Last November my wife got a parking “fine” from Parking Eye because she had accidentally overstayed in a Morrisons car park which, incidentally, is free to park! It was the usual nonsense about recouping their loss & I duly told her to ignore it, and any subsequent letters from them but yesterday she received a notice from them and is now panicking about it. I’ve taken a picture of said notice and said I’d post it on here so that she can read some advice.
Again, apologies for not knowing how to resize the pictures!
The advice to ignore it was wrong, she should have appealed, firstly to Parking Eye, and when they rejected the appeal, to POPLA who would have upheld the appeal, on the grounds that it was not a genuine pre-estimate of loss (after all, if it’s a free car park how can they have lost this amount by your wife overstaying?).
Parking Eye are a very litigious company, she now has two choices, to pay up or to defend the case in the small claims court, again on the grounds that it is not a genuine pre-estimate of loss. If she defends it, the case will be transferred to a small claims court of your choosing, i.e local to you. Parking Eye nearly always back out at the last moment, and don’t show up at court. It’s entirely her choice, but I have to stress again, NEVER ignore private parking tickets, particularly those from Parking Eye.
Harry Monks your main man for this sort of thing so he’ll keep you right when he comes on and sees this but as I understand it companies like Morrisons,b and q or who ever have no legal right to enforce parking restrictions this way.
They want to charge you for parking while at the same time showing notices saying they accept no responsability for any damage or theft? Yeah,good one!
Incidently the no responsabilty notices are worthless so I think the parking fee ones are too. But Im not sure so dont take my word for it.
Just pure ignore it. The worst thing you can do to private companies is reply to them. I have done it many times and had many letters…eventually they go away! I think the most I’ve had from a private firm is 4 letters. The only people that can enforce parking fees are council and police. Private firms can ■■■■ themselves. I used to work for a company that had a private car park… I forgot to display my sticker to say I was allowed to park there, and even after an explanation to the firm from my manager, they still proceeded to try and ‘fine’ me for ‘free’ parking. Seriously, ignore them, DO NOT respond and they will go away.
Michael Douglas:
Just pure ignore it. The worst thing you can do to private companies is reply to them. I have done it many times and had many letters…eventually they go away.
Are you 100% sure on that ? Maybe that’s what they did and ended up with a court claim form by the look of it.
Harry challenges it in the correct way at the start of the process looks like the OP’s missus may have taken old pre 2012 advice ?
Two things, Firstly, well done on taking a shakey picture as you haven’t hidden the personal details very well, I can read the full name, address, car reg etc.
Secondly, you seem to have a county court judgement there, that means you WILL need to attend court or plead by post. IGNORING THIS LETTER WILL COST YOU MONEY.
Ring up a legal eagle for your free 30 mins of advice, or call the parking company and try to get a settlement.
Good luck, you will need it.
Advice for others - never ever just ignore letters like these, as Harry has demonstrated there is a legal process that will work in your favour, just play the game to win.
speedyguy:
Michael Douglas:
Just pure ignore it. The worst thing you can do to private companies is reply to them. I have done it many times and had many letters…eventually they go away.Are you 100% sure on that ? Maybe that’s what they did and ended up with a court claim form by the look of it.
Harry challenges it in the correct way at the start of the process looks like the OP’s missus may have taken old pre 2012 advice ?
Just search other forums for advice such as money saving expert. It’s even been in the newspaper how it’s an illegal tactic "Contract law does not permit a penalty, a breach of contract only allows for the claimant to be returned to the position he would have been in had the breach not occurred. So if parking is free what is the loss?
In the case of parking penalties of the amount claimed by parking eye and others are not justifiable as a measure of the loss they have incurred. Indeed the only claim that can be made is the loss incurred by the landowner where parking eye are acting as agents.
10 seconds with google will show you a multitude of cases where parking eye have lost of this specific point."
If you’re unsure and want peace of mind then get advice. I chose to ignore the ones I had years ago and it has never been a problem.
It’s not a county court judgement, read the top left…it’s a claim, sent from a business centre! Does anybody have any advice on how to respond to this then?
Born Idle:
It’s not a county court judgement, read the top left…it’s a claim, sent from a business centre! Does anybody have any advice on how to respond to this then?
Sorry, it is a claim. Sent from the county court as someone (the parking company) has made a claim to the courts that you owe them money. Read the guidance notes that came with the letter.
Failure to respond will be an expensive ego/pride trip.
Here is a link that explains what you should do
gov.uk/respond-to-court-cla … y/overview
Too late to ignore facts now, you have to accept or deny the claim.
Thanks for the advice.
No worries Alan, hope you get it sorted 
Michael Douglas:
Just pure ignore it.
IT IS A NOTICE FROM THE COUNTY COURT
If you do not respond to it or attend the hearing judgement will automatically be awarded AGAINST YOU regardless of whether or not you’re in the right. You will then have a CCJ on your credit record.
Born Idle:
It’s not a county court judgement, read the top left…it’s a claim, sent from a business centre! Does anybody have any advice on how to respond to this then?
Read top right. Its a county court claim form. The “business centre” address on the letter is the county court bulk claim centre in Northampton. Its the office that deals with bulk claims submitted by companies.
From: justice.gov.uk/courts/northa … ulk-centre
The Bulk Centre
4th Floor
St Katharine’s House
21 - 27 St Katharine’s Street
Northampton
NN1 2LH
Clueless morons like you are the reason people shouldn’t take advice to ignore notices from people on the internet.
Conor:
Clueless morons like you are the reason people shouldn’t take advice to ignore notices from people on the internet.
Ouch 
Born Idle:
Again, apologies for not knowing how to resize the pictures!
Or focus them.
I think I would be shaking with a £150 bill for parking at the shops
Michael Douglas:
The only people that can enforce parking fees are council and police. Private firms can [zb] themselves. Seriously, ignore them, DO NOT respond and they will go away.
+1
Pimpdaddy:
Michael Douglas:
The only people that can enforce parking fees are council and police. Private firms can [zb] themselves. Seriously, ignore them, DO NOT respond and they will go away.+1
Not forgetting County Courts so I’m going for -1
Honked:
Not forgetting County Courts so I’m going for -1
I got 1 in an Asda car park a while ago, ignored it & never heard anything again.