Bell Green car park

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Laf
Posts: 1
Joined: 25 Jun 2020 12:35

Bell Green car park

Post by Laf »

Hi. I've been given a £100 fine by UKPC. I parked in the Aldi/B&Q retail park car park. I was there for hours in huge lockdown queues. It never occurred to me that there was any parking monitoring there and have not seen any signs. I would never knowingly overstay if I thought I'd be fined. It's quite a distance for me to go and check so could anyone confirm there are obvious signs. It would be nice if a bit of leeway was given in the current circumstances especially when the car park is never full. Many thanks.

I've Googled the car park and can now see the UKPC signs but can't read any time limit. As far as I'm aware there is no limit at Valley Park, Croydon so I presume this varies.
JGD
Posts: 1234
Joined: 5 Feb 2018 11:39
Location: Perry Hill, SE6 (free-transferred to Perry Vale Ward, next to Bell Green; distinct from Sydenham).
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Re: Bell Green car park

Post by JGD »

It is recommended that you check what has been stuck on your car. Is it a Parking Charge Notice vs a Penalty Charge Notice.

Fundamentally, only councils have the power to issue lawful parking fines – or Penalty Charge Notices.

These powers are vested in councils by legislation passed by Parliament and cover various parking misdemeanours, such as breaching the terms and conditions of parking in council-controlled car parks and parking spaces.

Non-council landowners and their appointed car parking enforcement firms have no such legal powers. This means they cannot issue 'Penalty Charge Notices', and so they issue 'Parking Charge Notices'. These will often look and read like the legitimate fines issued by authorities – and both are abbreviated to 'PCN', which adds to the confusion - but they are not fines that are enforceable in court.

Parking 'tickets' issued by private companies in private car parks are often referred to as fines – but they are not. They are little more than an invoice requesting payment.

There is plenty of websites oroviding advice on how to deal with thes companies and their private notices.

You should expect them to apply significant pressure to get you to pay. Some often "fake" the issue of courts summons - but once more they do not have the power to do so. They could try to make civil claim for non--payment of invoice - but in the circumstances you describe, a court might view that course of action as penurious in a civil crisis.

So start at the beginning - what type of notice was stuck on your car.

I live nearby and must visit the site tomorrow - if it's not in the middle of a thunderstorm I will attempt to take pictures for you.

Good luck.
Nic
Posts: 57
Joined: 11 Jul 2019 08:42

Re: Bell Green car park

Post by Nic »

Contact the manager of the store you visited - they have the power to cancel the notices issued by the parking companies.
JGD
Posts: 1234
Joined: 5 Feb 2018 11:39
Location: Perry Hill, SE6 (free-transferred to Perry Vale Ward, next to Bell Green; distinct from Sydenham).
Contact:

Re: Bell Green car park

Post by JGD »

Apologies - I did not get the pictures of any signs - but then I did not see any prominently displayed. Not to say that there is none present.

Both EUSSR and Nic make excellent points.
mosy
Posts: 4111
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 20:28
Location: London

Re: Bell Green car park

Post by mosy »

Can I add one thing, which might or might not be shown in the links, which is that you cannot legally fight a charge after you've paid it.
JGD
Posts: 1234
Joined: 5 Feb 2018 11:39
Location: Perry Hill, SE6 (free-transferred to Perry Vale Ward, next to Bell Green; distinct from Sydenham).
Contact:

Re: Bell Green car park

Post by JGD »

I for one did NOT know that.

Key information and a good basis, perhaps, for never paying one of these money extraction notices.

Thank you.
mosy
Posts: 4111
Joined: 21 Sep 2007 20:28
Location: London

Re: Bell Green car park

Post by mosy »

It is true for most things that payment is deemed to mean that you accepted the charge. It makes decision making difficult if costs accrue if unpaid, or are halved for prompt payment. Also, if a claim is not upheld, i.e. the original charge is held to be valid, then further charges levied will usually be payable.

Some money extraction notices as you call them have been upheld as valid, typically if a sign showing the charges and/or penalties is in a prominent position where it should have been seen easily.

Another thing to watch for is where car parks offer say 30mins free but it might not be clear that a ticket nevertheless has to be displayed as parking without a valid ticket might well be the finable offence. If so, again a notice should be prominently displayed.
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