Storms and chickens

[soapdragon]

OH parked at an NHS hospital recently and was a bit shocked to return to a chap ticketing his car! It appears that the charging system had very recently been changed and that the signs were not only unclear but also not immediatley obvious - even the chap issuing the ticked agreed that this was the case! So, in due course, OH appealed, stating the unclear sign etc and has now got a nasty letter from the private parking company turning down his appeal and telling him to pay £30, or be taken to court with an even heftier fine and a blot on his credit rating.

However, OH maintains that he will not pay as he feels totally in the right and says that private parking firm cannot prosecute anyway and that they are just trying to put the frighteners on him to elicit payment. Does anyone have any experience of this or know what the legal situation is?

Edited to add; BTW just noticed that this has been 'filed' under Chickens, Eggs and Hatching....after I've been denied access to my recent tomato post I think the forum has gone mad!my recent 

Edited June 29, 2018 by soapdragon
Amazement

[Daphne]

I don't have an answer, but maybe the company has to report to the NHS Trust or whoever, so he could try writing directly, cc'ing the private company and requesting they take no action until his complaint has been fully investigated, particularly if he has any supporting photo/video evidence. It can't be right that a private company is judge and jury, I think I'd have a Google and see if there is any info out there.

[AndyRoo]

Well, the private company could technically take him to small claims court for dee recovery, but if it were me I'd just respond and then threaten to take them to court and get it quashed by a judge as it was not clear. It helps a little if you take photos to prove the signs were not there etc. at the time, though.

Edited June 29, 2018 by AndyRoo

[Olly]

I've moved this to the Nesting Box for you!

I would Google the name of the company, and see if there are any discussions groups about this on (for example) Money Saving Expert forum.  It used to be the case that these companies would send threatening letters but never follow through, but that has changed lately and they can and will pursue it.  There should be information in the letter of how to make an appeal to an independent body, but of course you run the risk of having to pay the full fine if they don't grant the appeal, rather than the discounted figure.  I doubt if they have to refer to the NHS Trust, the company probably pays them a flat rate for running the scheme and keeps any profits.

Last time this happened to me (at a hotel, not a hospital) I gave up and paid the fine because the whole thing was making me so cross and stressed, I decided it was simpler to pay it and forget it.