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Does anyone know where I stand with claiming back overpayments on pay and display ticket pricing?
My local council charge 70p, £1.40 etc for 1Hr/2hrs.
When I pay £1 and am only permitted to park for 1 Hr, can I claim back the 30p overpayment? - It may seem petty, but when I get a ticket for going a few minutes over the time (that they refuse to cancel) I would like to know whether anyone has tried to claim these overpayments back?
If the machine gives the option of paying the correct amount and you simply do not have correct change the Council is not liable.
But I think the OP is questioning the legality of this. I was always under the assumption that if you overpay for something, knowingly or unknowingly, you are legally entitled to the excess back.
I think, and I am no expert, that if the machine clearly states, exact money only, no change given, then you have the choice to park or not, a case of caveat emptor I beleive
Lula
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I think, and I am no expert, that if the machine clearly states, exact money only, no change given, then you have the choice to park or not, a case of caveat emptor I beleive
So, if Tescos have a sign above their tills saying "No change given" would that be legal?
So, if Tescos have a sign above their tills saying "No change given" would that be legal?
Yes, a shop does not have to sell you anything so in my opinion it would be legal to refuse giving change. Some stores accept credit cards only,is that illegal?
It is a common ploy to get free money. have seen many machine were the rate is just under the magic numbers.
haven't seen any at all where the charge is something like £1.10p.
And who keeps the extra - the council or the car park operator ?
its called a fiddle - only way to beat it is to have exact change which they know will not happen in every case.
there are machines that give change - they just decide not to use them as its 'free money'.
there are machines that give change - they just decide not to use them as its 'free money'.
It is not practical to use P&D machines that give change due to the size of the machine, security issues and the fact that it would constantly run out of change or break down.
strange that all the ones I know seem to work great - and give change apart from maybe one time in a hundred when the machine clearly states it in big letters so that you are informed.
strange that all the ones I know seem to work great - and give change apart from maybe one time in a hundred when the machine clearly states it in big letters so that you are informed.
Let me know who makes them as I'm not aware of an on street machine that supplies change. Stelio the most commonly used machine does not have a version that issues change. Machines that give change need to have a 'change hopper' in the top of the machine that is prone to attack from thieves, on street machines direct the cash directly to a secure 'vault' in the base of the machine. Car Park machines that give change are much larger hence more secure and less likely to be attacked due to the location. The tarrifs for parking and payment would make giving change impractical in an on street machine. If the cost was 80p most drivers would pay with a £1 coin requiring a large supply of 20p coins. If the problem is drivers not having the correct money where is the change in the machine going to come from? Car Park machines are like vending machines and have change hoppers that can be filled up daily with various denominations that is just not practical for on street machines as it is not uncommon for Councils to have over 100 machines.
Let me know who makes them as I'm not aware of an on street machine that supplies change. Stelio the most commonly used machine does not have a version that issues change. Machines that give change need to have a 'change hopper' in the top of the machine that is prone to attack from thieves, on street machines direct the cash directly to a secure 'vault' in the base of the machine. Car Park machines that give change are much larger hence more secure and less likely to be attacked due to the location. The tarrifs for parking and payment would make giving change impractical in an on street machine. If the cost was 80p most drivers would pay with a £1 coin requiring a large supply of 20p coins. If the problem is drivers not having the correct money where is the change in the machine going to come from? Car Park machines are like vending machines and have change hoppers that can be filled up daily with various denominations that is just not practical for on street machines as it is not uncommon for Councils to have over 100 machines.
do you have a PHD in all things parking. I think your tallents are wasted mate. Go be a doctor LOL
Of course of the extra money collected form the population was all given to charity then no one would mind. The parking fee is determined in advance so the extra money taken isn't 'in plan'
I wonder where it does go....
Of course of the extra money collected form the population was all given to charity then no one would mind. The parking fee is determined in advance so the extra money taken isn't 'in plan'
I wonder where it does go....
In theory car park revenue would be calculated:
no. of spaces x hourly charge x hours of operation
whenever a car is parked without payment due to refusal to pay or legitimate reasons such as a blue badge or the machine is out of order no revenue would be generated by the machine so any surplus generated by overpayment would be used to cover the deficit.
what ! the councils knowingly underestimate the costs and don't account for a percentage of blue badge holders. Shouldn't they be doing their job properly instead.
And in this case the surplus from the machines is always less than the blue badge deficit ? In what world of Council mathematics is that true ?
Recently I parked at a pay and display and the charge was 40p for up to 1 hour or 90p for up to three hours, no change given. This tarrif is obviously designed knowing that most people would either use a 50p or a £1 coin. But what I don't understand is why set the charges at that rate, knowing it will frustrate motorists? Why doesn't the council just up the charges to 50p or £1? Unless of course, any overpayment goes to a different department?
the extra money is not parking revenue (from sales of ticket) so it can go anywhere. Send you local council an Freedom of Information Act request asking for accounting details of the overage.
what ! the councils knowingly underestimate the costs and don't account for a percentage of blue badge holders. Shouldn't they be doing their job properly instead.
And in this case the surplus from the machines is always less than the blue badge deficit ? In what world of Council mathematics is that true ?
Sorry but it quite literally 'doesn't add up'.
My point is, that there is not going to be 'spare money left over' at the end of the year, since the Council accurately cannot predict the income. Councils do not run at a profit hence the need for Council tax to pay for services. If the income from Car Parks is higher than expected it just means that the service will be more cost efficient and less Council tax will be needed to fund transport related projects within the borough.
There will be in many cases money taken by these machines in an amount that is in excess of the ticket revenue - even account for blue badge parkers.
So where does it go ?
And councils often use up their budgets at year end to make sure they don't get their budget chopped next year. This by definition is spare money - OUR money.
Pay and Display - Parking ticket overpayment
? - It may seem petty, but when I get a ticket for going a few minutes over the time (that they refuse to cancel) I would like to know whether anyone has tried to claim these overpayments back?
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Originally Posted by green_and_mean
