Parking Fine for not following the exact instructions

emmar500

 Hello there everyone. I'm new here and was really hoping I could get some of your advice/expertise. 

I have recently received a letter for a parking fine.
It's a fine issued from a private company, Civil Enforcement, and they've obviously sneakily called it a Parking Charge Notice (PCN).
It was issued for my being in the car park on the Quay in the Port of Wells, in Wells-Next-the-Sea.

The 'Terms and Conditions of Parking' section says that I am being fined £100 because 'Payment not made in accordance with terms displayed on signage'.

Here is the context:
1. They have us arriving into the car park at 19.37.
2. Then a photo of us waiting near the exit but still within the car park at 20.51
3. The terms on the board stated that if you enter the car park after 6pm and exit before midnight, which we did, the fee for one car is £1, total.
4. We paid this and got a ticket, which I have sadly lost. But this will be a matter of record as you had to enter your number plate details in order to pay.
5. However we paid for the parking while we were in the car park and after we'd been there for a while and I sadly remember the sign also said that payment must be made within 15 minutes of arrival or you would be fined.

So although we paid the full amount in accordance with the fee structure and while we were there, we are being fined because we didn't pay within 15 minutes of arrival I assume.

From a purely human perspective, this is monstrous and gouging in the extreme and very irritating. We paid the fee stated on the board while we were there and it fully covered the time we were present. But they are fining us because we did not pay within 15 minutes, though it made no difference to fee we owed, because of a fee structure they have set.

From a corporate perspective I gather they are allowed to do this to people. My question is whether or not you think it will be worth appealing this. Ought I to try on the grounds of fairness and common sense or is that a waste of time with this company, this kind of problem and in your experiences?

Thank you in advance!

Fruitcake

It is not a fine.

Please read the sticky thread for NEWBIES then send the appeal template in blue text you will find there. Send it unaltered, from The Keeper. 

Please also do a forum search for the Wells next the Sea thread where you will find dozens of people as you who have been caught out.

KeithP

The keeper needs to send the blue text template appeal easily found in the first post of the NEWBIES thread.

Send it unchanged - no additions or alterations needed.

Send it as the keeper.


You've used the word 'fine' (or fined) five times in that post.
I bet CEL's letter didn't once mention that word. 

emmar500

Oh OK thank you guys! I will check out all of those now!

fisherjim

Please stop calling it a "fine" you even say they called it a fine which I guarantee they didn't, it is vitally important you get all your ducks in a row for this no sloppy made up statements or assumptions.

D_P_Dance

It is not a fine, it is an invoice and only needs to be paid if a judge says so.

Do not tell them who was driving.  It is likely that the car park was subject to bye laws which means that only the driver can be held liable. 

Complain to your MP and the tourist office  and read other threads from this villag
he here and on peppipoo.  

Coupon-mad

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT PLEASE: 

The new (final) Government Consultation this Summer is something you must make sure you get your say in, given what you've been through.  

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/78411172/#Comment_78411172

Please, please come back every week to check and make sure your voice - AND YOUR FRIENDS’ AND RELATIVES’ VOICES TOO -  is/are not missed from this final opportunity to take part in the Government Consultation, coming very soon!