Excessive parking fine - no contactless payment option during COVID times, any grounds?

imnotarobot456

Hello,
I've tried to read all these threads and am confused as to which if any apply so my apologies if I have missed something. I've been in Cornwall caring for my mother who just came out of hospital with pneumonia and being extra careful about contact, paying for everything by card etc. On a break i took my son briefly to the beach and found the parking machine only took coins and when I tried to change them at a beach cafe, the only commercial place around, they said they were only taking contactless payments themselves. I took the risk and found a £60 PCN slapped on my window when we returned to the car. I hadn't yet joined the forum when I first appealed so gave the details about being the driver but not owner of car etc unfortunately, and when the appeal was rejected by the private company just over a week ago, they gave me the option of appealing to the IAS but said the £60 discount would no longer apply if the IAS appeal was rejected and would rise to £100. That seems very unfair for what an initial £2.70 parking charge, which I would have paid if I had any coins or the option to pay by card, as many other display and pay machines have. I have also written to complain to the landowner and asked them to cancel the charge but haven't yet heard back. It seems that the grounds of excessive charge is unlikely to be accepted as a legitimate appeal. I wonder if in these COVID times anyone thinks the request for contactless payment options is valid or what alternative line would be the best to take if I appeal?
Thank you very much for your time.

A_Lert

Not having coins is no excuse for not paying. You could have left when you realised you didn't have any payment the car park would accept.

You may be able to avoid paying the penalty charge on other grounds. Read the stickies and so on.

Edit: Below poster has corrected me on the terminology.

1505grandad

Who is the parking company?

Umkomaas

Why don't you tell us which parking firm you're dealing with?

I wonder if in these COVID times anyone thinks the request for contactless payment options is valid or what alternative line would be the best to take if I appeal?

There are no Covid-related mitigating factors in the land of the private parking industry. For many, it gives them the opportunity for even greater exploitation of a naive public who believe they can make up their own rules when it comes to parking!

I took the risk and found a £60 PCN slapped on my window when we returned to the car.

What did you expect?No appeal will work - you do know that surely if you've read as many threads as you say above, but do get an initial appeal off (blue text template in the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, first post) to show that you have at least attempted to resolve this. Then wait (up to 6 years) to see if the PPC serves a Court Claim. 

KeithP

A_Lert said:

You may be able to avoid paying the penalty charge...

Penalty charge??

Who said anything about a penalty charge?

The OP has received a Parking Charge, otherwise known as a speculative invoice.

Ralph-y

where did this parking event take place ?

Ralph

imnotarobot456

hello,
sorry for not giving all the info - it was in Falmouth in Cornwall. Swanpool beach to be precise. Parking company is Armtrac Security and they have rejected the appeal and said I can take it to the IAS but I suspect my grounds aren't strong enough...? Does anyone know anything about Armtrac?

KeithP

imnotarobot456 said:

Does anyone know anything about Armtrac?

They've been mentioned here once or twice before.

In fact, the forum search facility reports more that one thousand occurrences of the word Armtrac on this parking board.

Redx

You took the chance and lost

The supreme court ruled on £85 being a reasonable payment or default tariff in the Beavis case for overstaying on a free car park and this case of yours is bilking , non payment on a pay and display car park , where the driver should have left and not used the facilities at all

On the trams in Manchester non payment causes a default tariff of £100 to be paid in lieu if caught

 Yes , Armtrac is well known on this forum

imnotarobot456

Ok many thanks everyone for your replies and patience. I really appreciate it, being new to this forum. It seems the only thing I can do is wait for a response from the landowner and if they don't cancel the charge then decide to pay or not. 

Redx

That is correct , Armtrac have 6 years to issue a court claim via the CCBC in Northampton