Do I pay my fine, appeal or ignore it?

Olly96

Hi,
I'm new to MSE, I hope this is acceptable reason to create a new thread? I'm just stuck on what to do for a parking fine.

I've been using an Aldi car park all year at uni when going to the shop which is just over the road from the car park, with no issues at all. The policy on the car park was 1 hour and a half stay with no restrictions on leaving the premises. The last time I used the car park at the start of August, I received a letter from a private parking firm saying I've been fined leaving the premises. When I last parked there I didn't pay attention or notice that the policies had changed despite their being new signs there for awareness.

Speaking to one of the shop owners on the 'premises', they told me that a new firm had bought the car park around a month ago and changed the policy so that you're not allowed to leave the premises, and only use the shops on the actual car park. The parking firm have taken photos of me walking from my car towards to exit of the car park, but no clear evidence to suggest I actually left. There are also NO cameras in place in the car park which could've taken my picture, and when speaking to the shop owner, he said there is a car that has started coming and certain times of the day and waits for people to do wrong and takes their picture when they do, which I'm certain is illegal after researching.

Is this worth appealing? There's no clear evidence, just me walking up towards the exit (where the was a sign post of the policy). For example, I could have just walked up to the sign to read and turned around for all they know. Also, the fact they had been sat there waiting to me to do wrong. IF this went to court, those two reasons back up my case? And would the fact they took those pictures illegally make those photos invalid?

pogofish

Please start by reading the Newbies Sticky at the top of this Forum to inform yourself properly and see the range of options open to you.

Redx

yes its acceptable to start a new thread

there is no "fine", these companies are not allowed to "fine" you , plus they are banned from using that F word, shame we cannot ban it from NEWBIES , lol

its an INVOICE from a private parking firm

you can definitely appeal it , but it will be refused by the ppc

the ideal solution is to get ALDI to cancel it

if it went to a court of law, its almost impossible for a PPC to prove that a driver has walked off site and so deserves a parking ticket, we have yet to see a successful claim on that basis

but never say never

yes they should have warned you, read the IBBOTSON transcript from the parking prankster website from about 2013

the pictures are not "illegal", but may have no weight in a court of law
anyone can take pictures in public places, I am sure that you have done it many times on your mobile phone

a judge will decide on the validity of all what you have said , its their job to determine the legal case and make a judgment, so only a judge can answer those questions if it gets that far , including the validity of any "evidence"

Olly96

That's the issue which I forgot to mention. The ALDI shut down a few months ago but it's still there. The shop owner that I spoke said that they're unhappy about the whole thing because it losing them customers at the end of the day.

I only read the letter at the beginning of this week as I've been at uni and it went to my home address. The letter says that it would be a reduce fee of £60 if I pay it by the end of tomorrow, which I suppose is a incentive to encourage people to pay up. So I've been trying to work out whether its worth escalated and risk paying the full £100 or pay the reduced £60.

But quite frankly, after seeing the evidence they provided and having read everything online, I don't really want to give into it when there's a chance I could get away with :undecided

Redx

its not that shop owners car park though , not unless he buys the property so his customers can park there instead

the landowner is enforcing their legal right to not have private cars parking on their property, hence the parking tickets

we are not here to help somebody to "get away with it"

sometimes guilty is guilty

do not park on private property without the permission of the landowner or paying to park

if you wish to fight the charge , then appealing and not paying is one option

if the PPC wish to take it to your local county court then they have 6 years to do so , in the small claims court, or via MCOL as it is now

I can assure you that no appeal will overturn the pcn , so its either pay up or take your chances and hope they dont obtain a CCJ against you (if they do, then pay up within one month or else your credit rating will be trashed for 6 years)

Coupon-mad

Speaking to one of the shop owners on the 'premises', they told me that a new firm had bought the car park around a month ago and changed the policy so that you're not allowed to leave the premises, and only use the shops on the actual car park.

The parking firm have taken photos of me walking from my car towards to exit of the car park, but no clear evidence to suggest I actually left.

Which parking firm?

Have you now appealed using the template in the NEWBIES thread?