NTO issued over 28 days after alleged contravention

Nijinsky

I stayed in a hotel in Hull Road, Blackpool. The hotel owner said it was free street parking for visitors.

Within a couple of hours of my stay, I noticed a penalty charge notice on my car windscreen from Blackpool Council.

I told the hotel owner, who was alarmed. I enjoyed the rest of my day and when returning to the hotel early evening, I noticed the penalty charge notice was removed from my windscreen. The hotel owner said he would take care of it and as the penalty charge notice was removed, so I thought the issue was resolved.

To my surprise, I received a NTO from Blackpool Council on 14/09/2021. I have since gone on the hotels website and it doesn't mention there is any free parking. I have looked up the hotel on Tripadvisor and it says there is only paid public parking nearby.

Clearly, the hotel owner has lied to me or misinformed me. I was only verbally told there was free parking by the hotel owner, so I have no evidence in writing to contest this charge. The hotel was horrible and my friend left a very uncomplimentary review, so I don't think the hotel owner will support me in any way.

Obviously, I have to respond as the ticket was from Blackpool Council. The parking charge notice was issued on 14/08/2021 and the NTO was posted to me on 14/09/2021. Am I correct thinking the NTO must be served by the council no later than 28 days of the alleged contravention? If so, would the NTO being posted 31 days after the contravention mean they have taken too long, now making this charge unenforceable?

The NTO says the penalty charge notice was issued at 13:09pm, roughly 2 hours after I parked in the street. The reason for charge given on the NTO was I "parked longer than permitted". I've looked up the street online on street maps and there is a tiny sign at ground level saying "no return in 2 hours". The sign isn't clearly displayed, as it is very low down not in eye line sight and was most probably hidden by other cars parked in the street blocking my view of the sign.

Do you think it would be a good idea if I provide evidence proving I was a visitor in that hotel and as the hotel owner misinformed me, the council should recoup the costs from the hotel owner instead of myself, if they insist on pushing this charge?

I'm aware I shouldn't admit to being the driver of the vehicle at the time the contravention took place. It's up to Blackpool Council to prove I was the driver.

I must confess the street did have broken white line markings, but I thought these markings were simply parking areas for the hotel visitors.

Thanks in advance for anyone taking the time to help me with this.

Redx

As we deal with private parking charge notices on here , you should take it to pepipoo fightback forums using a non Hotmail email address for sign-up , and post in the council section there , after reading their posting requirements first

Umkomaas posted similar information this morning in this thread

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6299468/council-rejects-appeal-for-pcn-of-cloned-car#latest