HELP please 2 solicitors'letters already

ksh123

Hi
I'll try and be brief. Went to a big Liverpool hopital 60 miles from me for the 1st time a few months ago. I am a blue badge user. It was not possible to find a) any vacant disabled bays or b) any vacant bays which were near enough to the department I needed bearing in mind that I had faffed around for so long looking for a space I was already running very late and the distance I am capable of walking without great discomfort.
I came across a small side road signed "ambulance bays" BUT it contained 3 disabled bays, close to where I needed. The bays were of course full but next to them were 2 other bays without any specific signs definitely not saying anything about ambulances. 1 of those bays contained another blue badge vehicle and I took a deep breath and parked in the other correctly displaying my blue badge.
I got a ticket from the HOSPITAL and appealed on the grounds that the hospital didn't have sufficient parking for disabled peopled with ambulatory problems. My appeal was refused because I had parked in an ambulance bay although there was no such sign at the bay itself. Interestingly next time I went to the hospital the very bay in which I had parked, and the next to it, had been converted to a disabled bays - presumably because I was right there were not enough bays in that particular area.
Since then I have received 2 letters from the hospitals' solicitors demanding £50 by return or they will issue court proceedings.
I can't pay, and don't want to pay because I believe my appeal was justified (as now proved by the change of bay designation - it wasn't an ambulance bay at all) and I'm not even sure whether, because the ground is owned by the hospital, that the fine is legal anyway.
But I am nervous and don't know what to do.
Any advice gratefully received.

esmerobbo

Hmm Hospital start with "A" and the solicitors "T" by any chance?

ksh123

esmerobbo wrote: »

Hmm Hospital start with "A" and the solicitors "T" by any chance?

Yes. Do you have experience I could benefit from?

give_them_FA

Can I just clarify. Who did you actually get the correspondence from? Usually hospitals don't deal with parking themselves but bring in a private company to handle it for them. And what is the name of the Solicitors dealing with it?

It sounds as though they have absolutely no case. However, having no case does not stop parking companies from trying to browbeat you into paying anyway. Hence my query.

give_them_FA

OK, well so its Aintree. I think Esmerobbo's on his home ground...

bondy_lad

yep, as post 4, need further info, so we can help you.

ksh123

Hi
my appeal was sent directly to theAintree University hospital Foundation trust via a PO box. It took them months to reply and the letter refusing my appeal purported to come from the Hopital's parking appeals committee.
Since then I have heard from their solicitors: Trethowans.

esmerobbo

ksh123 wrote: »

Yes. Do you have experience I could benefit from?

Unfortunately they do sometimes issue proceedings and they have lost and they have won!
It is the hospital in their own right who issue the "penalties" they do actually call them that!
When they are not paid they pass it to the solicitors who make a killing from it.

There was one on CAG recently very similar to your case, the lady lost at court but it was very strange decision. Judge decided the "penalty" was a legitimate cost in issuing the ticket.

The normal advice is to ignore these things but I think it only fair to warn you that they do try court sometimes.

ksh123

esmerobbo wrote: »

Unfortunately they do sometimes issue proceedings and they have lost and they have won!
It is the hospital in their own right who issue the "penalties" they do actually call them that!
When they are not paid they pass it to the solicitors who make a killing from it.

There was one on CAG recently very similar to your case, the lady lost at court but it was very strange decision. Judge decided the "penalty" was a legitimate cost in issuing the ticket.

The normal advice is to ignore these things but I think it only fair to warn you that they do try court sometimes.

Thank you. How depressing I know no one needs this sort of cr** in their life but honestly, when you are battling with a difficult mental illness it is just hideous and makes me feel so ill. Should I go to CAB or soemone now, or wait and see how things pan out?

esmerobbo

One they lost!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3672741

One they won!

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?318783-Court-papers-from-Trethowans

If you google Aintree Trethowens you will see others. A couple on Pepipoo again winners and losers!

Problem is Trethowens get paid from the hospital win or lose! £120.000 in 2010/2011 they received for these things!

ksh123

esmerobbo wrote: »

One they lost!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3672741

One they won!

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?318783-Court-papers-from-Trethowans

If you google Aintree Trethowens you will see others. A couple on Pepipoo again winners and losers!

Problem is Trethowens get paid from the hospital win or lose! £120.000 in 2010/2011 they received for these things!

Good grief! They really do know how to make money out of other people's pain don't they?