Got a fine while walking to the ticket machine!

SonOfPearl

My wife recently arrived at a car park, found a space and walked to the only ticket machine at the other end of the car park.

By the time she had returned to her car she spotted a parking attendant putting a parking fine notice on her car. The ticket claims that he had noted our car was parked in the space 20 minutes earlier! Bl**dy cheek! :mad:

Naturally we have phoned and written to the parking company Vinci, but it's our word against the parking attendant's, despite the fact my wife has a valid ticket for exactly the time of the alleged offence.

Of course we are very angry and disgusted about this, and my wife was very upset.

My question is this: in Vinci's standard letter of reply to us, they said it was up to us to prove we weren't parked illegally.

Surely this can't be right? The onus must be on them to show that an offence was committed. How are we expected to prove our story? Can we obtain CCTV footage from somewhere?

We would be grateful for any help or advice anyone can offer.

Thanks.

The_Slithy_Tove

Assuming it's a private company, and they're not acting on behalf of a council, then simply ignore them. Yes, you are angry, and rightly so, but don't let get in the way of you realising that they are a bunch of scammers who are interested only in getting your money. That is borne out by requiring you to prove a negative - which is not possible and never required in any court. If they were ever to take you to court over their loss (which they won't), they wouldn't have a leg to stand on, as your wife had paid, so their loss would be zero.

In summary: ignore everything they send to you - don't bother to enter into any further correspondence.

RSMark

Its up to them to prove otherwise im no professional but read the stickies if its a PPC let then do the chasing and ignore everything if it was a council carpark things may be tougher to crack who knows.
Do you have the ticket still at the time of the so called offence if so game over put your feet up and relax.

trisontana

To add to that. If it is a private car-park then there is nothing "illegal" at all about your actions.

notts_phil

Tell your wife not to be upset . You owe these con merchants nothing. So ignore them and all of the silly threatening letters that you will get !!:)

Kite2010

You owe the scammers nothing because you paid for a ticket so the landowner has lost nothing, apart from a potential repeat customer (if the car-park belonged to some shops).

If it did go to court, it will be up to them to prove you parked there 20 minutes earlier than you did, so no prove exists other than maybe a photograph taken when you were buying your ticket

withabix

If it is Vinci, it is likely to be a local authority car park and not a private one.

Sirdan

withabix wrote: »

If it is Vinci, it is likely to be a local authority car park and not a private one.

Not so Vinci do operate private car parks ..if I look across the road here I can see one !

If the ticket says appeal to Vinci then it is a private ticket not a council one.

Kite2010

OP, on the ticket where does it say to make payments & appeals to?

If it's a random PO box number than it will be private, if its to the local council than it's a council ticket issued on behalf of a PPC.

Inflatable_Armadillo

Kite2010 wrote: »

OP, on the ticket where does it say to make payments & appeals to?

If it's a random PO box number than it will be private, if its to the local council than it's a council ticket issued on behalf of a PPC.

Vinci do operate both as CEO to councils and as a PPC, so we should double check.

However, given what he said was shown on the ticket about you have to prove them wrong, then you just know it is a PPC ticket.

As such, when you confirm who payment is made to, then get ready to ignore!

SonOfPearl

Thanks to everyone for your helpful replies!

I have just spoken - again - to the local Vinci office and they said that they operate the car park on behalf of the local authority, but payment would be made to Vinci. Does that mean it's a private ticket?

They suggested we should write to them again with a second appeal letter. Is this worth doing or are we wasting our time?