Hotel Recepionist advised us parking was free, then we received a ticket.

carlw

Hi

I went to a wedding on Friday at a hotel. The parking for the hotel was limited so it soon filled up. Once it filled up the hotel receptionist advised us to park in the "pay and display" car park right next door, and that parking was now free for the rest of the day and the whole of the following day. As a result we took the advice of the receptionist, trusted what she said and took what she was telling is as fact. Nobody thought necessary to check the boards in the car park as the receptionist was so sure. I was the only guest to stay at the hotel the night and after checking out found a Penalty charge notice on my windscreen. I took the fine into the hotel, where they just said sorry, you will have to write in. I have written in and although they accept their receptionist did advise this, they say guests should still have checked so they will not reimburse the cost of the fine.

I am sure some people will say we should have checked, but why would we check and not trust the receptionist, it is her job to give true and accurate advice to the guests. If she was not 100% sure of this i would have expected her to say so or to not tell guests to park there at all. Had she not advised us, we would have parked there, checked the board and paid. It was a direct result of her information that we received the ticket.

Should the hotel pay this fine. What should i do now the hotel are adamant they will not pay? I do have written confirmation that the receptionist did advise this.

Many thanks

Carl

trisontana

Was this a council car-park or a private one? If the latter then you can ignore it. It's not a "fine" just an unenforceable invoice. For further information have a look at the parking fines section of this forum.

bryanb

Never heard of pay and display private ones

trisontana

bryanb wrote: »

Never heard of pay and display private ones

Some Travel Lodge hotels and our local Morrisons have them.

4743hudsonj

bryanb wrote: »

Never heard of pay and display private ones

supermarkets? retail parks? multi-stories?

all but the latter are pretty much always private

the last is more 50/50 whether its council or private

ive always thought though... although i know these private tickets are unenforceable by law... i still pay at the supermarkets, i wonder why people dont take advantage of the law and just not pay and ignore any tickets...... lol

neilmcl

carlw wrote: »

I am sure some people will say we should have checked

OK, I will. At the end of the day the car park isn't hotel property and as such parking there will always be at your own risk despite what information, incorrect as it was, you got from the hotel. It's your responsibility for parking there and it's up to you to check, at the very least you could have enquired how, as it's pay and display, will a car park attendant know that you're a hotel resident.

bryanb

4743hudsonj wrote: »

supermarkets? retail parks? multi-stories?

all but the latter are pretty much always private

the last is more 50/50 whether its council or private

ive always thought though... although i know these private tickets are unenforceable by law... i still pay at the supermarkets, i wonder why people dont take advantage of the law and just not pay and ignore any tickets...... lol

Plenty of those round here, just not pay and display. Although I've realised there is one that could be a private P & D as they give 2 hrs free

4743hudsonj

bryanb wrote: »

Plenty of those round here, just not pay and display. Although I've realised there is one that could be a private P & D as they give 2 hrs free

bummer, i cant think of a single car park round here that isnt pay and display unless its a short stay one.

trisontana

4743hudsonj wrote: »

bummer, i cant think of a single car park round here that isnt pay and display unless its a short stay one.

Don't forget supermarket and retail park car parks plus motorway service-areas all which are free but are still patrolled by private parking companies.

4743hudsonj

trisontana wrote: »

Don't forget supermarket and retail park car parks plus motorway service-areas all which are free but are still patrolled by private parking companies.

like i said none are free round here, all but tesco car park(just remembered that) are p+d and perhaps one of the few service stations around the town..... but thats it

trisontana

At the end of the day, it doesn't really matter if you have to pay or not in private car parks. The charges imposed by parking companies are unenforceable.