Hi all, I found this site by browsing the web and hope somebody may be able to give me some advice. I currently live in a privately owned student halls of residence which has a secured car park with around 30 spaces (there are around 600 residents). The property company charges £350 per 48 week tenancy for tenants wishing to have a parking space. When I moved into the property at the beginning of September 2010 I immediately visited the reception to pay for my parking space - the spaces are in high demand and go on a first come first served basis. The lady on the desk told me I couldn't pay there and then as it was a Sunday, and they couldn't take card payments on the weekends (they were only staffing it that weekend because it was 'moving-in' weekend). She asked if I could return on the Monday, however I explained that I couldn't it was my birthday on Monday 6th September and I was going away for 2 days to visit family. However I didn't want to lose my space so the lady said "no problem, I'll take your card details from you now and we'll just debit the amount tomorrow if that's ok with you?" I said that was great and filled in a form with all my card details. She activated my key fob so I could get in and out of the car park and gave me a temporary parking permit slip of paper to display in the car. I received a phone call from them on Saturday about two weeks ago telling me that the company had "no record that I had paid for my parking space and I needed to provide proof of payment". I explained that I would check my bank statements and get back to them, and that I was away for the weekend and couldn't deal with it right then. I must add that since i've lived there the property company seem to be constantly hounding me for things I 'haven't paid' or 'haven't done' - all of which turn out to be unsubstantiated. They have sent me 2 or 3 letters demanding rent I owe them, and when I go down to deal with it it turns out they have actually OVER charged me, and various other similar stories. They contacted my father yesterday saying they had no record of his guarantor details and if he didn't supply them by the end of the week I'd be facing an eviction notice etc etc etc. - when I remember for a fact sorting it all out with my dad before I moved in, because I am just NOT the type of person to mess about with these things, I do EVERYTHING by the book - because I don't want to deal with hassle like this further down the line! It just astounds me that this company is so incompetent that almost 8 months after me moving in (2 months before I move OUT) they are sorting out their administration and suddenly demanding this that and the other. Why did they not sort all these things out at the time?? They are always SO accusing and it really stresses me out - they make me feel like a criminal. I'm currently doing my dissertation and final year exams and am under a HUGE amount of stress which I am finding myself unable to cope with, and with my 'landlord' constantly contacting me and what feels like harassing me I am really struggling to cope and end up in tears about it almost every day! Anyway - sorry I digress. I told the property company that I would attempt to find proof of payment via my bank statements for the car park and explained what had happened on that weekend in September. I asked them to give me a few days to sort it out because my bank statements still get sent to my parents address and my parents are away currently. We agreed I'd go back down to reception this week to sort it out. I told them there and then that if they hadn't taken the money at the time then there was no way I could pay now - I literally don't have the money. I have £23 to last me till May 3rd! Anyway I got in my car this morning to find a penalty charge notice from "City Centre Services" London WC1N 3XX for 'unauthorised parking'. Demanding £85 within 14 days or £55 if paid in full within 7 days. I must also add though that about 70% of the vehicles in the car park had these tickets too. Shows how completely incompetent they are - they don't seem to have charged anyone! I plan to ignore this penalty ticket, not return my car into the car park (I will park my car on a side street nearby), and possibly return to the reception to ask them to deactivate my fob for the car park. Is this the right thing to do? I've had it up to here with them!!! I've not done ANYHING wrong, it's THEIR fault that they didn't charge me at the time they said they would. Surely they should not have given me access to the car park until they were happy that payment had been settled? I feel constantly made out to be a criminal by these people and I'm about to crack - any advice much appreciated for an incredibly stressed final year student!! Thank you so much for reading. Danielle