No signs upon entering or where I parked

666driver

Hello all,
Wantage- Kings Park
I got a parking invoice after over staying a few years ago and have completely ignored it until now which I am questioning whether I should mediate with them or not. I haven’t received a claim letter yet. I can’t find the legal land owner and the 2 shops denied helping me. 

When I drove in, there are no signs that this car park is under a private company or anything so assumed it’s free. Looking back on Google maps (now I have time to be more vigilant) you can see one small sign is completely covered by trees and that’s where I parked. 

I’m autistic and it causes huge amounts of anxiety so if & when I go out alone, I stick my headphones in and run off. I don’t tend to walk around longer than I need so no I didn’t go round the whole car park making sure. I saw no signs entering nor did I see any where I parked.(under the trees on the left as soon as you enter by home bargains) there is one sign by the trollies which mention DVLA but nothing more. I assumed it was home bargains own parking since you can’t access the Sainsbury’s etc from this entry point. 

Do I have a chance if this goes to court?

DE_612183

yes, you will most probably pay nothing.

1. Have you read the newbies thread?
2. which car park? which Operator and what have you had so far?

Post a redacted picture of the letter if possible.

Baldytyke88

666driver said:

I got a parking invoice after over staying a few years ago and have completely ignored it 

I’m autistic and it causes huge amounts of anxiety so if & when I go out alone

As it was some years ago, it won't be easy to dispute, you may suffer less anxiety if you just pay it now, that may be the outcome anyway.

DE_612183

Baldytyke88 said:

666driver said:

I got a parking invoice after over staying a few years ago and have completely ignored it 

I’m autistic and it causes huge amounts of anxiety so if & when I go out alone

As it was some years ago, it won't be easy to dispute, you may suffer less anxiety if you just pay it now, that may be the outcome anyway.

On what evidence do you base that last remark - take a look at all the other threads where if people follow the correct steps they end up paying nothing at all.

The unregulated industry relies on people paying it for the sake of it.

Let me have your address and I'll send you a £50 invoice for this piece of advice - I'm sure you'll pay it rather than contest it.

Baldytyke88

DE_612183 said:

On what evidence do you base that last remark - take a look at all the other threads where if people follow the correct steps they end up paying nothing at all.

The unregulated industry relies on people paying it for the sake of it.

Let me have your address and I'll send you a £50 invoice for this piece of advice - I'm sure you'll pay it rather than contest it.

Well, he would need to travel back in time to prove there were no signs.

Coupon-mad

Baldytyke88 said:

As it was some years ago, it won't be easy to dispute, you may suffer less anxiety if you just pay it now, that may be the outcome anyway.

DE_612183 said:

On what evidence do you base that last remark - take a look at all the other threads where if people follow the correct steps they end up paying nothing at all.

The unregulated industry relies on people paying it for the sake of it.

Let me have your address and I'll send you a £50 invoice for this piece of advice - I'm sure you'll pay it rather than contest it.

Well, he would need to travel back in time to prove there were no signs.

Not at all. The burden of proving their case on the BoP lies with the Claimant in a small claim. It is not the consumer's case to prove.

Your post above is incorrect and worryingly wrong. It's also completely out of kilter with the new MSE Guide now linked at the top of the page which was fact-checked by me this summer. And by Martin Lewis too.

It is the official MSE stance and it clearly tells people NOT to pay, NOT to engage with debt crawlers chasing parking charges and that they can defend court claims.

We win 99% of the time. Have done for over a decade. I guess you're just unaware of that but I'd kindly ask you to please read the MSE Guide before advising people on this niche area of contract law.

Coupon-mad

666driver said:

Hello all,
Wantage- Kings Park
I got a parking invoice after over staying a few years ago and have completely ignored it until now which I am questioning whether I should mediate with them or not.

  I haven’t received a claim letter yet. I can’t find the legal land owner and the 2 shops denied helping me. 

When I drove in, there are no signs that this car park is under a private company or anything so assumed it’s free. Looking back on Google maps (now I have time to be more vigilant) you can see one small sign is completely covered by trees and that’s where I parked. 

I’m autistic and it causes huge amounts of anxiety so if & when I go out alone, I stick my headphones in and run off. I don’t tend to walk around longer than I need so no I didn’t go round the whole car park making sure. I saw no signs entering nor did I see any where I parked.(under the trees on the left as soon as you enter by home bargains) there is one sign by the trollies which mention DVLA but nothing more. I assumed it was home bargains own parking since you can’t access the Sainsbury’s etc from this entry point. 

Do I have a chance if this goes to court?

Absolutely! Many get dropped anyway but you also get a Mediation phone call as part of the small claims process. You are not at that stage.

See post 4 of the NEWBIES thread for the pretty pictures of £170 threatograms.

Does yours match? Ignore it. Unless you change your address. The MSE Guide explains this (see the little banner & MSE Link in red at the top of this page, taking you to the official - Martin Lewis approved - Guide).

Which parking firm?

Car1980

When I drove in, there are no signs that this car park is under a private company or anything

Why would you pay it then?

You might get a court claim, you might not. You have your defence - no signage visible, no contract.

They're not going to magic up a photo from all those years ago to disprove you, so any court claim would be like most of the rest - taking a punt with the intention of just throwing the towel in.

DE_612183

Baldytyke88 said:

DE_612183 said:

On what evidence do you base that last remark - take a look at all the other threads where if people follow the correct steps they end up paying nothing at all.

The unregulated industry relies on people paying it for the sake of it.

Let me have your address and I'll send you a £50 invoice for this piece of advice - I'm sure you'll pay it rather than contest it.

Well, he would need to travel back in time to prove there were no signs.

No so - google street view can be used to show what signs looked like at a point in time, but as above it's not the defendants job to prove it.