Parking Ticket - Parking Fines Ltd

[rosie r]

Hi all

I really hope someone can help me - I've received a PCN from the above company for parking in a disabled bay at an out of town car park.

Briefly, it was a Sunday, all other spaces taken up, and lots of free disabled spaces. The car park is not pay and display and I didn't notice the signs around the car park (I have now though!).

I was 30 mins at most, making a purchase at one of the stores, returned and found ticket.

Now have notice and copped for £100 payment (£70 PCN and £30 costs including DVLA charge).

Must I pay?

[Zamzara]

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...s-charges.html

[Sidewinder]

Originally Posted by rosie r

Must I pay?

No!

A private car parking invoice is as enforceable as a complete stranger approaching you in the street and claiming that you owe them money.

Read the 'sticky' on the front page of the Parking forum on Private Parking Companies and it will explain everything which you need to know and what letters to write.

You will certainly be hounded with increasing threats of court action and seemingly spiralling costs being added, but the top and bottom is that you have not agreed to any contract which agrees that the amount claimed is payable. The fact that it is a disabled bay is also an irrelevance, for whatever the rights and wrongs, a DB is a parking space as with any other.

[rosie r]

Many thanks - have now drafted first letter using advice, only acknowledging myself as the keeper and suggesting they 'take up the matter with the driver'. I'll see what happens...

[patdavies]

This is a private ticket and 99% unenforcible.

Have you had any contact with the company concerned (ie have you written or phoned). Do not until you have taken advice here.

Go back to the thread index and read the 'sticky' thread about private parking.

Ignore any whining from the moral minority about parking is disabled spaces - such markings are meaningless in private parking

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by patdavies

Ignore any whining from the moral minority about parking is disabled spaces

Why have only a minority of people got morals thats very sad!?

[Barnsley Boy]

Agreed, the Private Parking Ticket is a scam - do not pay, the scammers should not be encouraged

But, without sounding impossibly holier than thou, parking in a disabled spot, when you're not is pretty inconsiderate - shame on you.

(you don't drive a BMW by any chance?)

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by Barnsley Boy

But, without sounding impossibly holier than thou, parking in a disabled spot, when you're not is pretty inconsiderate - shame on you.

You must be the moral minority Pat mentioned!?

I do have to agree tho just because the bays are empty it doesn't mean you should park there, they are empty for a reason....to allow disabled people to park. If everyone took the same attitude as you they would have all been full you are not a special case.

You should not however pay the ticket to the parking co. why not send it to a disabled charity instead as a way of an apology?

[Zamzara]

I agree it would be selfish to use a disabled space if standard spaces are available.

But if all the standard spaces are full and only one disabled space is free, then I think the point sometimes gets missed that either of two drivers parking in the space will entirely deny the other use of the facilities.

I do like the idea of making a donation to a charity instead of to the scammers, good suggestion.

[green_and_mean]

Originally Posted by Zamzara

But if all the standard spaces are full and only one disabled space is free, then I think the point sometimes gets missed that either of two drivers parking in the space will entirely deny the other use of the facilities.

Without wishing to sound like I'm preaching the whole point is the disabled person has no other option than to park there they are not denying you anything other than a shorter walk. An able bodied person has the luxury of being able to park elsewhere and walk to the location something most BB holders would probably be pleased to swap for the right to a parking space.

[Zamzara]

Originally Posted by green_and_mean

An able bodied person has the luxury of being able to park elsewhere and walk to the location

I totally agree, if that's possible in the circumstances. And I'm stopping short of fully condoning using a disabled space, whatever the situation.

[patdavies]

However, a 'disabled' space in a private car park is nothing more than graffiti. It had no force of law

And don't get me started on parent and child parking spaces.

[rosie r]

I agree with all of the above comments, and ordinarily I wouldn't park in a disabled bay. However, it was an out of town car park, there were no other spaces other than a dozen or so disabled bays and there were still spaces when I returned to the car...

I do think that a donation to a (disabled) charity (ideas?) is a good idea and one which I shall follow up. Hopefully this will provide sufficient 'reparation' for my transgression.

[Barnsley Boy]

Rosie R

Don't be too hard on yourself Rosie R, it was only a minor transgression. Donations to charity all fine and dandy but £100 in one go! - its out of proportion, unless you called Branson