Highview parking charge notice

raging-rupert

I received a charge notice from this company for overstaying the time limit. A limit I wasn't aware of to be honest. The car park was the one at the Almondvale Retail park in Livingston which is apparently a separate company to The Centre Livingston. I am the registered keeper of the vehicle, the driver was using both facilities but didn't move the car as they didn't think there was any need to do so.

Just to be clear this event occurred in Scotland where I live and the letter is to me as the registered keeper of the vehicle.

I've been advised by friends to just ignore the letters they will send but I'm a bit wary about that. Should I contact either the parking company or the retail park management or just go along with ignoring them?

Apparently there are signs up but the driver says they never saw or read them. The driver choose this car park as the others are pay and display. They were mistakenly under the illusion that this car park was free from restrictions.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Stroma

As this is Scotland the advice is to ignore, Highview are toothless and do not do court, particularly up north where no private parking company has gone to the sheriffs court.

raging-rupert

Thanks. I was about to contact the retail park management etc but then realised I would inadvertently reveal who the driver was at the time.

I shall look forward to receiving various threats over the next few months then.

Stroma

Nothing wrong with complaints, we actually encourage them on this forum, even for Scotland. Just identify yourself as the Registered Keeper only, don't use I and me and all that, just keep it in the third person, if you need to mention anything, use 'the driver' instead.

The_Deep

Complain like mad, these companies are driving away customers. I will never buy stuff from a shop where PE manages the car park. Too many people being threatened with court under false pretences.

raging-rupert

The only problem I have with complaining is that while the driver did use the shops attached to the car park they closed and the driver left the car in the car park and went over to the cinema. They were under the impression that all the shops and car parks were under one management but apparently not.

So I'm not sure exactly how to proceed with that? Obviously the driver technically was using one car park and a different facility but did not do so deliberately or cause any inconvenience by doing so. The shops were closed most of the time the car was there.

da_rule

Doesn't matter. They only need to know that the driver was a customer and he/she received the parking charge whilst shopping with them. How long they stayed for after shopping isn't any of their business.

raging-rupert

Ok. I may well give them a call. What should I do if the shop manager asks for details? E.g. time, date, registration number or of course the details of the driver? I would be very reluctant to give these out. But to be able to cancel the charge they would obviously need some details.

I mean I would only be calling on behalf of the driver and therefore I wouldn't be the person shopping in their store either if you know what I mean. I'm dealing with it as I have received the notice as registered keeper.

Stroma

You are not admitting anything, you are disgruntled customer being harassed and extorted by a company that is just trying to rip you off. Now speak to the store manager only, photocopy any receipts or bank statements and redact them just to show the transaction.

I reiterate though, this company are toothless, and will not take you to court as they can't as there is no keeper liability in Scotland , so they can't make a claim on the driver as they don't know who that is

AberdeenTyke

Don't complain; do nothing. You'll drop yourself in it. Just sit it out and they will go away eventually.

Stroma

That is an option of course, but without complaints nothing will change. And I don't see how they can drop themselves in anything, this is just civil matter and there is no 'IT'