Hi all, I have just moved into a block of flats and was told when picking up the keys that I would need a permit to park in the courtyard area. The agency lady then wrote me a make-shift permit on some letter headed paper from their office. She told me to display the paper on my dashboard and we went on our way around 3pm. It read: Parking Permit 6th August 08 Moving into Flat 33 Block 3 She also wrote a contact no. on the paper and said if the were any problems that I should call this no. But as far as I was concerned there were no problems until the clamping. After moving about half of our stuff from the old place we parked the car and went into our flat. In the morning my car had been clamped. I was told that the permit was not a valid permit and that it expired on the 6th. But no one had told us that this was an expiry date. I had to pay £120 release fee after some arguing to be able to get the rest of my stuff. The clamper said that he understood that I needed to move my stuff in and should be allowed to do so and so he issued me with the correct permit. He asked how long I would need and I told him just until the end of the day. He then wrote a permit which expired @ 12pm 8/8/08. As in 12 o'clock that night. I continued to move my stuff all day ending at about 7 o'clock that evening, we had not had any meals that day and so parked the car in the space were he told us to park. I had arranged to park the car at my flat mates work who finished work at 12pm that night so It was perfect for me to drop off the car at get a taxi back with her. To my horror the car was clamped again. They refused to come out and release it until the morning after paying the £120 release fee. I spoke to the police but they could not intervene. The clamper on the phone that said that I was clamped because my permit was only valid for loading / unloading. And that he had written this in the top corner of the permit. This is true but he never told us this. He never said that there was a limit to how long we could spend upstairs. At the time this just seemed like a message to his colleagues as to why this car was parked in an unmarked area. Extra bits: Can these help? After he clamped the car the 1st time we asked for the terms and conditions of clamping in this block - he replied, I do not have any. There are no notices up to guide new occupiers of the parking rules. We have 3 witnesses of all above mentioned conversations. The only piece of writing on the matter is in the owners manual (i'm renting but was given this manual by the letting agency) which says in it that occupiers have the right to use the courtyard to move their stuff in. The bays are unfortunately clearly marked with signs. In the first instance the flat and block no. were on the make-shift permit along with the no of the agency and so no more that 5m away from the car was the buzzer which they could have used to get me to move. And in the second the clamper took my phone no. and said if there were any problems that he would call me which obviously didn't. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hey man, i feel for you! i really do, the same thing happened to me a few days ago... i'm trying to explore the options of an appeal too but from what I gather you will need to appeal within 14 days of receipt so writing to your letting agency may lose you your right to appeal if you can't sort it out ???? I will keep in touch and tell you what advances happen on my side because we have very similar cases... tell me, is there any information (parking rules or terms/conditions of the permits) available to you on any building notice boards???? I'm am sure that the management of the building should provide this info if they are going to use the services of a clamping company - it has to be a requirement if they are using permits??? the same way it is a requirement to give the info that you are in a clamping zone in the form of signs...?