Tradesman trying to get me to pay parking fine he incurred on the job - threating legal action

IW91

Umkomaas said:

What if the trader had had a speeding ticket en route to you, maybe no VED, MOT or insurance?  Not a lot of difference, all incurred just because you had favoured them with your custom. 

I'd be tempted to tell them to go swivel, but I've told you already to ignore them. Go with the latter advice for now.

I run a business myself and I told him I'd never dream of charging something like this to a client and that is exactly the example that I gave to him previously - imagine getting a speeding ticket en-route to a job and charging it to your client??

Despite everything, he's still adamant that we've agreed to pay for their fines.

I'll be ignoring them for sure.

Redx

As above , the driver chose to park in that private car park , broke the private rules , their problem not yours

If it went to court I believe a judge would laugh it out of court , should you be the defendant , chancers !!

If you did lose in court , you would have say 2 to 4 weeks to pay in full , to avoid a CCJ on your record !!

I doubt that anything will come of their idle threats , and debt collectors are powerless !! Nothing to worry about there

If they had run a child over , not your problem , if the van broke down and they were charged £100 recovery , not your problem , if it was parked underneath a chicken coop with poo all over it , not your problem , if they broke a leg carrying your flooring , not your problem , ad infinitum !!

Let us know about any court claim activity !! If ever ( I have more chance of winning a lottery quadruple rollover than you having a court claim and losing )

Be even funnier on Judge Rinder !!  😁😁😁😁

As Jim Royle said , my a***

IW91

beamerguy said:

Let me get this straight ....  you employed a trader and on the day he parked in a car park, nothing to do with you, he did not read the signs and got a ticket ???

You've got that exactly right.

At first I couldn't believe that they were trying to charge this ticket to us, but they seem to genuinely think that the ticket is our responsibility. 

I'll be ignoring them for now, but will update with any further developments!

beamerguy

As Umkomaas above

This nutty trader needs to talk his solicitor who will no doubt suggest he seeks medical help

This nut never knew he was going to get a parking ticket so how can he think you agreed to it.

If he continues then threaten him with harassment
The law is not as stupid as he is

Coupon-mad

This is astonishing! 

Come back if they try a small claim because you are not liable for their parking choice, as everyone here agrees.

KeithP

But do remember, the OP has told us that the trader's quote said 'parking charges and travel may apply depending on your situation'.

I too think it is ridiculous, but has the OP already agreed to pay this charge?

beamerguy

Coupon-mad said:

This is astonishing! 

Come back if they try a small claim because you are not liable for their parking choice, as everyone here agrees.

Maybe, just maybe this trader is related to one of the county court judges who are totally clueless ... someone has to be related to them   .... or were they born this way ???

IW91

KeithP said:

But do remember, the OP has told us that the trader's quote said 'parking charges and travel may apply depending on your situation'.

I too think it is ridiculous, but has the OP already agreed to pay this charge?

I get what you're saying. There's some ambiguity in the language and no doubt that when the trader wrote it, it was as clear as day he meant by the term 'parking charge', but it isn't clear to anyone else.

I certainly wouldn't have gone with this company if I thought even for a second that they intended to charge me for parking fines.

Umkomaas

Was the 'parking charge' clause linked to other claimable expenses they were adding to the contract like mileage, toll charges and the like?

beamerguy

KeithP said:

But do remember, the OP has told us that the trader's quote said 'parking charges and travel may apply depending on your situation'.

I too think it is ridiculous, but has the OP already agreed to pay this charge?

The word "may" enters .... even if the OP agreed it would not mean blantant abuse by the trader and not abiding by the signs

You have to admit Keith this sounds like a trader about to go bust, if he paid the charge he could offset it in his accounts ... if he does any ??