Parking Ticket Advice please

Greenwellies_2

Hi

( I know this is the wrong board, but couldn't see where to put it and you lot here are sooooo nice to me)

I went to Lidl the other day. I drive into the car park and past the store and I notice 3 people standing outside.

I looked at my clock and it wasn't 9am yet, so I thought I'll sit in the car.
I sat there till 9, went in to lidl, done my shopping popped to the bank and got back to my car at 10.33

I have been sent a fine for £150 as I was only allowed to park there for 1.5 hours.

There is no way I want to pay this.
I sent hubby to check their opening times, and they open at 8am. So it was my fault but I think it's unfair.

Is there anything I can do? If I ignore it, is there anything that they can do, after all it's private property and I can assure you I will certainly not be going back there!

I do remember about it being a civil issue and not a legal issue, so I'm hoping I can just let them whistle??

What do you think?

Thanks

GW

Greenwellies_2

Sorry I really didn't write this well.

I assumed that the people outside were waiting for the store to open. So I waited in the car until 9am assuming the store was going to open then.

Thanks

GW

Anniek1969

£150 seems a bit excessive for a shop car park and 1.5 hours doesn't seem very long. I know myself that when I go shopping I'm often in the shop for over and hour. If you were there from just before nine and got back about 10.33 you were only there for about 10 mins more than you should be, I would write to the company pointing this out and explaining that you thought they never opened until 9am.

Might not get you anywhere but I would challenge it anyway. Never heard of a parking fine as large as this before, it would make me think twice about shopping there again.

CLAPTON

assuming this was Lidl private car park and not a council park, then
strictly speaking a private company can't fine you but can threaten to take you to court for trespass and/or breech of contract.

what exactly does the 'fine' say and how did they know your address to write to you.

Browntoa

"popped to the bank" would scupper any chance of appeal, they could argue that you were no longer a "customer"

would neglect to mention it

Greenwellies_2

Thanks everyone , I am trying my best to finish a college assingment to hand in at 5pm, so sorry if I am a bit vague.

OK they caught me on camera arriving at 8.38 and leaving at 10.33.
The fact that I was sitting in the car for a while at both the start and the finish I suppose it irrelevent.

the parking terms that they said are stated on the site (haven't checked them word for word, assume that they are the same)

The Parking Charge notice says:
"if you vehicle remains in this car park for more than 1.5 hours for any reason you agree to pay the sum of £150.
Payment can be made by phoning......
We will contact the DVLA to obtain your details
vehicles and contents left at own risk"

there are lots of other bits and pieces that don't make sense actually, such as "payment must be made within 28 days of the 05/06/06 ......which was the date you agreed the contract to park" Yet the fine was for the 23/05/06

I hope that this is the sort of information you were after

Thanks

GW

Greenwellies_2

Oh I agree on the bank bit (but I had £3k in cash in my handbag (from sale of car) I was desperate to get it paid in! not that they would care!

GW

lynzpower

in any case even if you had come in at 9.00 and left at 10.33 this is still in breach as its 3 mins over an hour and a half. I would get them to take you to court and ask them to have a look over the cameras as to when you actually entered the shop. With a bit of luck it will be more like 9.03 in which case you migh win.

It does seem downright excessive to me though.

Penny-Pincher!!

Does it clearly state anywhere in the carpark the terms and conditions of parking there? If so, then I think you will have to just pay the fine and learn from the bad experiance. If its not clearly stated, then you could contest on the understanding that it was not marked clearly.

Maybe worth asking the Lidls manager about the company looking after the carpark and maybe see if there lenient (sp)

OH's friend didnt pay for a car fine last year-it was originally £60 and where he hadnt paid over the past 12 months-his wife got a visit from 2 bailiffs last week asking for £1400:eek:

Im not saying this to panic you but I wouldnt just ignore it. Do you have a certain amount of days to pay?

Hugs

PP
xx

Greenwellies_2

As this is a private car park, I don't think they have a lot they can do about it.
If it was a council one, then I would expect that it would go to court etc.
I have 28 days to pay, and the signs were visable and I did read them, and I assumed that they wouldn't come into effect until the shops opened at 9am. Hence why I was back at 10.33. (give or take the variance of our clocks)
If they studied the camera footage (which I doubt that they will,) they would see that I went back and forth to the car from the stores in the complex there.

If I have no choice, I will pay it, but I am hoping that theree is a way of getting out of it.

Thanks

GW

CLAPTON

they have to take you to court to enforce the payment...which they would argue you 'agreed' to when you parked there..i.e. you entered into a contract with them by parking.

i'm not really sure what a judges view would be .. he may take the view that it is excessive but i would suggest you to go to the CAB and ask their advice.

also maybe a few prominent letters in local newspapers...or even try to get a local paper to make it a human interest story might have some effect (you probably aren't the only person caught out ).