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A light hearted, shoe on other foot thread
Truepat
Posts: 3,278 Forumite
My office area has some private land but locals often use it for parking to avoid paying for the nearby council parking. Anybody who does this gets a very hard to remove sticker stuck to their windscreen informing them that it is private land (as per obvious signage) and that they will receive a fine - a threat that is well known as not being enforced.
However on Christmas Eve I had let the staff go early and was awaiting a delivery. The 40footer arrived and I told him to park it in the yard and I would give him a lift home (my car being out the front). I then closed and locked the gates and went home. What I had not noticed was that behind the trailer was a car that should not have been there).
When we opened up again on Thursday we did notice the car. Then we checked the answering machine to which there were about 20 messages getting more and more irate in relation to the person wanting their car out.
Yesterday I had to listen to this "lady", and her solicitor, telling me how I had spoiled her Christmas and that she had to rent a car and that she expected me to pay for it and she wanted compensation, gestures of goodwill and if I had any children she would also have taken them as down payment. The second problem is that while the yard can be locked to vehicles it is still open to pedestrians and she was claiming that someone had vandalized her car - given that it was a beat up old Fiesta I am not quite sure how she could tell.
So I am just wondering if anybody has any advice on how to avoid her frivolous compensation seeking?
PS: To be fair, I knew her solicitor well, and we pretty much came to an agreement that she simply removes the car and does not use our yard again and she gets nothing from us for her stupidity.
However on Christmas Eve I had let the staff go early and was awaiting a delivery. The 40footer arrived and I told him to park it in the yard and I would give him a lift home (my car being out the front). I then closed and locked the gates and went home. What I had not noticed was that behind the trailer was a car that should not have been there).
When we opened up again on Thursday we did notice the car. Then we checked the answering machine to which there were about 20 messages getting more and more irate in relation to the person wanting their car out.
Yesterday I had to listen to this "lady", and her solicitor, telling me how I had spoiled her Christmas and that she had to rent a car and that she expected me to pay for it and she wanted compensation, gestures of goodwill and if I had any children she would also have taken them as down payment. The second problem is that while the yard can be locked to vehicles it is still open to pedestrians and she was claiming that someone had vandalized her car - given that it was a beat up old Fiesta I am not quite sure how she could tell.
So I am just wondering if anybody has any advice on how to avoid her frivolous compensation seeking?
PS: To be fair, I knew her solicitor well, and we pretty much came to an agreement that she simply removes the car and does not use our yard again and she gets nothing from us for her stupidity.
35, semi retired, sun, sand, sea, life is good
When you are done moaning remember that there are people who would love to have your standard of living!
When you are done moaning remember that there are people who would love to have your standard of living!
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Comments
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At the very least the word will get round. Maybe a notice that the car park could be gated shut at irregular times would prevent future problems, well some.I'd rather be an Optimist and be proved wrong than a Pessimist and be proved right.0
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My office area has some private land but locals often use it for parking to avoid paying for the nearby council parking. Anybody who does this gets a very hard to remove sticker stuck to their windscreen informing them that it is private land (as per obvious signage) and that they will receive a fine - a threat that is well known as not being enforced.
However on Christmas Eve I had let the staff go early and was awaiting a delivery. The 40footer arrived and I told him to park it in the yard and I would give him a lift home (my car being out the front). I then closed and locked the gates and went home. What I had not noticed was that behind the trailer was a car that should not have been there).
When we opened up again on Thursday we did notice the car. Then we checked the answering machine to which there were about 20 messages getting more and more irate in relation to the person wanting their car out.
Yesterday I had to listen to this "lady", and her solicitor, telling me how I had spoiled her Christmas and that she had to rent a car and that she expected me to pay for it and she wanted compensation, gestures of goodwill and if I had any children she would also have taken them as down payment. The second problem is that while the yard can be locked to vehicles it is still open to pedestrians and she was claiming that someone had vandalized her car - given that it was a beat up old Fiesta I am not quite sure how she could tell.
