£75 parking fine from PO Box company!

oldone_2

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

I assume they at the very least did not have it on display thus I think the "fine" is entirely just. Why should unsuspecting landowners and those with genuine reason to use the facilitiy be robbed by those with no right, or the lack of decency to display their badge.

MSE seems to have a core of members who rather than offer help, prefer to comment on the morality of an issue.

In the unlikely event that 'parking in a disabled bay on private land without showing a blue badge' went to court, the judge would discount any 'morality' arguments and apply the law. In the case of private land disabled bays are not legally enforceable; and all that can be claimed is any losses by the landowner, which in the case of a free car park is zero.

More and more retail parks are introducing time limits for parking, even where there had been no previous problem with parking. The reason is that it is a cash generating scam, in which the PPC relies on ignorance and the motorists respect for the law, to get people to pay when in most cases, there is no legal requirement to do so.

Nightowl

Wow, this thread is getting very emotive.

My father does have a valid blue badge for use when he has my grandfather with him. I've spoken to him and it appears he had not displayed it on this occasion. The car park in question was outside shops like Curry's, so it wasn't someones private land in that sense. It was a marked disabled bay, as some people have pointed out you don't have to display the badge in all car parks, some are based on honesty a bit like the parent and child ones). It was not possible for my father to appeal as there was not a contact number. I appreciate peoples comments about the abuse of these facilities, however my father did have my 92 year old grandfather with him and was assisting him in shopping. He is a big man and mobilizes poorly, I personally work with the elderly and I would not like to have had to assist him as it is very hard work, the last thing on my mind would be a parking permit. And for his effort he gets a ticket.

I also understand that the parking attendant may have had a right to give him a ticket, but £75 is extortionate and a right to appeal should have been available. Not a threat of the fine going up and up and a possible court summons.

Amanda

Crabman

Hi Nightowl, I think you've misunderstood what has been posted above.

Clearly the £75 you've mentioned means this wasn't a council car park PCN.

It was therefore a private parking company, and with private parking companies there is no appeals procedure.

They want one thing and one thing only - your money. They can't get it legally (obviously) so they'll make their ticket look as official as possible, then if you don't pay they'll contact the DVLA who will hand over anyone's details in exchange for money. Then they'll send harrassing letters with large red text to indimidate you into paying.

This is how they work, this is how they make their income - from people who give in to their baseless demands and pay up when there's absolutely no legal basis to do so.

It's just a scam and hopefully you'll take note of this fact for future reference. If you really do want to give money away, please consider donating it to a worthy cause instead of these cowboys.

sarahg1969

"I also understand that the parking attendant may have had a right to give him a ticket, ...."

OP, I have the 'right' to send you an invoice too, but you don't have to pay it! You're clearly not quite getting this.

Read the stickies, and tell all of your friends about this scam.

headpin

Nightowl wrote: »

Wow, this thread is getting very emotive.

My father does have a valid blue badge for use when he has my grandfather with him. ...........

I think you mean that your grandfather has a Blue Badge that may be used by anyone, including your father, in a vehicle being used to transport the Blue Badge holder. A Blue Badge is personal to to the person with the “disability” not to a vehicle or a third party (although I'm not 100% where babies and children are concerned).

And just for interest what your father received was an invoice. It is not a fine and is not enforceable by the Courts. The only claim is for damages through a Civil Action. Unfortunately your dad was a tad too hasty coughing up to these “con men”. He should just have ignored all corespondence and threats. Before any Civil action could have been commenced the claimant would have had to identify the driver of the vehicle. The only info they could have obtained was the Registered Keeper from the DVLA. They cannot prove who the driver was and therefore cannot issue any claim proceedings.

Spartacus_Mills

LinasPilibaitisisbatman wrote: »

You forgot to answer the question as to whether he was guilty of parking in a disabled bay without displaying a badge?

I trust you will answer shortly.

Personally I hope they go the other way and make it legally enforcable for people to be penalised for abusing private property at the detriment of landowners and those who have genuine and contract rights to use the facilities.

What a stupid and witless post.

"Guilty", you make it sound like a heinous crime and quite frankly it is not relevant at all. How the hell could this irrelevant incedent be deemed to be abusing private property ?

Spartacus_Mills

Nightowl wrote: »

. I appreciate peoples comments about the abuse of these facilities, however my father did have my 92 year old grandfather with him and was assisting him in shopping.

Amanda

No facilities were abused here, do not let a few ignorant and ill-informed comments make you think otherwise. They may have had a right to give you a ticket, but you had a right not to pay it.

You have been scammed I'm afraid.