Is it even worth appealing some charges?

Reav

I've used this forum a few times in the past for appeals and I've always been successful but in most cases I feel I've been unfairly preyed on. 

I recently got another £100 NTK through for a car that parked at a Nature Reserve. There are multiple signs up around the car park advising of a £100 fine yada yada, and the primary sign can be seen here. Tried to post a link but I'm too new.

The only real justification I think the driver would have is that sign states the car park belongs to Bransby Wilson whereas the NTK has come from Minister Baywatch. I'm unsure if the other signs around the carpark state BW or MB. The NTK has come within the 14 days of the incident and there is a photo of the car entering and leaving with a timestamp.

I've put through the initial appeal to MB and I'm awaiting the POPLA appeal but in terms of a defence considering how clear it was that there'll be a fine upon no payment I'm wondering whether it's better for the driver to just pay within 14 days to save £40 should the appeal go awry?

Le_Kirk

Search the forum for Bransby Wilson, there are loads of posts about that company and Minster Baywatch.

Coupon-mad

Definitely not to be paid!

The fact the signs are in the name BW is a major issue with the alleged 'meeting of minds' formation of a contract. Can't have been with MB.

Search the forum for Bransby POPLA and you'll find winning POPLA appeals already there to be copied & adapted.

Reav

Here's the primary sign! But in the background you can see a little yellow sign - there's multiple of those around the car park advising of the fine etc. Unsure whether they're branded as BW or not.

I'll have a read anyhow

mr_stripey

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of the legality of parking tickets - do people turn up at somewhere like the car park with the sign shown above and just not pay to park?

I've been driving (and parking) for decades and so far have not incurred a parking ticket of any description. 

I get that some of these companies are very dodgy. But surely it is a lot less aggravation to pay £2 and then not have to deal with challenging the parking ticket?

Coupon-mad

No, people don't generally do that.  We don't even know that the driver didn't pay £2.  Far more likely they had a fluttering ticket or keypad issue, or could not get a signal to pay by phone.

Reav

mr_stripey said:

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of the legality of parking tickets - do people turn up at somewhere like the car park with the sign shown above and just not pay to park?

I've been driving (and parking) for decades and so far have not incurred a parking ticket of any description. 

I get that some of these companies are very dodgy. But surely it is a lot less aggravation to pay £2 and then not have to deal with challenging the parking ticket?

I'm sure the driver had difficulty in other areas and wasn't intending on writing long-winded appeals rather than just coughing up 2 quid!

vegansaver

mr_stripey said:

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of the legality of parking tickets - do people turn up at somewhere like the car park with the sign shown above and just not pay to park?

I've been driving (and parking) for decades and so far have not incurred a parking ticket of any description. 

I get that some of these companies are very dodgy. But surely it is a lot less aggravation to pay £2 and then not have to deal with challenging the parking ticket?

You're just like many of us, driving and parking for decades and not incurring a parking ticket. However, what brings many of us here is the shock of getting a parking ticket out the blue for something that is often outside our control. For example a ticket machine not working, or the parking bays not being clearly marked or being 2 minutes late back to the car.

It's then that the shock hits you, that despite always paying you are suddenly treated like a criminal and threatened with court. There's no real correspondence or willingness to understand at this point, the private parking companies are simply looking to use anything you say against you. They will do anything to threaten and scare you into paying a ridiculous fine that doesn't even represent the alleged offence.

I very much doubt this part of the forum would exist, if it was for a tiny minority of people who just refuse to pay and abuse the car parking facilities.

mr_stripey

vegansaver said:

mr_stripey said:

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of the legality of parking tickets - do people turn up at somewhere like the car park with the sign shown above and just not pay to park?

I've been driving (and parking) for decades and so far have not incurred a parking ticket of any description. 

I get that some of these companies are very dodgy. But surely it is a lot less aggravation to pay £2 and then not have to deal with challenging the parking ticket?

You're just like many of us, driving and parking for decades and not incurring a parking ticket. However, what brings many of us here is the shock of getting a parking ticket out the blue for something that is often outside our control. For example a ticket machine not working, or the parking bays not being clearly marked or being 2 minutes late back to the car.

It's then that the shock hits you, that despite always paying you are suddenly treated like a criminal and threatened with court. There's no real correspondence or willingness to understand at this point, the private parking companies are simply looking to use anything you say against you. They will do anything to threaten and scare you into paying a ridiculous fine that doesn't even represent the alleged offence.

I very much doubt this part of the forum would exist, if it was for a tiny minority of people who just refuse to pay and abuse the car parking facilities.

yes, you're probably right. I wasn't suggesting that the OP had not paid by the way- just wondering about a wider point about people's habits when it comes to parking

I agree 100% that people shouldn't be penalised for small mistakes (like wrong reg number etc).

fisherjim

mr_stripey said:

Regardless of the whys and wherefores of the legality of parking tickets - do people turn up at somewhere like the car park with the sign shown above and just not pay to park?

I've been driving (and parking) for decades and so far have not incurred a parking ticket of any description. 

I get that some of these companies are very dodgy. But surely it is a lot less aggravation to pay £2 and then not have to deal with challenging the parking ticket?

People that roll up at a car park and bilk, or park in a Disabled bay because it was nearer the shops etc etc usually get short shift on here because that is the very reason landowners are persuaded to engage PPC's

Reav

Hi folks

Got my rejection back from Minster Baywatch and working on my POPLA appeal now.

Bit of background - they haven't provided any signage photographs, their rejection stated there is a contract to enter this site, as stipulated by signage, clearly states fee must be covered. Vehicle contravened yada yada yada no payment found.

There's one sign driving into the site at a 45 degree angle, same as the one posted earlier on the post. Marked as Bransby Wilson, the same sign is next to the payment machine then there's a good few signs above head height dotted around the car park with a big £100 fine. Haven't got any photos of those, they could be marked with Minster Baywatch.

Read through a few similar appeals and put together the below. (Would post a link to a PDF but I can't)

Thoughts?