Have You Had a Parking Charge?

I have had a parking fine for returning to my car 15 minutes late. Was supposed to be £70 but they let me off.

It’s a joke how much they are allowed to fine people

I got a parking fine for a B&Q car park in Weymouth years ago. I left it to the very last minute to go back to my car and then I was blocked in by a delivery truck for a few minutes which took me over the time. A week or so later I had a bill in the post but ignored it, it wasn't from a council run car park so was not legally binding but of course I couldn't go back to one of their car parks again as I might be clamped. Maybe 6 months later I wrote an email to say to B&Q I needed to pick something up from them but told them of the ticket and how I hadn't come back because of that and they quashed the ticket for me.

Years ago my husband got a ticket for parking over the line. The fact was the car next to us was so close to the other line with had no choice.

The type of car parking thats private with signage, such as supermarkets, are not enforceable in the same way as police/warden tickets. These are breaches of contract. When you enter the car park you are entering a contract with the firm that is running the place (normally on behalf of the supermarket or whatever it is.

So by overstaying or not parking incorrectly you breach the contract and it is a civil matter . The company can take action if you refuse to pay BUT the area is grey in the following way:

They must take you to court to enforce the fine. This means legal represntation and all the costs that entails. That is why they normally excuse minor breaches. Judges have thrown cases out when they have deemed a small (subjective) overstay didnt warrant the high fine.

If they lose the case they are out of pocket. But also they cant let everyone off else no one will ever pay. SO best thing is to engage with the company and explain why you breached and hopefully they will drop it as its not worth the potential cost. If they have you bang to rights such as staying well over or you parked silly, then you will probably lose at court in which case you cover the fine and court costs. SO probably best to pay.

Never ignore the fine and just carry on though. Engage with them. Normally the business concerned will be able to get the ticket withdrawn for you anyway.

Yes, I have had two but they all got thrown away by parking over In a Supermarket. I was contracted to do some work but forgot to register my vehicle. I received the fine through the post and I contacted one of the Managers I know and they let Parking Eye know that I was working there.

My sister got parking ticket at hospital appointment. She was there for pre assessment for operation. She wasn't very well when she seen the nurse, the nurse decided to send her to A&E to get checked out.

When she arrived there and got seen it was decided she had to have x rays and blood tests done. She was there quite a few hours, not even thinking about her car. She was concerned why she had been sent to A&E.

Later that evening it resulted in her being diagnosed with pneumonia. Arriving at her car which had a parking ticket.

I tried getting it rebuked but to no avail. You would think giving the situation it would have been cancelled. I am ending up paying for the ticket, my sister is still off work sick.

Ive had 4 altogether now, one was sorted by the Vets and the other by the Optitian. I have medical issues which affect my mobility, I rarely go out but when I need shopping I have no choice. I usually have my 19 year old son with me who has complex needs, at 6ft 5” my main priority is to keep him happy not act like I’m on ‘Supermarket Sweep’ ! I am confused I thought the supermarket/ multi shopping units wanted you to spend money in there, now we are paying for the privilege on top. The more money spent on fines, the less money to spend in stores. If they are that desperate to make even more money out of their customers why don’t they install a ‘Pay & Display?

Don't drive so no but wanted to issue fines to those drivers who park their cars in front of my house and driveway

I had a fine from the company that manages parking at Heathrow T5 because I went to the wrong part of the drop off area. I explained my genuine error and proved I had paid them for parking my car in the correct area, but they simply didn't care - typical bully-boy tactics of parking firms.

I got a pcp fine for having my tyre half a inch over the white line in an empty car park. I was in the shop for less than 5 minutes. I emailed them contesting it and they refused the appeal. So I emailed back saying I wouldn't be paying it and told them to take me to court. Never heard from them again It costs them more to take you to court.

I paid at a meter in a car park in a town centre but, the machine didn't issue a ticket. I returned to my car after about 10 minutes. A week later I got notice of a £60 fine so, I contacted the PRIVATE company to explain. I received a printout from them showing that my car had been in the car park. I didn't dispute this but, again explained the situation and that, if they checked the machine's takings for the day, they would be over by the amount I had paid. I was threatened with debt collectors and court so, I ignored them. This was about 8 years ago and I haven't heard from them since.

Yes, I parked in a loading bay that was not clearly marked.... with a sign that was obscured and no additional markings on the parking bay floor..... and that was next to a meter - I paid the parking fee, but of course it didn't matter as I was still parked somewhere I shouldn't have.

Yes for returning to my car and I still had 15 minutes left on my ticket!!! Of course I challenged it and it was reversed straight away. I didn’t get an apology though. Not that I expected it!!!!!

Partner had one years ago after being 10 min late in a car park in Hillsborough Sheffield & was going to pay til I spoke to my friend & her partner..Friend & her partner told my partner NOT to pay. keep ignoring the letters & they would go away, so he did & after so long we heard NOTHING

The company was Parking Eye...

My friend & I used to clean the offices of Excel Car Parking Services in Sheffield on a Friday years ago,only did this for a few month thank god!

We saw lots of cash boxes carried through on Friday evenings..

This firm of COWBOYS are well-known for the underhand tricks they play on the old, infirm & other motorists

Always in the Sheffield Star Newspaper !!

These companies are disgusting the way they prey & threaten motorists..

Started in Sheffield by Simon Renshaw Smith, this company had just turned a 4 million profit before tax, up 2 million pounds from last year!!!!!

Yes I once got a ticket for putting my ticket upside down in the window but I appealed and got it overturned.

I got one for parking in a disabled spot, I had a blue badge too.

I was let off but I still don’t know what I did wrong

Thanks for all your replies