Unfair Parking Fine at B&Q Warrington

Torrel

Hi everyone,

I wanted to share my recent experience with B&Q Warrington and their parking enforcement, as I feel it's unfair and exploitative.

I parked in their car park briefly after the neighbouring Burger King car park was full due to a promotion. It was dark and raining heavily, and I didn’t notice any signs indicating restrictions. I later received a parking fine for staying over the 15-minute limit, which apparently applies outside store hours.

I appealed the fine, explaining the circumstances, but both the parking company (Total Parking Solutions) and B&Q as the landowner rejected it. They claim the signage is "ample," but in reality, it’s poorly placed and not visible in adverse conditions—especially in the far corner where I parked.

It’s frustrating because B&Q incurred no cost from my parking, and this system seems designed to exploit rather than manage genuine misuse of their car park. B&Q had an opportunity to intervene as the landowner but chose to back the fine.

Has anyone else experienced this with B&Q or other retailers? Any advice on taking this further would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Gr1pr

Its a typical case,  dont use private car parks unless you are visiting the businesses during opening hours as a legitimate customer ,  cameras are everywhere,  24/7/365 , the traps are deliberately set to catch people in the throes of chancing it, with the signage indicating that any breach will result in a £100 pcn

In future stick to public roads, less hassle 

There could be a chance in court,  if it's classed as forbidding signage 

There will be hundreds or thousands of similar cases,  because the private parking companies issue around 14.6 million PCNs per annum.  This saga is their bread and butter,  a typical alleged breach of the parking contract rules

Torrel

Gr1pr said:

Its a typical case,  dont use private car parks unless you are visiting the businesses during opening hours as a legitimate customer ,  cameras are everywhere,  24/7/365 , the traps are deliberately set to catch people in the throes of chancing it, with the signage indicating that any breach will result in a £100 pcn

In future stick to public roads, less hassle 

There could be a chance in court,  if it's classed as forbidding signage 

There will be hundreds or thousands of similar cases,  because the private parking companies issue around 14.6 million PCNs per annum.  This saga is their bread and butter,  a typical alleged breach of the parking contract rules

Idea has no road parking. Would you chance it in court on them having no losses? 

Either will way I will make it cost b&q way more than £100 with me being a pain in their backside.

Gr1pr

I doubt that you would win on the no losses argument,  possibly on trespass,  no parking contract offered or accepted 

I doubt that B & Q own the car park, more likely to be a tenant of a retail park 

Coupon-mad

Which area is this with no road parking?  Even in London you can park on street.  There is no way any of us forum regulars would have looked for a car park in any city in that situation. A side street is always fine. Even a single yellow line or a permit bay is OK for a short stop, certainly at night. We are saying this to stop drivers seeking out private land. Avoid!

Just ignore the fake PCN. Nothing will happen but tell TPS if you move house within 6 years. Come back if they try a small claim.

Torrel

Coupon-mad said:

Which area is this with no road parking?  Even in London you can park on street.  There is no way any of us forum regulars would have looked for a car park in any city in that situation. A side street is always fine. Even a single yellow line or a permit bay is OK for a short stop, certainly at night. We are saying this to stop drivers seeking out private land. Avoid!

Just ignore the fake PCN. Nothing will happen but tell TPS if you move house within 6 years. Come back if they try a small claim.

B&Q warrington, near the motorway. Closest would be residential parking which is 10 minutes walk away.

Torrel

Gr1pr said:

I doubt that you would win on the no losses argument,  possibly on trespass,  no parking contract offered or accepted 

I doubt that B & Q own the car park, more likely to be a tenant of a retail park 

I appealed to the store and seemed they had the cameras installed. They just said we have signs and refused to do anything.

Coupon-mad

I'd have stopped on the DYL on-street immediately outside that Burger King.  Looks like public highway, not a private road.

DYL - without kerb blips and on the public highway - are OK to stop on temporarily, as long as not causing an obstruction (which it wouldn't do there) and you can't get a PCN.

Gr1pr

Or on Delph lane nearby,  on a public road,  especially where there are no yellow lines,  away from the roundabout 

fisherjim

You used the word "fine" four times in your opening post, it will not say that on any paperwork or signage, you have a speculative invoice from greedy chancers.

However you are incorrect in assuming that from B&Q's point of view there is no reason to restrict out of hours parking, many car parks like this are used for all sorts of nefarious activities after dark which gives the likes of B&Q a bad name.

Telling B&Q you had been to Burger King would get you nowhere and I suspect they are cheesed off clearing up the BK rubbish thrown out of car windows.

But the PPC jumps on the bandwagon with greed in their eyes at the chance to charge for this nocturnal use by innocent motorists, the dimwits go elsewhere for their kicks.

But as you say totally inadequate signage even in the daylight, how they can enforce a contract from this signage is beyond reasonable, and what ever B&Q or the PPC say about signage you take with a pinch of salt.

B&Q know nothing about the rules, and the PPC's ignore them and tell lies, as an example; notice the ANPR camera that caught you on the pole on the right, looking along that entrance road and on that useless non conforming sign there is nothing to draw your attention to it along any of that approach road, which is a contravention of the Data Protection Act.

Coupon-mad

But whilst we are keen to give you the confidence, next time, to stay on a public road (and if need be for a short stop, use double yellow lines on-street: contrary to popular belief they don't mean 'no stopping') the main message is don't pay the invoice!