent the necessary letter in as advised on MSE and waiting to see what happens. Getting a fee Debt letters but they are meaningless and I will only do something more if they actually take me to court. If that happens will just use MSE but more than likely the company will give up.

As already said just follow MSE advice carefully and dont let any letters they send worry or stress you out

bob-the-scutter wrote:They don't care about any mitigatingcircumstances they just want your money. You should never contact them it does no good.
Facebook page: FIGHT YOUR PRIVATE PARKING INVOICE.
We can help you with this.

Just asked to join the group. Cheers!

Ignoring usually works very well.

I got a ticket while in Starbucks near Blackburn hospital, I was advised to ignore it by a solicitor friend, stupidly I did just that, months later I received a bailiffs letter and the threat of court action, only latter after paying did I find out if I had gone to the store and explain I was in there drinking coffee for 2 hours, the fine would have been cancelled,
So I suggest you contact the store and see if they can help

lifelongclaret wrote:I got a ticket while in Starbucks near Blackburn hospital, I was advised to ignore it by a solicitor friend, stupidly I did just that, months later I received a bailiffs letter and the threat of court action, only latter after paying did I find out if I had gone to the store and explain I was in there drinking coffee for 2 hours, the fine would have been cancelled,
So I suggest you contact the store and see if they can help

Totally agree, most contracts between the parking company and store/landowner have a clause which allows the store to ask/tell the parking company to cancel the ticket up to x% of tickets. That's what happens at hospitals anyway. Also your circumstances are more than mitigation....

Good luck

lifelongclaret wrote:I got a ticket while in Starbucks near Blackburn hospital, I was advised to ignore it by a solicitor friend, stupidly I did just that, months later I received a bailiffs letter and the threat of court action, only latter after paying did I find out if I had gone to the store and explain I was in there drinking coffee for 2 hours, the fine would have been cancelled,
So I suggest you contact the store and see if they can help

Parking fines are civil matters so bayliffs could only come if it had been to court and the court ruled you must pay a fine. The letters I am getting off the Debt company threaten to take me to court (they are designed to scare people into paying) but unless I get an actual court summons from UKPC than Im not worried

Your point about speaking to the store is a good one if there is a genuine reason for your parking and if the store has some influence on the parking firm. Often the stores hand over full control and authority to these cowboy firms and cannot help

I got one for using a Lidl Car Park in Andover. I went off for a hot drink and came back to a ticket. Appealed...no go. Appealed again and just got a pay or else.

I then wrote to Lidl customer services (email). I explained that am a Lidl shopper, but not in Andover. Everywhere else free. Said I shopped and then went for drink, without realising. Fine harsh on a customer....

Cust svces cancelled it.

Thanks everyone.
Bob, I have forwarded everything to Tony at the Facebook site. Regardless of the outcome, many thanks for the advice.

I got one for apparently parking with no ticket at coulsdon south station when we played palace. Sent me photos and everything showing I had parked there, and they were right I had. What they failed to take into account is that I also had paid for the privilege and luckily when the lettter came through a month later i still had the receipt.

They’ve offered no explanation as to why this happened. I bet there were some people that day issued fines who had thrown their ticket away.

I received an invoice from Parking Eye in 2016 (when England played Wales in Euros) after overstaying in a free car park. I was bang to rights with my number plate being registered coming in and out.

I just ignored all correspondence, fine went up, then they brought the fee down then back up again, lots of threats with court action. I was getting them monthly.

Then they slowed down but the legal firm changed every time. Not heard anything for a while now, but I suspect another firm will buy my debt and I’ll get another letter soon, which will go with the rest. In the bin.

I got a ticket for parking in Whitstable. At the time the ticket machine did not take cash, you couldn’t enter the correct number plate and no ticket ever came out. I left a note stating all this and the time that I had tried but still got the ticket. The traffic warden even took s photograph of my note explaining that I couldn’t pay. Apparently I should have phoned Rongo and paid by debit or credit card (and incur an extra fee) - I complained to Canterbury Shitty Council - they have one of the highest %ge of cancelled fines - and after several calls the ticket was withdrawn.

Right_winger wrote:Ignoring usually works very well.

That's if your partial to getting a default CCJ.
Private parking scumbags love ignorers!

claptrappers_union wrote:I received an invoice from Parking Eye in 2016 (when England played Wales in Euros) after overstaying in a free car park. I was bang to rights with my number plate being registered coming in and out.

I just ignored all correspondence, fine went up, then they brought the fee down then back up again, lots of threats with court action. I was getting them monthly.

Then they slowed down but the legal firm changed every time. Not heard anything for a while now, but I suspect another firm will buy my debt and I’ll get another letter soon, which will go with the rest. In the bin.

They have six years in which to chase you and ratchet up the debt. Anyone thinking ignoring is the way to go is sadly misinformed.

I had one last year from the Blackburn Soccerdome.

Kids team I coach played there every week over winter but one week was running late and there was a queue at the machine to enter details so was going to do it on way out but forgot.

Got a ticket through post following week but went down to the soccerdome to explain and they got it cancelled.

bob-the-scutter wrote:They have six years in which to chase you and ratchet up the debt. Anyone thinking ignoring is the way to go is sadly misinformed.

I have three more years of sleepless nights

bob-the-scutter wrote:That's if your partial to getting a default CCJ.
Private parking scumbags love ignorers!

I beg to disagree.

Since 2009 I've been given 19 various ""fines"" by these parking companies...mainly parking eye...I've ignored every single one and not responded in any way to all the garbage they've sent. It's all gone straight into the bin.

I have yet to part with a penny to any of them....don't blink...if you do they will mither you to death.

Mrs Croydon had one a couple of years ago.

Tons of legal shortcomings in their notice to keeper, and other issues around the car park, which meant it was legally invalid.

Ignored them but they actually went as far as drawing up court papers and fixed a court date.

Sent them an enormous defence pointing out the multitude of legal reasons why their claim could not succeed. They cancelled the action and we didn't go to.l court.

Mrs Croydon was getting stressed as the claim had gone to over £300 but when you know you're right you need to stand your ground and fight. They rely on people being intimidated

bob-the-scutter wrote:That's if your partial to getting a default CCJ.
Private parking scumbags love ignorers!

You don't get a default CCJ.

A CCJ is only issued if it goes to court, they win, and you don't pay the fees within the time frame set by the court.

fatboy47 wrote:I beg to disagree.

Since 2009 I've been given 19 various ""fines"" by these parking companies...mainly parking eye...I've ignored every single one and not responded in any way to all the garbage they've sent. It's all gone straight into the bin.

I have yet to part with a penny to any of them....don't blink...if you do they will mither you to death.

Sorry but that is utter tripe i`m afraid unless you happen to be living on the street, and Parking Eye are the most litigious of them all!

Croydon Claret wrote:You don't get a default CCJ.

A CCJ is only issued if it goes to court, they win, and you don't pay the fees within the time frame set by the court.

That`s exactly what I said. If you ignore everything your sent you will end up with a CCJ!
People have ended up with CCJs they didn`t even know they had because if these companies find an old address you once lived at they will send all correspondence to that address because they know the chances of you receiving them are slim and they can build up the level of the debt.

Anyone else need convincing?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... fines.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... fines.html

Well, I appealed with the help of a solicitor via POPLA, and seemingly the fact it was unsafe to move my vehicle is irrelevant, as there are ample signs around the car park stating I am entitled to just 2 hours, and I have to pay.

What a ridiculous state of affairs. How they can be protected by law when they take advantage of a person's misfortune is beyond me. I'm disgusted and incredibly frustrated.