Unfair parking ticket - advice needed please

[garmcqui]

I have an annual permit (£99) from Hammersmith and Fulham council, allowing me to park on the road at the back of my house.

 

I bought a new registration plate (nothing fancy, just one that hides the age of the car) about 2 months ago. Just got the new documentation through from the DVLA yesterday, so went to halfords and got some number plates made, and fitted them myself yesterday afternoon. Phoned up the insurance and changed the number with them, tried ringing the council parking division but they were closed (only open Mon-Fri).

 

So, I go out to the car today, and there's a £120 parking ticket on it! Now I know why the warden's done it. But surely I have grounds for getting it cancelled? I had to change the plates, as in my opinion it would have been illegal to drive on the old plates, especially as I had already changed the insurance over. By contacting the traffic division tomorrow morning (monday) I would have been contacting them at the earliest possible opportunity.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks, Gareth

[green_and_mean]

There is little point in asking advice at this point because we don't know if the Council will cancel it or not. Its obvious why you got the PCN, the permit had a different VRM on it so was on the face of it correctly issued. Write in enclosing the transfer documents and point out it is not a new vehicle but the same one so technically was covered by the permit.

[garmcqui]

Thanks for the reply.

 

Oh I am not arguing that it wasn't correctly issued, the warden didn't know the details therefore was just doing his job.

 

I was hoping that someone in the know, or someone who's been in a similar situation would be able to offer some advice on whether or not they're likely to cancel it or not.

 

Gareth

[green_and_mean]

Oh

 

If they reject your represntations come back and post the paperwork and we can give some contructive advice for a formal appeal.

 

ps Don't forget to sort out the transfered permit asap or you will get more PCNs

[garmcqui]

Cool, thanks. The council website let's you do it online now, don't know whather to ring them or use the site. Will definitely need to Permit department to change my VRM, so will do that first.

 

Gareth

[Jamberson]

All the while you don't have a permit which agrees with the plates, you are in danger of getting further PCNs. Try and park the car elsewhere until you get the replacement permit sorted out.

[crem]

on a hindsight note: there is no requirement for you to "instantly" change to the new plate once you received authority from DVLA to do so. the only requirement is that once you place the new plate on the car, you must at the same time place the new VED with that reg number in your windscreen.

 

You could have just spent a bit more time notifying the relevant departments, eg insurance, and council parking dept, that you intended to put the new plate on the car on, say, Thursday to allow them to update their systems to match this change.

[green_and_mean]

Its also worth pointing out that you are about 100 times more likely to get caught for a parking contravention in London by a CEO than for a vehicle licensing offence by the Police. You only have to look at the vast number of vehicles with illegal 'personalised' plates in London to realise the Police don't give a hoot about them, there was even an article in the paper today about several well known 'celebs' seen driving about in flash motors with no front plate at all that seem to have escaped the attention of the boys in blue!

[crem]

Presuming you haven't yet posted the old tax disk back to the DVLA, I would suggest the least risky option is to put the old plate back on the car for a few days till you get the parking department to accept the change and give you a new permit.

[green_and_mean]

You could also stick the old plates on the dash whilst parked with a nice note explaining the situation then technically you are not contravening.

[garmcqui]

Guys thanks for all the replies, some useful info. I wasn't aware that it wasn't necessary to change the plates/tax disc immediatedly, the letter I received clearly said I should now fit new plates to the vehicle.

 

I went to the parking services building yesterday and got the permit changed, so now that's all legal. Yesterday was the first possible opportunity since fitting the plates (as they were closed weekends). I spoke to the guy at the counter and he said to make an appeal (which I've now done)and he thought there'd be a good chance of them cancelling it.

 

The text of the appeal I submitted was:

 

Dear sirs, I purchased silver XXXX registration mark XXXX XXX in September 2010, and subsequently purchased an annual residential parking permit from LBHF Parking Services for the sum of £99. Later that month I bought a new registration mark (XXX XXXX) for this car. I was informed it would take approximately six weeks for the transfer to be completed. I received the new registration documents by post on Saturday (13th November) and fitted the new registration plates and corresponding tax disc that afternoon (as I believed it would now be illegal to drive on the old ones). I tried contacting LBHF Parking services on 0845 8031020 to have the parking permit amended, but was greeted with a recorded message stating that opening hours were Monday to Friday. So, I was left with no option but to wait until Monday (15th) morning before arranging for this to be done. However, on Sunday afternoon I went out to the car to find the PCN in question. I feel that the circumstances which led to the PCN being issued were an unfortunate result of receiving the DVLA documents whilst LBHF Parking Services were closed. I had no other place to park the car, even with a pay & display ticket I wouldn't have been able to park there for the time required. I felt that I did have a parking permit for the vehicle in question (although the registration plates had been changed for the reasons explained above) and that leaving it there was the best option. I would like to confirm that I had the parking permit successfully amended yesterday (Monday 15th) - the earliest possible opportunity after fitting the new plates. Many thanks.

 

What you think?

[green_and_mean]

Looks good to me!

[Jamberson]

Me too. Only thing I'd advise is that you quote the PCN number as well as the registration, just to avoid any ambiguity.

[garmcqui]

the above was submitted via an online form, and the vehicle reg and PCN number had to be entered in seperate fields.

 

I hope they look on it compassionately!! Will keep you informed!

 

Gareth