being chased for parking ticket April 2013

Jackster34

Hello
I just got a letter from the council chasing a parking ticket dated 22nd April 2013 i.e. 3 and a half years ago. I logged onto council website and could see photos of my old car with ticket in place on windscreen.

The letter is from my local council - not bailiffs, or court, and is only asking for the 'discount' rate of £55 if I pay within 30 days (this is after 3 and half years!). The council letter says 'we sent a number of notices' asking for payment. Did they or didn't they?

Usually if you ignore fines and follow up notices the fine escalates very promptly and ends up with courts and bailiffs. So why didn't this happen with this ticket and why are the council only sending a polite reminder - after 3 and a half years - for the 'discount' £55 ?

It seems a bit fishy. Did this ticket slip through the net? Were any notices ever sent to me at the time? Perhaps not, and that's why I'm only getting polite discount reminder. But I can't prove anything as can't remember after 3 and a half years. The letter and parking fine came as a total surprise to me. Maybe the parking ticket was even removed by passerby before I returned to the car? I have no memory of it.

What is the legal position? Do parking fines have an 'expiry date' beyond which they can no longer chase you for the money? Be grateful if anyone knows legal position on age of parking fines.

If not I'll just pay the £55 and count myself lucky.

Many thanks

Coupon-mad

That's extremely odd and I think surely well out of time. I would post a picture of the PCN (BOTH SIDES PLEASE) on pepipoo forum here:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30

Don't use a hotmail addy to register. You should be able to start a new topic very soon but DO NOT post without first reading how to post images, and include them. Pepipoo can help most people with almost every PCN from Councils. Over 90% success without a doubt.

Jackster34

Thanks for suggestion - only trouble is I can't upload ticket to pepipoo as don't have ticket. Alleged ticket was 3 and half years ago and, if I ever had it, I don't have ticket now.

I really need to find out if parking fines have an 'expiry date'. Surely 3 and half years is too long to start chasing a ticket? Anyone know?

Fruitcake

Jackster34 wrote: »

Thanks for suggestion - only trouble is I can't upload ticket to pepipoo as don't have ticket. Alleged ticket was 3 and half years ago and, if I ever had it, I don't have ticket now.

I really need to find out if parking fines have an 'expiry date'. Surely 3 and half years is too long to start chasing a ticket? Anyone know?

You can still upload the Council letter to pepipoo for the regulars there to look at.

They are the experts on council and police tickets, so they should be able to answer your questions about being timed out. We tend to specialise in private parking tickets here on MSE.

Good luck.