Euro Car Parks 'Parking Charge Notice'

mortgageslayer · 1 January 2009 at 5:20PM

I need help please!

This has been touched on before in previous threads, but does anyone have a link to the actual law regarding my obligation to paying a 'Parking Charge Notice'. People have offered opinions but I could do with the facts to put my mind at rest.

I received a ticket on my car for parking in a no parking area. It was parked for 10 minutes in a place that is widely considered and used as a parking area, and Euro Car Parks seem to be a recent addition to the area...

I consider myself to have 2 options.

1) Dispute the invoice
2) Ignore it

Thanks in advance!

Crabman · 1 January 2009 at 6:00PM

Hi mortgageslayer

I've moved this over to the new Parking Issues Board where someone will be along to help you.

As this is a Private Parking Company (PPC), the best advice at the moment is to ignore it along with the increasingly threatening letters you'll no doubt be sent.

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this in these circumstances: I’ve asked Board Guides to move threads if they’ll receive a better response elsewhere (please see this rule) so this post/thread has been moved to another board, where it should get more replies. If you have any questions about this policy please email [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL].

mortgageslayer · 1 January 2009 at 6:03PM

Thanks Crabman. I appreciate your assistance.

gardner1 · 1 January 2009 at 6:10PM

bunch of cowboys just bin it

Juan_Karder · 1 January 2009 at 6:29PM

mortgageslayer wrote: »

I need help please!

This has been touched on before in previous threads, but does anyone have a link to the actual law regarding my obligation to paying a 'Parking Charge Notice'

There is no link to the "actual law" because there is no law requiring you to pay invoices issued by private companies for parking "infractions".

The invoice belongs in the bin.

Neil_B · 1 January 2009 at 6:40PM

I also favour the 'ignore' approach. The only other option you mention was to challenge it. Since I've never heard of any ppc allowing an appeal I agree with the general consensus that there is probably no appelas procedure despite anything they say.

One thing though, Not for the bin. File for the miniscule chance that you might need to reference it - but really miniscule.
-

bargepole · 1 January 2009 at 6:43PM

Juan_Karder wrote: »

There is no link to the "actual law" because there is no law requiring you to pay invoices issued by private companies for parking "infractions".

The only basis on which Euro Car Parks could try to enforce this charge would be based on civil Contract Law.

They would have to establish in County Court that a) the person they are claiming against was driving at the time; b) there was a contract formed, based on the signage; c) that the charge is a fair reflection of their losses and not a penalty; and d) that the terms of the contract, if there was one, did not breach the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1999.

AFAIK, there are no recorded cases where Euro Car Parks have initiated court action for unpaid tickets. Do NOT make the mistake of "appealing" to them, they will just use that to get over hurdle #1, and reject your appeal.

Juan_Karder · 1 January 2009 at 6:48PM

Neil_B wrote: »

One thing though, Not for the bin. File for the miniscule chance that you might need to reference it - but really miniscule.
-

The company will obtain the Registered Keeper's details from DVLA.

They will send an invoice to the named individual.

The Registered Keeper is not necessarily the driver at the time of the "infraction" and, more importantly, is under no legal obligation to reveal the details of the said driver.

As I said, pop it in the bin.

If it ever got as far as Court proceedings (:rotfl: ) you wouldn't "need to reference it" as you'd get the case struck out long before it ever reached a District Judge.

mortgageslayer · 27 February 2010 at 3:06PM

Over a year on and ignoring the ticket still brings me a smile. To think I actually had the cheque written...

jacktyler · 27 February 2010 at 3:30PM

mortgageslayer wrote: »

To think I actually had the cheque written...

poppy80 · 1 April 2010 at 12:07AM

Hi, can someone confirm that i should ignore this parking ticket please?

I have spent the last 2 hours searching various different sites and my conclusion is that i should ignore this parking ticket as in a nutshell private charge notices are not able to be enforced - is that correct?

Basically what happened was i parked in a retail cark park which was monintored by Euro Car Parks, it said i had 3 hours free parking, i parked there at 3pm (thinking the car park was only patrolled until 6pm as 50% of the shops close at 6pm) but when i returned to my car at 6.30pm i had been issued a £70 parking ticket at 6.11pm!!

As you can imagine i was not happy and felt this ticket was completely unjustified i was only 30mins late plus the car park was almost empty anyway so not like i was losing the landlord money by being parked there - totally infuriating! in fact the reason i was late was becuase i was using one of the shops in the retail outlet! To make maters worse i work in the vicinitry so regulary use 5 out of the 8 shops bringing income to those companies.

Everything i have read has said to ignore the ticket, all invoices and debt letters i receive thereafter as the liklihood of being taken to court is slim.

Finally one more point to add is this car park is a free car park for 3 hours with a no return within 3 hours - there is no option to pay for longer. does this help my case or does this have no relevance?

Please can someone give me a bit of advice and put my mind at rest

thanks in advance

Euro Car Parks 'Parking Charge Notice'

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