Private Car Park Ticket - Please help

yorksville

Hello!

Sorry I’ve been issued with a parking ticket in the car park at my place of work. I have to pay monthly for a car parking permit which have parking restriction days for different coloured permits on certain busy days. All colours take turn on restricted parking. The car park is managed by a private car parking company.

While I was on holiday from work there was an e-mail notifying staff of the fact there would be a permit restriction on a certain date. Due to me being on holiday I didn’t see the e-mail and came back to work on the restricted day. I pulled into the car park and saw no signs. The car park security staff were sitting in their booth and didn’t advised me otherwise so I parked there and later found a ticket. There are standard signs displayed around the car park but no mention of restricted day and these signs are not changed on restricted days.I walked all the way out of the car park and saw no other signage.

I wrote to the car park management company appealing the ticket and attached the picture of my car in the bay with the sign above but later received a letter stating the ticket still was pending payment. The letter received offered no advice on appealing my fine. I then wrote to a member of staff at work asking them for advice and was given the name of the business support manager. I asked her for an independent appeal. She said she had never organised one before but the appeal is made up of staff and is not independent. I wasn’t invited to attend although I asked to be. She said they would use any documentation I sent for my appeal..

I have received a letter today via e-mail stating that I am going to have to pay but I don’t feel that this ticket is actually legal and the notification or signage enough to warrant a fine.

Please do you have any advice for me. :j

Many thanks

esmerobbo

Firstly it is and can not be called a fine. Secondly you had a contract with your company to pay for parking which is what you did! On what basis have they decided the charge should stand.

Is the car park owned by your company or is it shared? Do you belong to a Union?

AlexisV

I don't understand. The charge is bogus anyway and there's no point in writing to the parking company. They're not going to allow 'appeals' and turn down money. It's a trick to make you think the charge is a proper fine. All you have is an unenforceable invoice.

Secondly, why are you talking to people at your company and what's this about an 'appeal' of your peers???

Two facts:

• you never entered into a contract with any private company since you were away on holiday and there are no signs
• your employee has no legal right to deduct payment from your wages or force you to pay anything

Paste the exact email reply these people have sent you please.

HO87

Although it is understandable that the OP may not wish to divulge this but the pattern is one that mirrors those used at various NHS Trusts.

yorksville

Thanks for all your advice. It really is appreciated.

I have just requested a copy of the letter in word format as it is in PDF and I can't cut and paste it in for you to look at. I work in a University and I don't belong to a union unfortunately. Will pop the text up from the letter as soon as it comes. Thanks again guys. x

yorksville

Here's the letter I received. I have not received any letters of restriction days as they claim below and as I stated in my original moan the e-mail came when I was on holiday. No signage was out AT ALL and the security remained in their cosy box and didn't inform drivers of restrictions! The normal everyday signage was out and was not replaced or covered. Grrr!

'I am writing to let you know the outcome of your secondary appeal which you lodged with the University on 3 November. The appeals panel has now met to review your case.

The appeals panel noted that you hold a staff annual parking permit and that you parked on a dat when your permit colour was subject to restrictions. The panel noted your concerns over the period of notice you had been given regarding the restrictions.

The panel discussed your case in some detail. They noted that staff received information regarding restrcited days in the letter attached to the permit, in a further update at the beginning of the academic year and also in local updates to relevant permit holders closer to the day in question. They also noted that there is a responsibility on the driver to appraise themselves of any restrictions. Restricted parking days are necessary to free car parking capacity to accommodate large events such as Open Days. These are vital to the operation of the University.

Although the panel noted your concerns, they felt that permit holders have been given sufficient warning of restricted days and therefore felt that your appeal should be declined. I am sorry this is not the decsion you were hoping for.

I will inform the Parking Management Company that your secondary appeal has been unsuccessful.'

AlexisV

Ok, just email back and patronise them with "Thanks. I am in receipt of your email" and leave it at that and don't pay.

What are they going to do, especially if it's been handed back to the parking company. They'll have just been told "don't cancel ticket 1234XYZ" and so will just keep sending junk to the registered keeper before giving up.

The university sound like they are drunk with perceived power, but they are ultimately clueless and can't actually do anything.

esmerobbo

What a damn confusing car park arrangement they have.

You have two ways to go with this first is simply to ignore the charge notice. Leaving the ball in the PPC's court to see were they go next.

Or go back to the "panel" [have they nothing better to do] stating that as the information given about the restricted day was delivered to you by email when you were in fact on holiday so was never received by you. If a condition of the permit is that parking is restricted at certain times then email notification should be reinforced with other forms of information. As you were never informed they surely must accept that you did not breach any terms and conditions.

Just read AlexisV's post. I would go with that.;)

Coupon-mad

AlexisV wrote: »

Ok, just email back and patronise them with "Thanks. I am in receipt of your email" and leave it at that and don't pay.

What are they going to do, especially if it's been handed back to the parking company. They'll have just been told "don't cancel ticket 1234XYZ" and so will just keep sending junk to the registered keeper before giving up.

The university sound like they are drunk with perceived power, but they are ultimately clueless and can't actually do anything.

Totally agree with this, it's all you have to do, yorksville.

The Uni actually think they have the power to impose a fine even though it's not lawful, and hold an 'appeal meeting' about you even though it's not independent. Do they even have a Legal Faculty, they are so clueless?!

But as Alexis says it doesn't matter because it just means it's back with the PPC so the usual advice applies, ignore the threatograms from the PPC and that will be that. We have all been there, done that.

robredz

The parking company are on even shakier grounds if there is no charge for the parking or you have paid for a permit, as there is no consequential loss to ground a claim in the county court. as has been advaised alreadygnore them

yorksville

Hi guys! I received a letter from Town & Country Parking stating I must pay the fine which I have ignored. I just received another today claiming they will start debt recovery. I am going to continue to ignore. I'll keep you posted. x