Parking fine.

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Thu 21 Jul 2016 13:35
Parking fine. - Wackyracer
Today I got a parking fine in the post for Mcdonalds in Uxbridge from MET parking services.
Last week I was on my way to the vet and stopped there to use their toilets before continuing to the vet. I then went to the vet and was there for 1h10m before returning to Mcdonalds on the way back (1h20m later) for coffee.

They are claiming I was there from the first time I entered until the second time I left and have sent photos. What I want to know is, where are the photos of me leaving the first time and re entering later? Maybe I'm a cynic but, I feel they might just be trying it on. Luckily the vet has CCTV and computer records showing I was there but, If I was somewhere I couldn't prove I'd had been stuffed with paying a fine I don't deserve.

Being a bit miffed by this I feel like charging them an admin fee for wasting my time.

Edited by Wackyracer on 21/07/2016 at 13:36

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Thu 21 Jul 2016 13:51
Parking fine. - RobJP
If you want the equivalent of charging them an admin fee, write back refusing to pay, and telling them to take you to court. They'll then (hopefully) escalate to solicitors letters (which cost them money), which you ignore, and then, in the best of worlds, a court action. You then turn up in court, get found not guilty, and they get all the court costs too.
You then inform them that if they don't pay you what you consider to be suitable compensation, you will take out a private prosecution against them for Malicious Prosecution
Win all round !
---------
Unfortunately, they're likely to just keep on sending you speculative invoices, with more and more threatening notes attached, until they give up in a year or so.
But it would be nice ...
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Thu 21 Jul 2016 13:58
Parking fine. - Gibbo_Wirral
You have to go down the proper channels now, appeal it with POPLA.

popla.co.uk/

Rob's advice is now a little out of date.
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Thu 21 Jul 2016 14:17
Parking fine. - daveyjp

First thing is don't say I did this, I did that etc.

Everything needs to be in the third person - "the driver did this, the driver did that" etc.

Change your post now.

This is important as if they don't know the driver they are stuffed if they don't follow procedure to get this pinned on the registered keeper - most notices don't meet strict requirements of the law so they can't chase the keeper. If they don't know the keeper or driver how can they get their money?

Don't dive in with a rushed appeal or enter anything on POPLA at this stage - POPLA is set up to see you fail.

Spend the time reading around the subject - Pepipoo or moneysavingexpert have lots of posts about MET parking and plenty of initial appeal letters - then use these sites to frame your arguments.

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Fri 22 Jul 2016 13:49
Parking fine. - Avant
All good advice above if you get to that stage: but I think your first stage should be a brief, polite letter to MET stating the facts.

You have a good chance of them waiving the fine, and saying 'don't do it again'.

If that doesn't work, then proceed as advised above, although I would beware of legal proceedings that could cost you more than the fine. Sometimes standing up for your principles, although admirable, may not be cost-effective.
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Fri 22 Jul 2016 15:11
Parking fine. - oldroverboy.
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=109714

This was my post last year after receiving a "notice" in the post many weeks after I had parked in wickes, colchester,

Wickes themselves intervened after i proved i had been twice in the shop, (with receipts) but you may not have that proof for your single purchase.

1. If you can additionally prove that you paid for parking in uxbridge between times it might help, but if i am correct (and you will have to check) some Mcdonalds parking also say no return within X hours. It certainly does on the ones down by Heathrow.
2. Mcdonalds also have a policy of saying that parking is for "customers" and if you did not make a purchase, even if you "spend a penny" then you are out of luck.
3. Pay up and get over it, unless you have irrefutable proof otherwise.

Quite separately, my neighbour got a ticket for parking in Mcdonalds and left to shop elsewhere, even though she had eaten there with her children,

Edited by oldroverboy. on 22/07/2016 at 15:13

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Sat 23 Jul 2016 13:13
Parking fine. - Wackyracer
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=109714 1. If you can additionally prove that you paid for parking in uxbridge between times it might help, but if i am correct (and you will have to check) some Mcdonalds parking also say no return within X hours. It certainly does on the ones down by Heathrow. 2. Mcdonalds also have a policy of saying that parking is for "customers" and if you did not make a purchase, even if you "spend a penny" then you are out of luck. 3. Pay up and get over it, unless you have irrefutable proof otherwise.

1. I didn't pay for parking as the Vet provides free parking covered by CCTV so there is proof the vehicle was there. I'm not sure what the no return time is and as I'm not local to Uxbridge, I won't be travelling back to look. 2. The use of toilets at McDonalds (and other stores) is something that is debatable. Some of them get an annual payment by local councils for allowing public to use them and if that is the case, they should allow people to park to use the facilities. 3. I won't be paying, I'm not guilty of the allegation.
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Sat 23 Jul 2016 15:25
Parking fine. - daveyjp
The 'double dip' invoice is well known. Your first visit wasn't registered correctly because if it was they wouldn't have chance to extract money out of you. Its deliberate.

Your choices are therefore to spend some time reading and doing an appeal (they are BPA members, which helps) or pay up. ' I won't be paying' can end up being expensive if you don't go through the recognised appeal process.

Edited by daveyjp on 23/07/2016 at 15:27

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Sat 23 Jul 2016 15:50
Parking fine. - Galaxy
This is what you should do:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gkiw7zpULo

(Stick with it and watch the whole thing!)
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