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Parking charge notice in a car park that's free on Sundays

Hi,


I parked in my local shopping centre car park yesterday which has free parking on a Sunday. I parked outside of a bay, there was no obstructions and everyone parks outside of areas on a Sunday (I know that doesn't make it right though) however I was left a ticket on my car. The ticket is £100 within 28 days or £60 within 14 days.


I'm not sure whether to appeal it as I should be parked in a bay but does it make a difference it being free parking on a Sunday?


I'm so mad at myself for being foolish but equally this is a barrier entry/exit and it feels like they must only send attendants round on a Sunday to try and make some extra money.


Any advice is appreciated thanks.
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Comments

  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 41,255
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    Who has issued the charge?
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    Of course you should appeal, £100 is a silly amount of money for a very minor breach of an alleged contract, I suspect a Local Authority would demand much less.

    This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

    Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week, hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

    The problem has become so widespread that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. It has even been suggested that some of these companies have links with organised ccrime.

    Watch the video of the Second Reading and committee stage in the House of Commons recently. MPs have a very low opinion of this industry.

    http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

    https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2018-07-19/debates/2b90805c-bff8-4707-8bdc-b0bfae5a7ad5/Parking(CodeOfPractice)Bill(FirstSitting)

    and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by early in the New Year.
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
  • Umkomaas wrote: »
    Who has issued the charge?

    It's been issued by MET Parking Services.
  • beamerguy
    beamerguy Posts: 17,587
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    Free parking all day means just that.

    You need to look at the signs carefully to see what they say and how clear they are.
    Are the white lines clear or faded

    Trouble is if one person parks outside the lines, you then have a ricochet along the line.

    This sounds like wardens getting their xmas bonus
  • Quentin
    Quentin Posts: 40,405 Forumite
    Everyone is politely asked to read up on this in the Newbies FAQ thread near the top of the forum before starting a new thread


    Go there now to get an understanding of the game you are now caught up in and how to deal with this


    You should use the appeal you will find there in#2


    Follow the advice in that post about when to send it
  • beamerguy
    beamerguy Posts: 17,587
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    For their customers, that is the company who took them on, MET Parking state they have Marshalling on site in peak times.

    A free car park on a Sunday would be peak times

    They say on their web site ......

    "The operational efficiency of a car park suffers most during peak traffic periods, whether at rush hour or during holidays, conferences or other one-off events.

    On-Site Parking Attendants who perform marshalling duties can help your customers safely and quickly navigate around your car park and they can provide other helpful customer services. This service will dramatically improve efficiency during peak traffic periods and can prove an important factor in gaining customer loyalty for retail clients."


    We always say that the ticket is NOT a penalty charge but an invoice. One must assume that MET failed in their duties to properly manage the car park as they promise and then penalised those parking

    The landowner was probably sucked into this false promise, find out who the landowner is and request cancellation.

    I would also contact your local press so they can warn people about this as you will not be alone on sunday
  • beamerguy wrote: »
    Free parking all day means just that.

    You need to look at the signs carefully to see what they say and how clear they are.
    Are the white lines clear or faded

    Trouble is if one person parks outside the lines, you then have a ricochet along the line.

    This sounds like wardens getting their xmas bonus


    I think I'll look at the signs and see what it says. I'm so bad as so many people park outside the lines on a Sunday and there's never been an issue :-(
  • beamerguy
    beamerguy Posts: 17,587
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    I think I'll look at the signs and see what it says. I'm so bad as so many people park outside the lines on a Sunday and there's never been an issue :-(

    You do understand that the parking industry practice a scam.

    MET are probably on a money making exercise especially as they are not managing the car park ?
  • beamerguy wrote: »
    You do understand that the parking industry practice a scam.

    MET are probably on a money making exercise especially as they are not managing the car park ?


    I completely get that but I don't want a CCJ or anything against me.
  • beamerguy
    beamerguy Posts: 17,587
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    I completely get that but I don't want a CCJ or anything against me.

    No CCJ .... best to read up on this

    The CCJ Myth and threats EXPOSED
    https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5849106&highlight=ccj+the+myth
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