Parking fine in services!

markus250

Hi All,

Just need some advice on whether to pay this or not.

On my way back from a holiday, we decided to drive late in the evening and stop off regularly for a quick rest etc. The weather was torrential rain and roads were atrocious to drive on. Just ahead of us a car had overturned after a tyre blowout. We stopped to help and thankfully they were ok. We waited there for police/ambulance to arrive etc and when they said we could go the police told us to take a few hours sleep at the next services as we were soaked and really tired for driving in the weather conditions.

Taking his advice, we pulled into the services about 10pm, changed in the car and slept. Waking at just gone 2am! Then we left and carried on our way.

We have now had a parking charge notice of £80 or £50 if we pay in a certain time due to parking for more than 2 hours. We didn't see any signs on entry or where we parked and we didn't go into the services building so didn't see any there.

I think its outrageous to issue a parking ticket in a motorway services anyway as people do need to sleep for safety of themselves and others. And also i was advised by a police officer to do so!

I have seen the photo evidence they have online and its our car but you cannot see who is driving. The car is registered to my girlfriend.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated!

Sorry for waffling on too much!!
Markus

trisontana

Your case is no different to the many others featured on here. You don't owe them a penny. Do not contact the company and ignore any correspondence from them.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about the need to rest and then being "penalised" for it.

And, by the way, it's not a "fine", it's an unenforceable invoice.

adouglasmhor

Read this very useful information here https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1363571

markus250

thanks for the advice and links so far! Some interesting reading in there!

I think i shall file this letter and see what they do next...the driver isn't clearly visable in the car on their pictures and the invoice is from a private parking company and not the police or local councils etc.

Will post any further information here if i hear anything more from them but for now it will be filed under I for Ignore!

lucylucky

markus250 wrote: »

thanks for the advice and links so far! Some interesting reading in there!

I think i shall file this letter and see what they do next...the driver isn't clearly visable in the car on their pictures and the invoice is from a private parking company and not the police or local councils etc.

Will post any further information here if i hear anything more from them but for now it will be filed under I for Ignore!

Make sure you file all further correspondence under "ignore" as well.

You owe no-one anything nor do you need to explain your actions to anyone.

trisontana

Just to emphasis a point, it's no use "appealing" to a private parking company as the process is not an independent process.It's in the company's interest to refuse all "appeals", otherwise they don't make money.

AlexisV

No doubt this is CP Plus.

Ignore them and their junkmail.

markus250

just an update on this. I have recieved a letter this morning titled Legal Action Pending. It says in the letter that we have ignored the reminder and now another £40 has been added to the balance. It also says that the deadline has passed for any written challenges to the ticket. It also states that our ability to obtain credit in the future will be affected by not paying this notice!

Do i need to write to them explaining my refusal to pay or do i still simply ignore this?

Are they simply putting things to do with credit rating etc to scare people into paying???

Mark

trisontana

markus250 wrote: »

just an update on this. I have recieved a letter this morning titled Legal Action Pending. It says in the letter that we have ignored the reminder and now another £40 has been added to the balance. It also says that the deadline has passed for any written challenges to the ticket. It also states that our ability to obtain credit in the future will be affected by not paying this notice!

Do i need to write to them explaining my refusal to pay or do i still simply ignore this?

Are they simply putting things to do with credit rating etc to scare people into paying???

Mark

Just keep ignoring, the letter you received is just part of their meaningless scare tactics.

Sir_Roger_deLodger

markus250 wrote: »

Are they simply putting things to do with credit rating etc to scare people into paying???

Mark

Yes. They cannot affect your credit rating simply by saying you owe them some money. All part of the scare tactics, carry on ignoring.