Letter Before claim

Benj5050

Hi all, 

I recently posted on Reddit and was referred here!

I stayed in a hotel back in August 2024, unknown to me at the time the hotel had two separate car parks (the main one was tiny so they have an overspill car park) and when I asked hotel staff how to pay I got directed to a QR code and they instructed me through the process of paying. I paid £10 to park in the car park but a few weeks later I got a letter from horizon parking saying I owed them money for not paying the parking fee. - I stupidly ignored the first few letters as I thought it was a scam because I had paid for parking.

I then contacted the hotel and explained what had happened and showed receipts for parking/hotel room to prove I wasn’t just using the grounds for parking. They told me the matter would be resolved (on the phone, I should have asked for email confirmation) and after that I received no further parking fine follow ups.

Almost a year to the day I received this document (see attached) saying I now have to respond and I think it may go to court. I’m very stressed about this. I even made a 100 mile round trip to the hotel yesterday as nobody was answering the phone and they are advising there is nothing they can do now. The fine is now higher than what the room cost me for one night.

horizon own both of these car parks and I have the receipt to say I paid £10 to park in the overspill. I’m not sure if the price was the same in both it was that long ago

I’m not even sure what I need to do now, do I respond to this letter and if say do I use their portal or just an email to them. Thanks in advance 

DE_612183

1. It's not a fine.
2. Read the newbies thread - and the response to LBCs
3. Yes the hotel can cancel it - they are being lazy

Nellymoser

As above NEWBIES Announcement thread 
POST 2 Small Claim tells you how to respond to a 30 day notice Letter of/before Claim. 

Shows we can never believe what other companies say we need to get everything in writing especially anything relating to private parking. Email complaint to hotel CEO.

1505grandad

"horizon own both of these car parks and I have the receipt to say I paid £10 to park in the overspill."

A heads-up  -  I doubt they own the cp probably just manage them on behalf of the hotel.

Car1980

What was the hotel chain?

Gr1pr

Benj5050 said:

I e, I should have asked for email confirmation) and after that I received no further parking fine follow ups.

Almost a year to the day I received this document (see attached) saying I now have to respond and I think it may go to court. I’m very stressed about this. I even made a 100 mile round trip to the hotel yesterday as nobody was answering the phone and they are advising there is nothing they can do now. The fine is now higher than what the room cost me for one night.

Horizon own both of these car parks and I have the receipt to say I paid £10 to park in the overspill.

They definitely DO NOT own the car parks, just sub contractors working on behalf of the hotel or hotel chain 

Coupon-mad

Thirded.

Horizon DO NOT own car parks.

Just reply to Gladstones as shown in the NEWBIES thread or use the shorter LBC reply suggested by MSE Towers in their Guide (linked at the top of the page).

This is easy and you will never pay any money. Defending a small claim is free. No risk.

We have a Template Defence you can use.

No worries with this at all if you get a Claim Form this Autumn. No CCJ is risked. It is easy to see off a parking claim.

And just a reminder even though this is stressful, a Gladstones LBC is a 'nothing urgent' stage: so while your case is quiet, before the end of next week please please do the government's Public Consultation.

As I mentioned before, we need every poster to come back & complete this vital Consultation before the deadline.

See this thread: -

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6617396/parking-code-of-practice-consultation-8-weeks-from-11th-july-2025/p1

We understand that you may need some pointers. It looks laborious, we get that. It doesn't matter; no knowledge is needed except re your own experiences so you can call out a scam industry and you'll protect millions of motorists and help change the law.

I've written some guidance on that thread. I have covered almost every question, providing ideas if you agree with our stance on things like DRFs, which we say must be banned.

Ordinary people like you are falling victim to this scam 15 million times per annum. Motorists need your voice added please.