Fined for returning, yet didn't park

JoG27

Hi Guys - thanks for all the information on here it's incredible. But I can't quite find something relating to my elderly parent's PCN from a private firm (SR Security Services) at a shopping centre in Didcot.

My parents parked at the car park which has 2 hours free parking. They were there about 30 minutes, and my mum stayed on whilst my dad drove home. My father returned to pick up my mum a couple of hours later, he didn't park, just collected her and drove out. The cameras picked him up as "returning within 3 hours" and have issued a PCN.
They have signs and I'm sure somewhere it says no return, plus all the parking charges over 2 hours, etc. but if they didn't actually park the second time round can that still apply?
Many thanks
Jo

Coupon-mad

Hi Jo,

What happened when you did the first thing in:

NEWBIES PLEASE READ THESE FAQS FIRST

and complained on their behalf, to the Shopping Centre Management?

Half_way

This is known as a double dip, you need to come down on the shopping centre like a ton of bricks

pogofish

JoG27 wrote: »

Hi Guys - thanks for all the information on here it's incredible. But I can't quite find something relating to my elderly parent's PCN from a private firm (SR Security Services) at a shopping centre in Didcot.

Newbies Sticky, Post 1 - section 1 2:2 covers your situation completely.

Half_way

Did any occupant of the vehicle have a disability that limits their mobility?

The_Deep

Read these and complain to your MP.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5550336/double-dip-parking-list-of-cases

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially Smart}, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week), hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem become so widespread that MPs agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. It has cleared Parliament and hopefully, this will become law shortly.

DoaM

How do the scammers prove it was the same person driving each time? After all, only a person can enter into a contract - a vehicle is an object and cannot wilfully contract to do anything.

Secondly, if returning within 3 hours is not allowed, and the scammers can only create contractual obligations and can't apply penalties, how can someone contract to do that which is forbidden?

As you can see - this situation is not new and IS covered by the FAQ.

The_Deep

Secondly, if returning within 3 hours is not allowed, and the scammers can only create contractual obligations and can't apply penalties, how can someone contract to do that which is forbidden?

I am not sure I follow.

If parking is restricted to two hours, and you stay for three, then surely the same applies. The signs it virtually every car park in the land wouls appear to be forbidding.l