Ticket outside grace period

oaktreecar

Hi I’m after some advice please. I parked in a private excel parking car park. Entered at 9:50am bought ticket after 16 minutes and left 2 minutes later. Excel say I didn’t have a valid ticket as it was outside the grace period. It’s gone to mediation and they wanted £255 but they offered £195 to settle. I offered initially £60 then £100 but they wouldn’t go lower than £145. I’ve ended mediation and told the mediator to inform Excel to take me to court. Do I have a leg to stand on in court? I always buy tickets and am just frustrated I have to pay a fine (even though it was over the grace period). Thanks in advance for any advice. Am I best contacting them and accepting the £145 before court? 

Gr1pr

You may as well fight and dispute the matter, a loss in court is about £200 , but because you paid the judge may decide in your favour, then you pay nothing at all

There was no fine, just an invoice for the alleged breach of the parking contract, the Parking Charge Notice, PCN

there are probably valid reasons for the delay in payment, but you did pay for the parking period, so taking you to court over such a trivial matter may win it for you 

Fruitcake

It is not a fine.

There is no such thing as mediation in the unregulated parking industry. Do you mean you made an appeal to the kangaroo court that is the IAS? 

Plan A is always a complaint to the landowner. Normally we would also advice a complaint to your MP, but that will be pointless for the next few months.

Was there a reason why it took so long to pay? You don't need to tell us, but a faulty pay machine, or lack of 'phone signal, or problem downloading or using a parking app, or driving around looking for a space are all valid reasons why a motorist might take longer than normal to make a payment.

Where did the alleged event occur? It my have cropped up here before.

Get photos of the site and signage asap.

Ignore powerless debt collectors, but do not ignore a letter of/before claim or a court claim.

For all other advice, read the sticky Announcement for NEWBIES that will answer most of your questions without you needing to ask them.

fisherjim

Can't see why you offered anything, how long did you pay for?

Was the clause about paying within a grace period clearly conveyed on the signage?

Pity you didn't come here before appealing, there may have been loopholes in the NTK, or wasting your time with mediation, the mediating process is based on getting you to pay as much as the PPC can screw out of you IMHO.

Gr1pr

Seems to me that a court claim has already been issued and the mediation was the early part of the process, which is apparently going to be mandatory in future ( as mentioned in another thread on here yesterday. )

oaktreecar

Thanks for your replies. I didn’t have change on me so paid on my return from getting change (it didn’t feel like 13 mins but I should have been quicker). 

I got notice from a county court through a general form of judgment or order but then offered mediation before going to court. 

I never got any photos but will go and take some of the area and signs. 

I paid £1 to cover an hour of parking. 

The event happened in Aug 23. 

KeithP

You have already filed a Defence against the Court Claim.

Can you please show us that defence?