Excel Parking Charge Notice - Wakefield

[noddyboffin]

Hi there, not too sure if anyone can help or advise me with this, I have read a lot of the other threads and get the message of not paying but just wanted the slant on my ticket.

I parked our car in a car-park in Wakefield (I was driving but I am not the registered owner) on Friday night at about 7.15pm and tried to purchase a ticket at the machine. I tried putting in £3.60 (the cost for 4 hours) but the machine did nothing when I pressed the green button. A couple came to use the other machine as I tried pressing the green button again and mentioned that after 8pm it was only 60p. I thought well I am not paying £3.60 if it is only 60p in 45 minutes so just put the money in for an hour (£1.20) and put that ticket on the window-screen.

When I got back to the car at 8.55pm the attendant was just walking off so I had a word with him about it. I took him up to the machine and said about it not processing the £3.60 I originally put in and he said that the prices listed were out of date and the 60p after 8pm charge is no longer valid, He said to challenge it if I wanted.

I know I am guilty of going over my time by 30 minutes but is it right when they don’t have the correct charges up ?

They are asking for £60 within 7 days or £100 after

Many Thanks

Oliver

[Zamzara]

Excel are notorious for this kind of thing. You could try a report to trading standards for breach of price display laws, but other than that just ignore t, they have no power to collect this 'fine'.

[noddyboffin]

Zamzara,

 

Many Thanks for your reply, I am just a bit anxious at incurring more costs by not paying this, should I expect a follow up from Excel by post ?

[Barnsley Boy]

Zamzara,

 

Many Thanks for your reply, I am just a bit anxious at incurring more costs by not paying this, should I expect a follow up from Excel by post ?

 

Yes they will escalate what they ask for but don't worry about it. They are in the wrong and are extremely unlikely to be able to enforce. Yes they write letters threatening allsorts, debt collectors, clamping of cars by bailliffs, bad credit rating, selling of your children into slavery [ok I made the last one up] but these are empty threats.

 

Any case they have is dependant on the signage and your ability to pay at the machine. If the signage was inadequate and / or the machine did not allow you to pay the £3.60 in any event, what right do they have to charge £60?

 

Read the "sticky" at the top of the forum "Private Parking Companies - all you need to know". Also read bernie's template letters to see how to correspond with these people. Do not volunteer information, particularly about how was driving. Stand firm - DO NOT PAY.

[Tau]

Can you get a photo of the charges on the machine or board.

[noddyboffin]

I took one at the time, it clearly shows the 60p charge that is now not available

[joolsabobs]

We parked in george st. carpark, we were back at the time we should have been but then gave the children some lunch in the car so didint actually move the car, didnt know that we'd done any wrong until we received the notice this morning- didnt get a ticket or anything and it was my day off from my psychic powers. I see everyone is saying to just ignore it but is that right? Not particularly bothered about getting a ccj, just the fine going up and up and up that would bother me. Can think of a lot better ways to waste a couple of hundred quid than give it to them!

[lamma]

it is not a fine, its a [problem]. there will be no CCJ. Ignore them.