Can they clamp you if you are loading/unloading a vehicle?

[HKM]

Hi guys,

 

I am a student and live in a block of apartments which is a private residential area. Just outside the apartments is a construction site where they are building a bunch of shops. The construction site is blocked off by a barrier and next to this barrier is a road for cars.

 

I had loads of shopping from Tesco so I assumed I could leave the car downstairs for a few minutes to bring the shopping upstairs and then come back down to move the car. The road does have signs saying that any car parked will be clamped.

 

So anyways I took the shopping upstairs and when I came back down, the car had been clamped. The people who clamped the car were still there and demanded a £150 release fee which is the amount shown on the signs.

 

I argued with the guy for about 10mins but was getting nowhere so I called my mum downstairs and eventually he released the car for £80.

 

What I found a bit suspicious was that he didn't give a receipt or anything, just took the cash unclamped the car and left. The car they were driving around in was also a 2010 Vaxuhall Corsa hatchback which I found strange because they normally drive them little vans. Do they sound like legal clampers?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Oh and there are CCTV cameras which is how the guy knew my car was there.

[green_and_mean]

Loading is not an exemption when parking on private property.

[DBC]

Did the clamper give you a receipt and, if so, did it have his SIA number on it? He should also have been carrying a SIA badge.

[wheelergeezer]

Hi guys,

 

What I found a bit suspicious was that he didn't give a receipt or anything, just took the cash unclamped the car and left.

 

OP says....

[DBC]

Missed that, definitely illegal. next thing is to look at the signs to see if there is any name or contact number on there that will show who the clamping company ( or the people who employed them) are.

 

I should also get the police involved. At first they my tell you it's a "civil matter", but be persistent. In this case it's not. That person has broken the law by not giving you a receipt or disclosing his SIA number to you.

[green_and_mean]

Who are they going to investigate? There is no proof a clamping even took place. If the person did it as a reduced £80 'cash in hand' charge its likely the clamping company don't even have record of it.

[wheelergeezer]

But the CCTV will! I would suggest this is a case of deception. A couple of bengal lancers in a corsa with a clamp and a lot of dollocks.

[HKM]

The guy did not present me with a SIA badge or anything. Literally took the money and left.

 

I have seen them before clamping other cars in the same place and they always seem to get away with it.

 

The company may not have the records of the clamp, but there are CCTV cameras which will have definitely caught the incident.

 

I already spoke to the people that employ this clamping company but they said I have to contact the estate manager and he only works Monday to Friday.

 

Is there anything I can do in the mean time?

[green_and_mean]

But the CCTV will! I would suggest this is a case of deception. A couple of bengal lancers in a corsa with a clamp and a lot of dollocks.

 

 

How long would they bother keeping CCTV tapes for and thats if it even works? I suspect that it will go no further than making a police report they are not going to investigate the crime of not providing a clamping receipt.

[HKM]

How long would they bother keeping CCTV tapes for and thats if it even works? I suspect that it will go no further than making a police report they are not going to investigate the crime of not providing a clamping receipt.

 

The guy who clamped the car said that they used the CCTV to determine that the car was there in the first place.

[DBC]

I already spoke to the people that employ this clamping company but they said I have to contact the estate manager and he only works Monday to Friday.

 

Is there anything I can do in the mean time?

 

Go to the police and tell them the name of that company who employed the clampers. In my opinion they are also breaking the law by using unregistered clampers.

[wheelergeezer]

Ask a CID officer to meet you there as you know of a drug dealer around the corner. Watch with endless entertainment at what unfolds when these crooks clamp the unmarked police car.

 

Kimmy Carr, move over.

[green_and_mean]

The guy who clamped the car said that they used the CCTV to determine that the car was there in the first place.

 

 

They assumed it had been used and that still doesn't mean that it records, anyway I doubt that they would bother having a remote cctv link to their office from every area they clamp in it would cost a fortune.

[green_and_mean]

Go to the police and tell them the name of that company who employed the clampers. In my opinion they are also breaking the law by using unregistered clampers.

 

How do you know they are employed? They MAY be employed by the company that put the signs up and they MAY be unregistered. The Police are not going to investigate an unfounded allegation that an unlicensed clamper was used or that the OP was swindled out of £80 around here they don't even investigate if you car gets stolen let alone clamped.

[HKM]

UPDATE

 

Just came from the police station and they were useless. Not interested in one bit. They just told me to email watchdog and 'hang tight'

 

Looks like I'm going to have to wait until Monday to speak to the estate manager and see what he says.

[DBC]

Trading Standards might be interested in the case. In the past they have prosecuted rogue clamping companies. here is one example

[Al27]

UPDATE

 

Just came from the police station and they were useless. Not interested in one bit. They just told me to email watchdog and 'hang tight'

 

Looks like I'm going to have to wait until Monday to speak to the estate manager and see what he says.

 

Did you go down there with a printed copy of the Private Security Act?

[green_and_mean]

Did you go down there with a printed copy of the Private Security Act?

 

 

Is it a criminal offence not to give receipt?

[mightymouse_69]

RE: CCTV evidence.

 

Who owns the CCTV? If the clamping company manage it, I would expect that any footage of this incident may have been accidentally deleted...

[green_and_mean]

RE: CCTV evidence.

 

Who owns the CCTV? If the clamping company manage it, I would expect that any footage of this incident may have been accidentally deleted...

 

 

Its highly unlikely the clampers have a live remote cctv feed.