600% Parking rent increase!

caracbx

Hi,

I hope someone can help.

I've recently been written too by my local council saying that due to a mistake they made in 2013, I have been underpaying my parking rent... so as of 1st May 2017, It will increase from £3.19 a week, to £19.31 A week!

I am on an extremely low income with debt that I am trying to clear this letter has completely thrown me, I'm not sure they can do that? There is nothing special about my parking space, I live on a housing estate in london, and equally nothing special about my car - Its ECO!

My neighbor's space has been increased to £4.38 a week, they are two spaces apart!

I'm completely stressing and have no idea how they can do this. £19 a week is my food budget and I need my car - I travel to work in it, see my sick relatives in it and take my ederly grandmother shopping in it (we're stuck with express stores on our road and she's no good at walking these days so being ferried to a bigger store is much more convenient).

Any ideas on why this could be? Can i fight this increase?

Thank you!

Aylesbury_Duck

caracbx wrote: »

Hi,

I hope someone can help.

I've recently been written too by my local council saying that due to a mistake they made in 2013, I have been underpaying my parking rent... so as of 1st May 2017, It will increase from £3.19 a week, to £19.31 A week!

I am on an extremely low income with debt that I am trying to clear this letter has completely thrown me, I'm not sure they can do that? There is nothing special about my parking space, I live on a housing estate in london, and equally nothing special about my car - Its ECO!

My neighbor's space has been increased to £4.38 a week, they are two spaces apart!

I'm completely stressing and have no idea how they can do this. £19 a week is my food budget and I need my car - I travel to work in it, see my sick relatives in it and take my ederly grandmother shopping in it (we're stuck with express stores on our road and she's no good at walking these days so being ferried to a bigger store is much more convenient).

Any ideas on why this could be? Can i fight this increase?

Thank you!

For how long will it increase to £19.31 a week? From your description, you've been underpaying for four years so presumably, the new figure will apply until you have paid off the accumulated underpayment. If that's the case, I suggest contacting them to explain the situation and see if they can reduce the payments but apply them over a longer period of time.

Your neighbour's situation may be different. They may have less of an accumulated underpayment.

Nasqueron

Presumably neighbour has been increased in line with their normal policy and yours was so low they are making up the arrears as quickly as possible. You need to check if this is a permanent increase or just temporary to clear a backlog.

If they made a mistake they can claim the money yes, you need to ask for a payment plan as it's unaffordable though you might want to clarify the issue - it seems remarkable that they need to get £16.12 a week extra back from you for arrears for ever

Indeed, if your neighbour is paying £4.38 and you were on £3.19, let's be simple and say you were paying £1 less than them, over 4 years that's £208 - presumably they are getting back the underpayment over a few weeks - if they could take it over the year that would be £4 a week back payments which is more affordable? You might need to plead poverty and ask to pay £1 a week but you do need to speak to someone there about it

caracbx

Sorry should have been clearer the whole estate was paying £3.19 a week, for their space, my neighbors has been increased to £4.38, shes had her since 2002, another neighbors since 1997, still increased to 4.38... I've only had my space since december 2013, so have had mine the shortest length of time (I was only 7 in 1997!!)

There was no mention in the letter that this was to clear arrears, just that I had been unpaying and no mention of length of time either, they popped the letter in my letter box on thursday afternoon, when I was at work, and then I came home to it, and the office is now closed for easter (a little convenient if you ask me)

I will definitely be asking how long this plans to go on for, and will definitely be pleading poverty, I currently have nothing left over at the end of the month and have cut back everything I possibly can. Let's hope they're understanding.

caracbx

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

For how long will it increase to £19.31 a week? From your description, you've been underpaying for four years so presumably, the new figure will apply until you have paid off the accumulated underpayment. If that's the case, I suggest contacting them to explain the situation and see if they can reduce the payments but apply them over a longer period of time.

Your neighbour's situation may be different. They may have less of an accumulated underpayment.

Sorry should have been clearer the whole estate was paying £3.19 a week, for their space, my neighbors has been increased to £4.38, shes had her since 2002, another neighbors since 1997, still increased to 4.38... I've only had my space since december 2013, so have had mine the shortest length of time (I was only 7 in 1997!!)

The letter was fairly unspecific to be honest, just noted I had been underpaying... the neighbors and I all have reservations, annoying that they can claim the money back, due to their own mistake. I would have liked to think that we would have had some protection against their mistakes.

I hope they're understanding to my situation, Thank you for your help.

Aylesbury_Duck

It sounds very odd. Can you post out the text of the letter, removing any personal details of course?

It's almost as if they've made another mistake typing the new amount.

Car_54

caracbx wrote: »

There was no mention in the letter that this was to clear arrears, just that I had been unpaying and no mention of length of time either, they popped the letter in my letter box on thursday afternoon, when I was at work, and then I came home to it, and the office is now closed for easter (a little convenient if you ask me)

I suspect their Easter break was planned some time ago and has nothing to do with your problem

On a more constructive note, since the underpayment was due to their mistake, it seems toally unreasonable for them to dictate the terms of repayment (if any). I would suggest you contact your local councillor for help, and perhaps the local paper.

caracbx

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

It sounds very odd. Can you post out the text of the letter, removing any personal details of course?

It's almost as if they've made another mistake typing the new amount.

Im not sure If i can post image so here is the text word for word:

"I am currently doing an audit on the parking bays at X. I have noticed that you are being charged an incorrect price for the parking bays which you rent from us. The parking bays are gated and the price which you were charged previously did not reflect this. Also you are considered a Westminster resident so the rate is different. The mistake was made from 2013 when you started renting the bay. The new price for your bay will be £19.31 per week not £3.33 per week as you as been informed in the increase letter. The price change will take effect from Monday 1st May 2017. We are sorry for any inconvenience this will cause."

Notes: The gate is always broken. Everyone has a key to it. and regularly local market holders park their vans in the spaces and block residents using the bays they pay for. I also only have one parking bay and not multiple

Thank you for all your help!

eamon

It looks like possible London Boroughs boundary confusion. Which borough do you live in? Is it possible that your parking space in in a different borough? I would first of all talk to your neighbours and then have a really good look at maps for your area.

Aylesbury_Duck

caracbx wrote: »

Im not sure If i can post image so here is the text word for word:

"I am currently doing an audit on the parking bays at X. I have noticed that you are being charged an incorrect price for the parking bays which you rent from us. The parking bays are gated and the price which you were charged previously did not reflect this. Also you are considered a Westminster resident so the rate is different. The mistake was made from 2013 when you started renting the bay. The new price for your bay will be £19.31 per week not £3.33 per week as you as been informed in the increase letter. The price change will take effect from Monday 1st May 2017. We are sorry for any inconvenience this will cause."

Notes: The gate is always broken. Everyone has a key to it. and regularly local market holders park their vans in the spaces and block residents using the bays they pay for. I also only have one parking bay and not multiple

Thank you for all your help!

Ok, so they're not retrospectively charging for the time since 2013 so there is no repayment to negotiate.

I would ask them to justify the increase and to explain why you are "considered a Westminster resident". Do they mean you alone or all of the street/block? Perhaps your neighbours are yet to receive the same letter or if they have, haven't told you yet?

liltzero

I would bit their hand off if I was offered £19/week parking. I'm paying £60/week for mines and that's cheap round here.