NCP Car Parking Charges

nanite2000

Hi everyone!

This is my first time post here, so I hope this is the best place for this question.

In my city (Cardiff) NCP have the monopoly on multi-storey car parks in the city centre. This has not been a problem until recently when they increased their charges and removed all the signs that show their car parking charges. They still have not put up new pricing signs over 2 months after the price increase.

What is the law regarding this? It seems unfair that they do not have to display their charges anywhere in or around their car parks. How do I know if I have been charged fairly? How do I know my charge was calculated correctly?

It's a bit like picking up an unpriced item in a shop and not being allowed to leave until you pay the shopkeeper's (arbitrary) price.

Do I have to pay whatever they ask? Or can I legally request a refund for them not clearly marking their prices?

Thanks for any insight you can offer!

headpin

Basically when you park you create a contract with the Car Park company, in this case NCP. As with any Contract a number of conditions need to be satisfied for it to be valid and enforceable. One of those conditions is that you need to know what the consideration is, i.e. the cost of entering in to the contract. By not displaying the prices NCP are in effect making the contract voidable.

However, once they have you in the car park and you have to pay to raise the exit barrier you are in effective held hostage.

You could challenge NCP through firstly writing to them and if still not happy following their response through the Court. But, IMO, the Court would decide that NCP would be entitled to charge on a quantum meruit bais (for what it's worth) and it would be difficult to say that what they "demanded" to let you park was unfair and amounted to a penalty.

Have you tried phoning them up and asking their prices? Or you can always check online, as NCP are very good at putting their Car Park locations and charges on their [URL="http://www.ncp.co.uk/multimapForm.aspx?pointerid=55434d359a1649a09dd71ae24baee767]website"]website[/URL] . Or do you just want an excuse not to pay to park? If the latter, then I suggest you give up before you start, as you have little to no chance of success.

raskazz

There was a court case relating to this issue, however the name escapes me as it is a long time since I studied contract law.

What is fairly certain is that you are not due a refund - at least not for any visits after you went there the first time and discovered the rate when you paid and indeed discovered the lack of signage.

Furthermore, if you were not happy with the lack of displayed prices - you could have asked an attendant, called the NCP's customer services or simply exited the car park without staying.

NAT.B_2

NCP car parks are a rip off! we paid £6.90 for less than 2 hours.......
I wrote to ask the for explain there charges but NO reply!

Keith

NAT.B wrote: »

NCP car parks are a rip off! we paid £6.90 for less than 2 hours.......
I wrote to ask the for explain there charges but NO reply!

Security, convenience, and compared to the local area it's probably not much of a higher charge

peter999

NCP cuts city's parking charges
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/7675739.stm

Cardiff's main city centre car park company is performing a U-turn on its pricing policy and cutting its charges by up to 60%.

NCP caused controversy when it put up its prices in the capital in 2007.

It has now admitted its prices drove customers away and has decided to slash prices at five of its car parks.

The move was welcomed by Cardiff Council which said the lower charges will encourage shoppers when they kick in on Saturday, 25 October.

When NCP put up its prices in June last year many city centre traders and businesses reported a fall in trade as a result.

But the company, which is the UK's largest car park operator, hopes its new policy of putting its customers before its profits will help turn this situation around.

peter999

anewman

If you drive into a city centre (anywhere) instead of catching the bus etc then expect the parking to be expensive.

Ropat

Hello- can someone please tell me whether "day" refers to a calendar day (or part), or if it is 24h? What I mean is if I arrive at 3pm and leave at 3pm the next day, is that 2 days or 24 hours? Thankyou.

Stigy

Ropat wrote: »

Hello- can someone please tell me whether "day" refers to a calendar day (or part), or if it is 24h? What I mean is if I arrive at 3pm and leave at 3pm the next day, is that 2 days or 24 hours? Thankyou.

It depends on the parking tariff. At railway Stations, one day is usually until the last train service has left said station, and you have to pay a full days worth even if arriving at 3pm. So to clarify, if you pay from 3pm for a daily ticket, it'll be valid until the last train leaves on the same day, or the early hours of the following morning(usually). Realistically though, you're unlikely to have your ticket checked at midnight, if you know where I'm coming from!

whatmichaelsays

NAT.B wrote: »

NCP car parks are a rip off! we paid £6.90 for less than 2 hours.......
I wrote to ask the for explain there charges but NO reply!

What did you expect them to say?

The reason they charge £6.90 for 2 hours is because they can. They aren't a public service - the only people that they have to explain their pricing model to are their shareholders.

masterlumps

why would you bother to go through all the hassle of it for a few quid?

tbh if you had parked there once i and there were no signs up re change i would consider you had a complaint, but you have regularly chosen to park there for over 2 months?