Parking Charge

domal

I've had a good long read around the forum and I am looking for a little bit of advice due to what seems like unusual circumstances when compared to the normal templates etc.

I'm obviously wary of saying too much as I don't need to identify places/drivers etc (driver wasn't me anyway!).

I have come into the possession of a "PARKING CHARGE" from UKPC or UK Parking Control Ltd.

The car was parked on a normal residential street with no parking signs. When the driver returned signs had been put up stating it was a permit only area and a ticket nestled snugly under the wiper.

Let me just state that again, signs were put up in the five hour window between the car being parked and the driver returning to the car. How do I know the driver didn't miss the signs? They have been parking there for upwards of two months as it is close to their place of work.

So please could someone offer me some advice? Not only am I fuming that the signs weren't there when the car was parked but also that this is a gigantic waste of mine (and their) time.

The signs are one thing, but it appears to me to be a public road, it isn't a car park and the ticket isn't from a council parking warden.

I hope there is enough detail there to help, the driver shall be providing me with a picture of the signs that have been put up today.

All help gratefully received (but not via PM....).

Thanks

DoMaL

Edit: Just to confirm, I'm more than happy to wait the 28 days etc for the notices and certainly won't be paying anything other than postage for letters.

The_Slithy_Tove

UKPC are known for (illegally) ticketing on public roads on occasions. You need to check with the council highways authority to see if the road is theirs or private - it's not always obvious, and what may seem to be a public road may turn out to be a private road in some development or other. Clearly, if it IS a public road, then you need to get on to Trading Standards, but do check your position first.

You can do that check while waiting for the Notice to Keeper, assuming the registered keeper of the car is you or someone known to you.

When you come to appeal, you should add to the normal points the fact that there can be no contract, as there were no signs when the vehicle was parked. They'll ignore this, but worth saying anyway. When you get to POPLA, you could put them to proof that the signs were up when the vehicle was parked.