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£280 car park fine - what can I do?
manairport
Posts: 21 Forumite
[FONT="]I recently returned with my family from a holiday I found on travel zoo, I pre booked car parking (£29.69) at Manchester airport online through APH. I thought I had parked our car in the right car park but on my return the attendant said I had to pay a bill for £250 as I was booked in another one of their car parks, within 15 minutes the car park manager arrived and said the charge was £280. The manager said that although I had made a genuine mistake he would be £280 short if he let me leave the car park without paying for my mistake as he worked for 'an audited company'. The manager said we could only exit the car park if I signed a form to say I accepted the charge - after 40 minutes with my wife and 2 children sat in the car at 2am I reluctantly signed the form. I have contacted the customer support at Manchester airport and my correspondence is below, but I just can't afford this fee. What should I do?
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dear Mr King,[/FONT]
[FONT="]Re: Car Parking Charges Variance Report No. 1377[/FONT]
[FONT="]Date of Incident: 16/04/13 01.25am[/FONT]
[FONT="]I am writing to appeal your proposal to impose additional parking charges arising from my parking in the wrong area, and to request that the parking charge be withdrawn. I outline my reasons below. [/FONT]
[FONT="]I arrived at Manchester Airport on Monday 8 April after previously having booked long-stay parking, locations T1 and T3, through APH. I found the routes confusing and after some time following the signs for T1 and T3 parking I arrived at a roundabout with a multi-storey car park. The sign on the machine at the entrance to the multi-storey indicated pre-booked parking, so I obtained a token and parked my vehicle. I had previously booked the parking online with your agents APH, who I had used before. My booking reference for this stay was SNGXN.[/FONT]
[FONT="]However, on 16 April on my return from my holiday and on attempting to exit the car park, I was informed by the attendant that the charge for my parking amounted to £250. When I queried the charge, the attendant informed me that this was for short-stay parking only and my booking reference SNGXN was for another car park owned by Manchester Airport. I explained my position regarding my understanding that this was the T1 car park, whereupon the attendant advised me that the machine at the entrance stated that it was a short-stay car park, not a long stay car park. [/FONT]
[FONT="]I then asked to speak to a member of the management staff, who attended me at our car. The manager stated that the charge was in fact £280. The manager who attended told me that the car park was clearly identified as a short stay car park at the entrance to the building. I asked the manager to show me this so we both walked from the barrier to the entrance of the car park, when we looked for confirmation of this, he had to concede that there was no such printed indication. The manager also agreed that in his view I had made a genuine mistake, although he explained that this was an audited company and he would be £280 in deficit if he did not impose payment. He also stated that had I paid an additional £5 on my original booking (of £29.69) I would have been able to stay in this car park for the duration of my stay.[/FONT]
[FONT="]An attendant joined us with paperwork required to raise the barrier as I indicated that I neither intended to pay the fee or had the funds to pay the fee. The attendant stated that the token machine sign on top of the token machine read that this was in fact a short stay car park. When we jointly inspected the machine, there was no written notice of the car park being short stay, rather, it stated that this was a multi-storey car park. The attendant’s response was that multi-storey actually meant short-stay, and that everyone knows this.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My wife and 2 young children were present and my son, particularly, was very tired following our 3 and a half hour flight. He became distressed and tearful that our delay in leaving the car park would cause him to be late for the new summer term beginning later that morning, to the extent that he was asking my wife if he could use his pocket money to pay the parking cost, knowing that I did not have the money and that I was unwilling to pay. The whole process took approximately 40 minutes and I felt as though the people involved did not seem in a hurry to resolve my dispute. As a result of their exposure, my children were unable to settle and sleep due to the upset, resulting in their non-attendance of school the following day.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Given the pressure of the circumstances, I felt coerced into signing my acceptance of liability for the £280 charge in order to ensure the release of my vehicle. I left on the understanding, from the manager, that I could resolve the disputed charge by telephoning customer services later that day as the customer services administration were very understanding. [/FONT]
