Coffin Dodger

Did a bit of shopping in town on the weekend, left the car in the council run, pay and display, multi-storey. Was a bit late getting back to the car, about 40 mins after the ticket had expired and was greeted with a penalty ticket stuck to my windscreen £25 if I pay within 14 days, £50 otherwise, which I do find a bit excessive but it seems this is the norm Fair enough I didn't pay my dues, but just fine me for however long I was over for (about £1)

Sounds like I have nothing to lose by putting in an informal appeal. Any tips

The guide on moneysavingexpert.com give a whole load of mitigating circumstances that can be used to appeal but none of them really apply without lying (probably a bad idea). It does say that you can appeal as you made an honest mistake, you're a law abiding citizen, etc. Tempted to say that I thought I'd bought a ticket for three hours and it was only two, pretty sure I fed enough money into the machine for three, etc..

Does annoy me, the council get enough out of me each month, and this sort of thing does put you off town centre shopping. Surely they should be helping out the struggling businesses in town (i.e. provide free parking with a purchase) rather that extorting more money out of us motorists.

speedking

But the fine has to cover the cost of enforcing it, like the Kengestion Charge. One big merry-go-round of self-supporting systems to keep the unemployment numbers down. Appealing will only increase their profit I'm afraid.

Leslie

But how can you justify being 40 minutes late, and to be honest, what can you expect but a parking ticket?

Les

Coffin Dodger

I never said that it wasn't my fault, would have been better off in one of the car parks with the barriers where you pay on you way out, no risk of a fine there, but sh*t happens.

Just after advice as to whether I can get out of paying it and if so how

The guides on the 'net say you've got nothing to lose by writing an apologetic letter claiming it was an honest mistake and they might take pity on you.

You shouldn't have to take this sh*t lying down from the council or anyone else. Make them work for it if they want their £25

Snazy

I think the big problem there is quite simple.
At the time of issuing the ticket you were X mins late back to the car.
By the time you returned to the car could have been HOURS later. Therefore the fine covers the remainder of the day.

So really I dont think there is anything to appeal against.
The issuing officer would have no idea how late you would ultimatly be, so could not possible fine you "per minute".

andys

Why shouldn't you pay the ticket? You knew the time it expired and chose not to return in time

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

Your lucky to have been fined the lower rate. Had you done the same thing last year it would have been £30.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

No advice but it's certainly cheered me up

TelBoy

Your right - bargain!

Coffin Dodger

Oh well at least I can afford to pay it and it really won't make any difference to my life as I can earn £25 in half an hour

Jamescsti

Congratulations on that!


Just pay the fine, you don't have a leg to stand on,
Just as a side note, if you do decide to appeal they should suspend to 14day cut off for the fine increasing until the appeal has been heard, you will still end up paying though.

Leslie

You misunderstood my post. What I meant was that if you do put in an appeal, how can you justify being that late getting back to your car when you are trying to get out of paying the parking penalty. You would have to do a bit of fast talking to get out of that one?

Les

Luminous

iTrader: (3)

I suppose he could claim he was kidnapped by the warden that issued the ticket

hodgy0_2

i got back from a two week holiday to find the milk in my fridge had gone off - how annoyed was I

can I ring the local Council and get a refund? -- or at least some sort of compensation!!

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I got a parking ticket on Friday as well. I'd just picked a sexy young lady up from the train station and we went for a drink. I parked up and totally forgot to get a ticket as the lady had told me she couldn't wait to get me home and suck my ****! As I see it the £25 fine I've got isn't too bad

TelBoy

Because you usually have to pay upwads of fifty quid, is that what you mean?

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I'll stick to obeying the laws and saving my £25 regardless of how many millions I 'claim' to earn

hodgy0_2

just found out my cats has got fleas

a stiff letter of complaint to Britsh Gas is about to be written!!!

Coffin Dodger

Oh well, just sent off a grovelling letter of appeal to the council, let see what comes of it

And to all the contributors to this thread, thanks for your help and support, not

Fight the power

Snazy

You cant make a reply like that without posting what you wrote to them

Coffin Dodger

I'll let you know if it works

PaulC72

I just got hold of a copy.....


Dear Mr Warden's bosses,

As I can earn in excess of £25 per hour I must be in my rights to not be ticketed when parking and if my ticket runs out as I am clearly better and richer than you! {in black country accent}

So please with immediate effect cancel my pending fine and pay me some compensation for my trouble after all my 30p stamp has got to be worth 60p compo.

I would also appreciate it if you could let all your wardens know that should my vehicle be noticed in any of your car parks they should just totter on by not even glancing at my car {as it may dullen the painwork} and not bothering to check if I have a valid ticket or not.

Yours absolvingly

CD.

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

I got ticket cause I had not displayed my ticket clearly enough and it took e 2 appeals before theey decided to let me off, I wouldn't care about the fine if I had not paid to park but when I clearly had a ticket! I doubt you will get off with that since your ticket had expired?

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

It won't. The clue is in your original post where you state the car park is 'council run'.

Not sure why you think you are so special you should get away with it and even less why you would post it on here and be surprised by people's reactions telling you you shouldn't.

daddyscoob

I'd say if every hour of your working time is worth in excess of £50 then the time you've spent bleating on here has cost you well in excess of the fine.

Lets be honest they were right you were wrong please pay up and give us all a rest.

Just wasted several of my valuable minutes reading this toss.

arumdevil

haha, I once went home with a girl who was adamant that I could 'come back and sleep on her sofa', so I thought ok I won't have to drive I'll have another drink. Went back to her place along with half the pub, she got me ratted. At 3 am everyone left and she took me to bed.

The next morning I had a ****ing parking ticket - £35!!!

It wouldn't have been so bad, only after loads of drink at 3 am I only went and ****ing fell asleep before getting onto any action

must be getting old

Coffin Dodger

To all you doubters.....

Just got a letter from the council and I've been let off!

Just goes to show a nicely written letter with a bit of grovelling and being a bit economical with the truth can work wonders. Don't take these fines laying down.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

May we see a scan of said letter? With vitals scribbed out naturally