Car Towed Away

angel999

Outside my house parking is not allowed during certain hours of the day....

08:00 - 09:15 am and 16:45 - 18:00 pm

Due to feeling unwell I woke up late so was unable to move my car on time (as well as being late for work). I expected a ticket (knowing my luck), however when I opened the front door to leave for work there was a tow truck lifting the car. In brief the CEO was extremely rude when questioned and actually 'shooed' me away with her hand saying 'If you're not well, then go back inside...there's no point coming out now'. Obviously I flipped at her telling her 'how dare she speak to like that and who the hell was she using those hand gestures at. To which she shouted back 'don't shout at me like that'.

Anway, my husband offered to pay the fine and asked them to leave the car which she ignored. He sat in the car so they couldn't tow it away. We called the police, they called the police and eventually we allowed them to tow it away.....

The sticker on the car states that car was issued for removal at 08:03, PCN was issued at 08:11. The guy who towed the car away states that he lifted the car at 08:37 (which is false because I called my manager at 08:37 informing her that I would be late - it took me a while to call because I was distraught). The car had already been prepared to be lifted and I was outside at 08:32 ready to leave for work.

The car clearly belonged to a resident so was there a need to go to extreme measures by having it towed away.

I asked in a FoI request earlier this year why there were parking restrictions and there response was as follows;

The parking restrictions were originally introduced in 1970.

As the restrictions were introduced over 40 years ago, it isn’t
possible to say why there is limited waiting parking restrictions along this particular length of Whitehall Road. It could have been that there were more local businesses and/or attractions in the area at that time.

I have been living here for 2 years and this is the 2nd PCN I have received and both times it was because of a severe migraine attack. I tend to park the car a couple of streets away where the locals appear to have taken a liking to the car and left nice big scratches down the side of it.

I have actually submitted an FoI request for the CEO's notes and also additional information about the council's policy and regulations on the removal of vehicles.

Should I appeal, is it worth it? Any advice would be appreciated.

sarahg1969

You need to re-post on here:

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


Have you been to collect the car yet? If you have not, but have to do so urgently, when you go, it is eesential that you take whatever paperwork they give to you and do not request any appeal forms.

If you can wait (if you've not collected the car), wait and see what they say on pepipoo.

angel999

Thank you. I have just registered on FightBack Forums.

I had no choice but to collect the car because I needed it to get to work and my husband was delayed as a result even though he had to be at work because he had been made redundant and it was his last day.

peter_the_piper

As Sarah says DO NOT ask if that's all the forms, they often mess up and leave you a way out.

Coupon-mad

angel999 wrote: »

Thank you. I have just registered on FightBack Forums.

I had no choice but to collect the car because I needed it to get to work and my husband was delayed as a result even though he had to be at work because he had been made redundant and it was his last day.

You ask if it's worth appealing a Council tow?

I ask why on earth would anyone NOT?! You have paid money to have the car returned and appealing means you have absolutely nothing to lose. You either get your money back or you don't. You pay no costs and there's no penalty to escalate, because you've already been forced to pay it without appeal.

It's a no-brainer when there is no risk to you. Take pepipoo's advice and WIN as most people do over there. Council tow cases in particular seem to result in a refund almost every time. Please take heart from their success and get your money back too.

angel999

Coupon-mad wrote: »

You ask if it's worth appealing a Council tow?

I ask why on earth would anyone NOT?! You have paid money to have the car returned and appealing means you have absolutely nothing to lose. You either get your money back or you don't. You pay no costs and there's no penalty to escalate, because you've already been forced to pay it without appeal.

It's a no-brainer when there is no risk to you. Take pepipoo's advice and WIN as most people do over there. Council tow cases in particular seem to result in a refund almost every time. Please take heart from their success and get your money back too.

Thank you very much. Your message has encouraged me to fight this all the way.

angel999

A quick update - I was given a refund for £140 because I was issued an incorrect ticket as a result my car was towed away. I have now sent a very long complaint to the Council.

It still annoys me that had I not complained in the first instance then the Council would have got away with it!

However, my bad luck didn't end....I had to pay £60 for a new tyre because of debris on the motorway which resulted in a tyre puncture and prior to this a stone hit my window and left a huge crack so it had to be replaced!

Coupon-mad

Well done! Hate to say it but 'told you so'! :T

Every Council tow case I can recall on pepipoo forums has resulted in a refund when appealed properly. Councils tow far too often and far too quickly IMHO.

Only £140 refund though? I thoiught you would have paid out £250?

Everyone should ALWAYS appeal in those circs when there's nowt to lose.