[FONT="]However, the Customer Contact Centre staff, whom I telephoned on 16/04/13, reiterated the attendant and managers position that the entrance to the car park was clearly signposted as short-stay. When I explained that this was not the case, the staff member admitted that she was unaware of this and thought it was clearly signed upon entrance of the building and at the token machine that this in fact was a short stay car park. She advised that I write or email my case and that she would pass the complaint on. She further advised that I should take the matter up with APH who should have given me clear directions for parking. I explained that the night manager had said I could resolve the dispute by telephone, but she informed me that this was not the case. I also stated that now 3 employees were in fact unaware that the signage of a short stay car park was not where each of them had insisted it was.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I then asked to speak to Charlotte the manager, who also stated that it was a multi-storey car park and therefore obviously short-stay, and whilst she agreed that I had made a genuine mistake, I should contact APH who should have given me precise directions. My wife then spoke to Charlotte regarding a waiver of the charge or significant reduction of the charge, although I am unwilling to pay this, and she was told that a response would be given in due course.[/FONT]
[FONT="]It seems to me that the failure to clearly signpost directions for busy travellers can result in unwitting users being saddled with additional expense. It also appears that onsite staff and customer services personnel are inadequately briefed on the precise nature of signposting at this location, and therefore unable to respond with clarity to complaints.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In cases such as mine where there is an acknowledged genuine mistake, this level of charge is unjust. I previously paid £29.68 in good faith for long-stay parking and I am therefore unwilling to pay this excessive penalty. My wife has spoken to Charlotte today who has said that she is willing to reduce the unfair charge by the amount of my original booking fee(£29.69) that I paid for my stay at your car park, I still find this unacceptable.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
[/FONT]
[FONT="]Dear Mr King,[/FONT]
[FONT="]Re: Car Parking Charges Variance Report No. 1377[/FONT]
[FONT="]Date of Incident: 16/04/13 01.25am[/FONT]
[FONT="]I am writing to appeal your proposal to impose additional parking charges arising from my parking in the wrong area, and to request that the parking charge be withdrawn. I outline my reasons below. [/FONT]
[FONT="]I arrived at Manchester Airport on Monday 8 April after previously having booked long-stay parking, locations T1 and T3, through APH. I found the routes confusing and after some time following the signs for T1 and T3 parking I arrived at a roundabout with a multi-storey car park. The sign on the machine at the entrance to the multi-storey indicated pre-booked parking, so I obtained a token and parked my vehicle. I had previously booked the parking online with your agents APH, who I had used before. My booking reference for this stay was SNGXN.[/FONT]
[FONT="]However, on 16 April on my return from my holiday and on attempting to exit the car park, I was informed by the attendant that the charge for my parking amounted to £250. When I queried the charge, the attendant informed me that this was for short-stay parking only and my booking reference SNGXN was for another car park owned by Manchester Airport. I explained my position regarding my understanding that this was the T1 car park, whereupon the attendant advised me that the machine at the entrance stated that it was a short-stay car park, not a long stay car park. [/FONT]
[FONT="]I then asked to speak to a member of the management staff, who attended me at our car. The manager stated that the charge was in fact £280. The manager who attended told me that the car park was clearly identified as a short stay car park at the entrance to the building. I asked the manager to show me this so we both walked from the barrier to the entrance of the car park, when we looked for confirmation of this, he had to concede that there was no such printed indication. The manager also agreed that in his view I had made a genuine mistake, although he explained that this was an audited company and he would be £280 in deficit if he did not impose payment. He also stated that had I paid an additional £5 on my original booking (of £29.69) I would have been able to stay in this car park for the duration of my stay.[/FONT]
[FONT="]An attendant joined us with paperwork required to raise the barrier as I indicated that I neither intended to pay the fee or had the funds to pay the fee. The attendant stated that the token machine sign on top of the token machine read that this was in fact a short stay car park. When we jointly inspected the machine, there was no written notice of the car park being short stay, rather, it stated that this was a multi-storey car park. The attendant’s response was that multi-storey actually meant short-stay, and that everyone knows this.[/FONT]
[FONT="]My wife and 2 young children were present and my son, particularly, was very tired following our 3 and a half hour flight. He became distressed and tearful that our delay in leaving the car park would cause him to be late for the new summer term beginning later that morning, to the extent that he was asking my wife if he could use his pocket money to pay the parking cost, knowing that I did not have the money and that I was unwilling to pay. The whole process took approximately 40 minutes and I felt as though the people involved did not seem in a hurry to resolve my dispute. As a result of their exposure, my children were unable to settle and sleep due to the upset, resulting in their non-attendance of school the following day.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Given the pressure of the circumstances, I felt coerced into signing my acceptance of liability for the £280 charge in order to ensure the release of my vehicle. I left on the understanding, from the manager, that I could resolve the disputed charge by telephoning customer services later that day as the customer services administration were very understanding. [/FONT]
