Is verbal permission to park worth anything?

TJay81

Hi all,

I've read the various stickies and newbie threads, but couldn't see this question answered specifically. There's a South West Trains railway station with a severe parking shortage. The upshot is that most of the time at least some people have to park outside marked bays. The station attendant is fine with this, knows about it, and is happy for people to do it so long as they aren't causing an obstruction.

This morning was another busy morning so the car was parked outside of a bay, but was the only one. Driver went into the office and specifically asked the attendant, and was told it was fine to park there. Now it turns out there's a ticket on the windscreen. The attendant leaves at 11am and closes the station office, so my guess is the ticket was issued afterwards.

Does anyone know if a verbal agreement is worth anything, and whether it's possible to appeal on those grounds? It seems to me that it should be (after all, he's a representative of the landowner, and so can give his permission to park...).

As I said it's very common at this station and I think the attendant would agree. I know other people have occasionally been stung and he's been annoyed enough to complain to the parking company about it on their behalf, but I don't know whether that's got them out of paying the fine or not.

Guys_Dad

Yes - if the person has authority to give permission and is willing to confirm your story.

TJay81

Thanks, that's a relief! What's my best option? Do I try to get the attendant to reverse it for me, or should I use the parking company's appeal process?

Johno100

If you and him are there in the morning, put the ticket under his nose, remind him of your conversation if necessary and ask him what he is going to do about it.

Fruitcake

TJay81 wrote: »

Thanks, that's a relief! What's my best option? Do I try to get the attendant to reverse it for me, or should I use the parking company's appeal process?

Do both. Don't just rely on the parking attendant.

What is the name of the parking company please? I'm guessing APCOA or possibly NCP.This will detrmine which appeal template you will need to use once you have read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES.
Send the template as near to the appeal deadline as you can, just like it tells you to do in the NEWBIES.

The car park is probably covered by byelaws, so this gives the keeper additional appeal points. Don't reveal the driver's identity.
You should also edit your original post to remove information about who did what.
Only refer to The Driver and The Keeper, who are two diffenenr people as far as anyone is concerned.

Umkomaas

From a PPC's perspective, verbal permission isn't worth the paper it's written on!

Edna_Basher

With this being a South West Trains station, the PPC is probably CP Plus.

If you can't get the station staff to instruct the PPC to cancel, it will be straightforward enough to get the PCN cancelled through a challenge to the PPC (and on to POPLA if necessary).

System

From a PPC's perspective, verbal permission isn't worth the paper it's written on!

But courts view it differently - not that this is going to court.

The_Deep

Most small tradespersons and their customers rely on verbal contracts. I do not see why a statement from a station manager should be any different.

Coupon-mad

Please, please do not rush to contact anyone because it sounds like you will name the driver with what you are planning to say.

Seriously this is beatable by following the templates in the NEWBIES thread and if you go and blab about the driver, you shoot several toes off and wreck the best appeal point at POPLA stage, so do NOT do that.

CP Plus?

nigelbb

Reliance on a promise to your detriment prevents action by the doctrine of promissory estoppel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estoppel_in_English_law#Promissory_estoppel_.28contract_law.29