Robbing Parking Companies

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Dunno about anyone else, but I have had a few run-ins with these.

The last 3 occasions went like this:

Went to hotel to give blood. Signs up everywhere to say parking rules and regs suspended.

Got sent an invoice for £100.

Mrs S went to a FF joint with someone. They forgot their wallet, so she left and they came back shortly.
She got an invoice for exceeding the 90 mins because they counted her time from the first entrance into the carpark to the second exit.
BPA said these mistakes rarely happen but we have had it happen twice.

The latest was when Mrs S went to a place of work to supervise a client. She gave her reg to them so it could be put on the system to avoid a ticket and she got one anyway!

Hilarity ensued when they insisted we could not appeal etc etc, so I just wrote a letter and got Mrs S to sign it. It told them we were not entertaining them any more by correspondence but that we would be more than happy to see them in a court room and ask the nice judge what they thought about the situation.

Never heard another squeak.

Common to all these cases is being told that letters have been sent to us that we have never received.

This allows the parking company to refuse an appeal as you miss the deadline. The deadline you didn't know you had because they never sent the letter. We've also had no NTK letter. These tactics save the parking companies money (not printing off or sending out letters) and put pressure on the punter to cough up.

Not helping this is, knowing you are disputing the charges, the parking company forges ahead and engages a debt collection agency who then send regular threatening letters ramping up the disputed bill.

Their tactics are just plain scummy.

Joris Bohnson said he would lower the invoice limit to £50, but bless their cotton socks, these hard-working diligent people said they wouldn't be able to ply their trade, so Joris backed down.

Makes my pee boil.

Thanks! I feel better now.
 
They forgot their wallet, so she left and they came back shortly.
She got an invoice for exceeding the 90 mins because they counted her time from the first entrance into the carpark to the second exit.
We've never have that happen to us but on our local Facebook pages, people are always complaining that those that monitor our local Sainsbury’s are doing that when people visit there twice a day. It’s the town centre car park as well and you’re only allowed two hours. For that reason, if I ever have to pop back for something, I go in the other car or on my bike.
 
We've never have that happen to us but on our local Facebook pages, people are always complaining that those that monitor our local Sainsbury’s are doing that when people visit there twice a day. It’s the town centre car park as well and you’re only allowed two hours. For that reason, if I ever have to pop back for something, I go in the other car or on my bike.

In a time when we are all encouraged to use the high street, and they only allow two hours to shop. That's madness gone mad.
 
In a time when we are all encouraged to use the high street, and they only allow two hours to shop. That's madness gone mad.
If it wasn’t timed, it would be full up permanently with those that work in sainsburys and the high street shops and offices.

Edit: Just looked at the sign and it is actually for the use of Sainsburys customers. Just noticed too that no return within 1 hour so should be okay if I went twice in a day in the same car as long as I didn't return within an hour of leaving.

IMG_6100.jpeg
 
If it wasn’t timed, it would be full up permanently with those that work in sainsburys and the high street shops and offices.

Edit: Just looked at the sign and it is actually for the use of Sainsburys customers. Just noticed too that no return within 1 hour so should be okay if I went twice in a day in the same car as long as I didn't return within an hour of leaving.

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The whole structure of parking needs to change.

For example my town:

Workers in shops and offices should be encouraged to catch a bus.

Parking at Asda is free if you spend a certain amount. I think however that's is limited.
Limitations on parking (time) I think is allcorrect. But what you and Secure have experienced is wrong.

Free street parking should be more around my way with a 20- 30 minute limit. This would give shoppers time to pop in and get a coffee or a sandwich or what ever else that would support the local shops.
 
FIL has been 'done' overstaying in these car parks before, he's ignored the demands for payments... and debt collection agency threats. The amounts have been up and down getting to the dizzying heights of nearly £400. This was over a few years ago now and they have never followed it up, even though they have sent him 20 or so demands.

FIL claims only the Police and Council can only issue a fine.
 
FIL has been 'done' overstaying in these car parks before, he's ignored the demands for payments... and debt collection agency threats. The amounts have been up and down getting to the dizzying heights of nearly £400. This was over a few years ago now and they have never followed it up, even though they have sent him 20 or so demands.

FIL claims only the Police and Council can only issue a fine.
There is some truth.

I overstayed tho 90 minutes at a McDonald's.

Got a fine.

The solicitor, I was working for told me to ignore. Don't corrisponed in anyway.

I did and they eventually went away.
 
I got one in Morrison's car park in Dalkeith.
I went to see my friend in his shop. He wasn't in, so I came back later. A week after that I got a letter saying that I had to pay X amount.
I ignored it and every subsequent letter they sent until they stopped.
Apparently these charges are not enforceable because they are not issued by The Council or The Police.
Recently, my daughter got one for overstaying in the same car park, I told her to ignore it until it went away.
 
Free street parking should be more around my way with a 20- 30 minute limit.
Most on street parking bays and most pay and display car parks in Havering have the first 30 minutes free but you still have to register to park.
 
Apparently these charges are not enforceable because they are not issued by The Council or The Police.

Private companies cannot issues penalties.

The council can issue a Penalty Charge Notice: that’s a legally enforceable fine

Private operators issue a Parking Charge Notice: which is a request to pay an invoice, it is not a fine


A private operator can only issue an invoice to request a reasonable amount in respect of the value of the overstay, not a fine.

If you don’t pay their only option is small claims court.

99% of the time ignore it and it goes away.

Don’t respond or they know they’ve got live bait
 
Most on street parking bays and most pay and display car parks in Havering have the first 30 minutes free but you still have to register to park.

That's not a problem as then it doesn't have to be maned (as much). Giving more opportunities for other parkers to park/register/shop
 
Re the "no return within 1 hour" bit, if your taking a disabled person and dropping them off then coming back for them when they have finished their shopping I can assume that you get a ticket too. :)
 
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