[FONT="]However, the Customer Contact Centre staff, whom I telephoned on 16/04/13, reiterated the attendant and managers position that the entrance to the car park was clearly signposted as short-stay. When I explained that this was not the case, the staff member admitted that she was unaware of this and thought it was clearly signed upon entrance of the building and at the token machine that this in fact was a short stay car park. She advised that I write or email my case and that she would pass the complaint on. She further advised that I should take the matter up with APH who should have given me clear directions for parking. I explained that the night manager had said I could resolve the dispute by telephone, but she informed me that this was not the case. I also stated that now 3 employees were in fact unaware that the signage of a short stay car park was not where each of them had insisted it was.[/FONT]
[FONT="]I then asked to speak to Charlotte the manager, who also stated that it was a multi-storey car park and therefore obviously short-stay, and whilst she agreed that I had made a genuine mistake, I should contact APH who should have given me precise directions. My wife then spoke to Charlotte regarding a waiver of the charge or significant reduction of the charge, although I am unwilling to pay this, and she was told that a response would be given in due course.[/FONT]
[FONT="]It seems to me that the failure to clearly signpost directions for busy travellers can result in unwitting users being saddled with additional expense. It also appears that onsite staff and customer services personnel are inadequately briefed on the precise nature of signposting at this location, and therefore unable to respond with clarity to complaints.[/FONT]
[FONT="]In cases such as mine where there is an acknowledged genuine mistake, this level of charge is unjust. I previously paid £29.68 in good faith for long-stay parking and I am therefore unwilling to pay this excessive penalty. My wife has spoken to Charlotte today who has said that she is willing to reduce the unfair charge by the amount of my original booking fee(£29.69) that I paid for my stay at your car park, I still find this unacceptable.[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT]
0
Comments
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If it's the same company, surely they have agreed to park your car for £29.69? How can they now want more? Does it stipulate on your original booking where you have to park?"There are not enough superlatives in the English language to describe a 'Princess Coronation' locomotive in full cry. We shall never see their like again". O S Nock0
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I was supposed to park in either T1 or T3, I followed the signs for T1 & T3 to a roundabout, at the roundabout was a car park (not signposted) so I entered the car park and parked there assuming it was the correct one.0
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manairport wrote: »[FONT="] The attendant’s response was that multi-storey actually meant short-stay, and that everyone knows this. [/FONT]
Not in any English dictionary I've looked in! :mad:
I agree with what you've said and would refuse to pay.
Depending on how far you are from the airport, I would also suggest taking pictures of the 'non-signs' just in case you ever need to go to court to prove the matter.0 -
So effectively they were holding you against your will until you paid them to let you go?
Is that not called being held hostage?"One day I realised that when you are lying in your grave, it's no good saying, "I was too shy, too frightened."
Because by then you've blown your chances. That's it."0 -
Once I left the car park and started to think more clearly about the whole ordeal I realised that I should have taken photographs- but I was 25 minutes into the journey home at that stage and I felt the kids just needed to get home to bed. I am considering driving there, as this would cost me £25 in fuel but perhaps this would be well spent?0
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When the kids stress you will sign anything. My wife pointed out that at the time the manager was in no rush to help me resolve the issue.0
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I think this counts as false imprisonment?If you've have not made a mistake, you've made nothing0
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I think this counts as false imprisonment?
Yes your right it felt like it was, and at that time of the morning after a 3 and a half hour flight and being awake for 20hrs we just wanted to get home.0 -
Car parking attendants have no legal right to detain you. However I don't think it could be classed as false imprisonment unless he physically prevented you from doing so, or used threats of violence (a gun/knife/etc).
Did you physically try to leave?What will your verse be?
R.I.P Robin Williams.0 -
Car parking attendants have no legal right to detain you. However I don't think it could be classed as false imprisonment unless he physically prevented you from doing so, or used threats of violence (a gun/knife/etc).
Did you physically try to leave?
As the barrier was down we could not have tried to leave, and at no point, until the form was signed, did he authorise the attendant in the office to open the barrier.0
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