Clamped at uni

hj678

I don't generally drive to uni and get a lift with my friend, who has a parking permit. however just before braking up for christmas I drove both of us in and parked, left a note in window stating his registration and that his car was in garage.

Came back to car to find an A4 sheet of paper stating i shouldn't park there, don't do it again kinda thing.. Then in pen they'd written, sorry, you'll need to get a temporary permit from reception..

Okay, so the next day, last time I planned on parking there we drove in, parked, I waiting in car and my friend went to reception. They said they couldn't issue a temporary permit without us having the original. Brilliant! Left the car again with no permit, came back to find another A4 sheet on the car. we had a hour gap to fill so i drove home and grabbed a few things, then went back to Uni as my friend had a test, I parked in a different space and was gone for 5 minutes, by which time they'd clamped my car..

Admittedly I know I was in the wrong, as I clearly wasn't allowed to be parking there, They wanted £95 fee to unclamp it and I needed to drive home. I quickly googled and checked MSE about car clamping laws and saw they plan to change the law on it, but unfortunetely that's not happened yet.

Needing to get home I rang them, and they stated I needed £95 to unclamp the car, or it'll be £95 + another £95 for every day it was left there, and they'd eventually tow it, incurring more costs etc

Needing to get home I paid the £95 cash and he unclamped the car and gave me a reciept.

With christmas just gone, I'm just wondering whether or not it's worth appealing at all? I was initially hoping it would be like the parking eye stuff but i'm now not so hopeful.

Any advice would be appreciated, however i am aware I shouldn't have parked there and it was my own fault for assuming they were just threatening notices to scare people.

The only thing that bothers me is that they warned me earlier in the day, I then parked there again on the same day? Still wrong I know but it's just it was the same day, same car park?

Many Thanks
P.S Usernames quite annonymous as I majorly use MSE for matched betting.

Russe11

You should of called the police at the time the criminal act was taking place.

Fergie76

Like the Police would be interested. Sorry Sir, it's a civil matter.

Did you pay by visa credit/debit card? If so, you need to try and convince your bank to do a chargeback. This won't be easy, as you will have input your pin, so they will try and wash their hands of it, but just keep on insisting. This will be your easiest method.

Failing that you will need to issue a claim against the clamping company and the landowner (Uni?).

More knowledgeable people will be able to tell you how to do that. Also post on pepipoo, who have a wealth on knowledge.

hj678

Fergie76 wrote: »

Like the Police would be interested. Sorry Sir, it's a civil matter.

Did you pay by visa credit/debit card? If so, you need to try and convince your bank to do a chargeback. This won't be easy, as you will have input your pin, so they will try and wash their hands of it, but just keep on insisting. This will be your easiest method.

Failing that you will need to issue a claim against the clamping company and the landowner (Uni?).

More knowledgeable people will be able to tell you how to do that. Also post on pepipoo, who have a wealth on knowledge.

I wanted to pay by card as it definetely seemed a better option, but was told there was no one in his office to take the payment, so it had to be cash or cheque with a guarentee card

Fergie76

I know it's no help to you now, but you should have paid by cheque, then cancelled the cheque.

Definitely post on pepipoo though.

hj678

Okay thanks for the advice, I'll go post there

Cash was the only option I had other than Card. I've had cheque books in the past but none with a guarentee card.

peter_the_piper

Take copies of all paperwork rec'd and pictures of any signs there are and where they were in relation to your vehicle. You have 6 yrs to claim from both the university and the clampers. Do it jointly as the clampers just ignore the ccj's.

Coupon-mad

hj678 wrote: »

Okay thanks for the advice, I'll go post there

Cash was the only option I had other than Card. I've had cheque books in the past but none with a guarentee card.

Personally I would have paid by cheque and 'accidentally' got a different card out and written the card number on the back of the cheque myself if possible, then showed him the back of the card to check the signature. Clampers are stupid enough they would probably have fallen for that.

Then I'd have gone home and stopped the cheque as it didn't have a valid cheque guarantee card number on the back and the random number written on there wasn't even written by the payee. So 'no guarantee card seen', stop the cheque. Would cost you a tenner I think but then you'd be stuffed about parking that car there again as I expect they would target it for clamping in future.

Does the signage warn clearly of the amount of the clamp release fee and are there lots of signs, all with large lettering with clear terms & costs? Those sheets on your car didn't warn of clamping did they, just said you must get a permit, so they are pretty irrelevant I would think - and how do they know the same driver was visiting each time? But the signs MUST be clear including the fee.

Your options now are to check the signage and post up pics of it and the receipt on pepipoo forums here for help. Did the receipt include the scammers' SIA licence and printed name and signature? Post here if you are up for suing the clampers and the Uni for a refund:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

There's NO POINT in appealing, BTW. No point at all. Sue or forget it.

Whatdoiknow

Just another point regarding paying by cheque, it was something I must have missed but a letter I received from my bank last week stated that the guaranteeing of cheques by a cheque guarantee card or debit card is being stopped this year so soon I can see no one wanting to be paid by cheque.

hj678

Thanks for the advice, there were signs warning of clamping, I'd never bothered reading til I argued there were no signs at the time, was pretty close to the car, possibly 5 metres and stated clamping fee on it.

I believe it had the SIA License number on it, might start carrying a cheque book around with me in future, they just seem quite redundant nowadays, well for what I generally buy etc

I am returning back on monday (have been home over christmas) and I shall scan reciept for clamping release and signs at uni on monday.

Will suing them cost much money? and will I stand a chance, as I assumed I was in the wrong?

Fergie76

hj678 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice, there were signs warning of clamping, I'd never bothered reading til I argued there were no signs at the time, was pretty close to the car, possibly 5 metres and stated clamping fee on it.

I believe it had the SIA License number on it, might start carrying a cheque book around with me in future, they just seem quite redundant nowadays, well for what I generally buy etc

I am returning back on monday (have been home over christmas) and I shall scan reciept for clamping release and signs at uni on monday.

Will suing them cost much money? and will I stand a chance, as I assumed I was in the wrong?

Not 100% sure, but think the small claims court is about £60 which you can claim as part of your costs.

Just make sure include the landowner/person who hired clampers, as the clampers are likely to ignore any CCJ, where Uni won't.