Scotland: Court orders woman to pay £24,500 in private parking charges (VCS)

liviboy

Just spotted this is on the news and no mention here...

Court orders woman to pay £24,500 to private parking company
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-39478203

She was ordered to pay as she ignored he charges believing they were not valid in law...the Sheriff suggested otherwise...

Was this only possible because she admitted to parking and hence was the guilty party rather than the registered keeper with "no knowledge" of who the driver was?

The PPC was VCS (Vehicle Control Services).

Half_way

something not right with that somewhere, residential site as well

sli88

Ouch!
I certainly don't have that money lying around.

It sounds like she dug her own grave a bit though by flagrantly flouting the rules and parking where she had no right to. I'd have thought she'd be required to pay the £40 a month permit fee amounting for the length of time she'd been parking there, plus interest.

I am not sure if she could appeal the £24500 as a penalty clause though.

NRH12

I'm wondering if this was a case of poor defence on her part, leaving it as their word against hers...

Ant555

NRH12 wrote: »

I'm wondering if this was a case of poor defence on her part, leaving it as their word against hers...

I was thinking the same - not sure if it was even their word against hers.
From that brief article, she appears to have never denied parking there (on hundreds of occasions) but said the charges were unlawful and she was entitled to do so.

The Sherrif appears to have disagreed with her.

NRH12

Ant555 wrote: »

...unlawful and she was entitled to do so.

I'm also thinking she was possibly right, but didn't produce anything to substantiate this (lease etc.). I'm also wondering what her definition of "unlawful" was, we all know these charges may be "unenforceable", but that's a different term.

Lamilad

I feel sick after reading this! _pale_

Ant555

It looks like her step-dad had a garage included in his lease and she parked infront of it every day thinking that as she was living there too then it was her right.

They offered her an alternative place at £500/year but she declined.

Ant555

She parked her mini on the cobbles outside her step dads garage

She added: 'They say the route is pedestrian access, but there are old cobbles that wouldn't be suitable for a wheelchair, and just across the road is a smooth path.'

poppy10_2

TBH she was a bit dumb to park across the path like that
The sheriff's reasoning is worrying though.

Half_way

Its certainly with appealing, however she will need help as it looks like she dug her own hole