So I am just wondering if anybody has any advice on how to avoid her frivolous compensation seeking?
PS: To be fair, I knew her solicitor well, and we pretty much came to an agreement that she simply removes the car and does not use our yard again and she gets nothing from us for her stupidity.
My understanding was that blocking in is a criminal offence.
The 'i didn't see the car' defence is pretty unconvincing, especially given your attitude to the law in other threads.0 -
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Not if the gate/barrier was there when the car drove in. It would have been illegal to use the trailer to block it in. However you are entitled to lock the gate/barrier on your own premises when you choose to do so.
This is the correct answer, frankly it's her problem if the car has been locked in, if she cannot be bothered to park on council land which is located nearby, then she must face the consequences of her actions. The only person who has spoilt Christmas is her. I have very little sympathy for her.When posting a parking issue on MSE do not reveal any information that may enable PPCs to identify you. They DO monitor the forum.
We don't need the following to help you.
Name, Address, PCN Number, Exact Date Of Incident, Date On Invoice, Reg Number, Vehicle Picture, The Time You Entered & Left Car Park, Or The Amount of Time You Overstayed.
:beer: Anti Enforcement Hobbyist Member :beer:0 -
Quite correct esmerobbo.
The offence is one of intentionally obstructing a vehicle, for the purpose of preventing its removal, by a person entitled to remove it.
If the action was for some other purpose (in this case, keeping the HGV from being stolen) then no offence is committed.
If blocking was forbidden under any circumstances, it would mean you couldn't park on your own 100' driveway, if a trespasser had parked there before you.0 -
Not sure about sticking stickers on though, that could be an offence of interfering with a vehicle ( my wording may be incorrect )0
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That is why I employ solicitors so that poor, often made up, internet advice is not taken seriously.My understanding was that blocking in is a criminal offence.
The 'i didn't see the car' defence is pretty unconvincing, especially given your attitude to the law in other threads.
Others have already put you straight on that guess though.
Nope I have checked, I am just giving those that coincidentally missed the large 'Private land' signs their own personal copy. However if someone makes a complaint about the trouble they had removing them I would be expected to change the stickers we use. Nobody has complained officially yetNot sure about sticking stickers on though, that could be an offence of interfering with a vehicle ( my wording may be incorrect ) 35, semi retired, sun, sand, sea, life is good
When you are done moaning remember that there are people who would love to have your standard of living!0 -
peter_the_piper wrote: »At the very least the word will get round. Maybe a notice that the car park could be gated shut at irregular times would prevent future problems, well some.
Our yard is well known in the area for "free" parking. I really wish people would not use it, but generally they are doing little damage and despite minor protestations from us we pretty much turn a blind eye to it.
Just as long as they do not interrupt deliveries. The biggest problem is that if more than one lorry turns up at the same time anything in the yard will not get out until both lorries have been emptied which can take a couple of hours. This is annoying to those who have parked there, but we usually tell them to go back into town and get lunch or a cup of tea and come back in an hour (believe it or not some actually expect the lorries to move to allow them out - that is not going to happen.35, semi retired, sun, sand, sea, life is good
When you are done moaning remember that there are people who would love to have your standard of living!0 -
Regarding the sticking off super grip labels on the windscreen of transgressors, a local hospital used to do this until they stuck one on a QC's Bentley and got sued for a new windscreen.0
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Regarding the sticking off super grip labels on the windscreen of transgressors, a local hospital used to do this until they stuck one on a QC's Bentley and got sued for a new windscreen.
Not sure of the ins-and-outs of that but I know the ones we use can be removed with copious amounts of water. I know this because one of my employees put one on my loan car while my carwas in for a service, he was apologetic but it was my fault, i did not register the car at reception which is a procedure I put in place ..... Egg on face time. 35, semi retired, sun, sand, sea, life is good
When you are done moaning remember that there are people who would love to have your standard of living!0
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