Money Moral Dilemma: Should my husband's friends help pay his parking fine?

MSE_Laura_F

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

My husband recently went away with two friends on a walking holiday. During one trip, my husband drove them in his car and parked up at a supermarket. After shopping there, the three of them left the car and went on their planned walk - totally oblivious to the car park's time restrictions. My husband just received a £60 private parking fine. If he's unable to fight it successfully, should he ask his two friends to chip in and split the fine three ways?

Unfortunately the MSE team can't answer Money Moral Dilemma questions as contributions are emailed in or suggested in person. They are intended to be a point of debate and discussed at face value. Remember that behind each dilemma there is a real person so, as the forum rules say, please keep it kind and keep it clean.


 If you haven’t already, join the forum to reply.
 Got a Money Moral Dilemma of your own? Suggest an MMD.
 View past Money Moral Dilemmas.

Coupon-mad

MSE_Laura_F said:

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

My husband recently went away with two friends on a walking holiday. During one trip, my husband drove them in his car and parked up at a supermarket. After shopping there, the three of them left the car and went on their planned walk - totally oblivious to the car park's time restrictions. My husband just received a £60 private parking fine. If he's unable to fight it successfully, should he ask his two friends to chip in and split the fine three ways?

Didn't we have this same Money Moral Dilemma about 5 years ago or more?

I remember it. Exact scenario.

It isn't a fine. MSE should not call private parking charges 'fines'. They are invoices.

The short answer is get the retailer or retail park to cancel it. That is ALWAYS Plan A and should be front and centre of MSE's Private parking tickets guide.  Always the first step.

The long answer is - it depends on which PPC.  Some of the ANPR firms at supermarkets never use the right to keeper liability. They choose not to use that wording.

As such, the registered keeper 100% wins on appeal to a BPA member and cannot lose if POPLA is on offer (again, depends which PPC). As long as - when appealing - they don't say who was driving or start talking about their story of what happened.

So the actual answer is:

Assuming it's not in Scotland (where the clear advice IS to ignore a private PCN issued prior to the new regulation and statutory Code of Practice) the answer is:

Come to this forum and get it cancelled but DO NOT PAY.

No-one should be suggesting that people currently pay a PPC just because they lose at the woefully anti-consumer farce of either of the two self-serving 'appeals services'.

It doesn't suddenly become 'payable' just because the joke 'appeal' comes down (usually) in favour of the rogue industry that the new Government will be regulating within months.

People should know and be confident NOT to just pay these. There's no risk to letting it go to court, or not, as the case may be.  ALWAYS complain to the retailer first and their CEO/Head Office, if the branch manager is unhelpful.

The PPC is just an agent. Regardless of any breach, the principal landowner or shops can almost always lean on the agent and order a PCN cancelled for customers.

And my advice in saying "don't pay it" is not to say ignore it (except NI & Scotland where you still can). See my signature.

Readers should read the NEWBIES thread.

Things will change in a few months with the advent of the Government's statutory CoP and better appeals and scrutiny.

Brie

Really?  Does no one look at the Parking forum?

Hoenir

Fruitcake said:

If the driver was "totally oblivious to the car park's time restrictions" then the signage must have inadequate and incapable of forming a contract with the motorist. 

Why must have. Around here many motorists are oblivious to what road signage and markings even mean.  Only last week a pedestrian was killed by a motorist in a 20 mph residental zone. Ignorance is no excuse.  There's a growing frustration with the attitude of some people who use the UK's roads. 

PattyPerfect

Absolutely, his friends had the use and benefit of his car, then they should share the expenses, fuel, car parking fees, fines.
no reason why they shouldn’t.

Eyes

No. He should suck it up and pay the fine himself. Just like he would not take the passenger telling him how to drive, it is not the passengers responsibility to park the car!! That is of course unless it was discussed before hand the passenger decided on where the car was going to be parked.

Missy15

I disagree, if you all go out together,  you should all chip in for petrol and in this case a fine as well. Somebody had to drive, so why should he be landed with all the costs?

Rossie64

If the passengers bullied him into parking there then absolutely. They used his petrol and his wear and tear on his vehicle so they should contribute. TBH if I was the passenger I’d offer to pay towards it without being asked, if I knew he’d received a fine. I’ve done it before. Fairs fair. Otherwise, very mean friends! If it was his choice to park there and they were against it, then no. 

But in any case most people are aware there are time limits these days in supermarket car parks! 

Lindamar_

Yes, of course they should pay their share. It would be the decent thing to do.

retired19

No the driver is responsible for where he or she parks the car. For instance if a district nurse gets a parking fine while visiting patients then the employer will not pay it for them so why should any passengers be asked to pay. As friends they may choose to help out but the principle remains the same 

wendym9201

Yes everyone should chip in, so unfair on the driver and using their fuel too.