Car Parking Penalty notice

[Clariman]

Firstly, let me say that I am NOT one for using loopholes for getting out of something that is a fair-cop. I have a strong sense of justice, but it plays both ways. Read on ...

Mrs C and I were taking our little grandchild on their first trip in our car, with new-fangled car seat, 21st C push-chair and all the baby stuff you need. Mrs C parked up and, being the helpful person that I am, I said "don't worry I'll pay for the parking using my phone's parking app" allowing her to wrestle with the car seat. Of course, that meant I was paying to park my car, not the one we were actually in! After a couple of minutes I realised, so I took over with the little one and Mrs C used her phone's parking app to pay .... except, in the faffing about, she didn't press the pay button to conclude the transaction.

So having paid for the wrong car and failed to conclude paying for the second car, we got a parking ticket. So yes it is a fair copy except we did pay and we were actually going to pay twice. I was thinking I'd write a humorous little bit that explained it all (first grandparents' trip and losing the plot etc), that we had paid, and send it to the local council. Is that worth it or do you think a jobs-worth will have a sense of humour bypass and not accept that we have paid?

Anyway, I went online to make the case, and typed in the parking ticket number and my wife's registration and the system could not find it. I tried again, and still could not find it. I then looked at the ticket closely and they have typed a letter where a number should be. So what is the legal position here?

Normally I would not use that type of loop-hole to avoid paying .... but we have paid .... but for the wrong car, so I feel justified in using it if it is indeed a loophole.

Thanks
C

[Watis]

I know somone who got a ticket for parking without a permit in a permit holders only bay. But the warden recorded one character in the number plate incorrectly, hence the penalty notice was wrong - in the same way yours is.

The car's owner phoned the council to advise of the error and the penalty notice was promptly cancelled!

Hopefully, you'll get the same response.

Watis

[PinkDalek]

Penalty Charge Notice (Council) or a Parking Charge Notice (Private)?

Then see, for instance, http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 86603.html. There's a template letter there, if needed, if the ticket has been issued by a private company (assuming the laws haven't changed since 2014) and you hear further.

The thread includes The wrong registration is fatal to a council ticket.

[Infrasonic]

Council 'administrative oversights' are worth pursuing...

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk ... era-930241

MANCHESTER council is set to cancel nearly 20,000 fines wrongly issued to motorists caught in bus lanes. Town hall bosses have admitted they did not have the necessary certification from when the cameras were first introduced in October 2006 until they were given approval in May 2007.

[Clariman]

Penalty Charge Notice (Council) or a Parking Charge Notice (Private)?

Then see, for instance, http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 86603.html. There's a template letter there, if needed, if the ticket has been issued by a private company (assuming the laws haven't changed since 2014) and you hear further.

The thread includes The wrong registration is fatal to a council ticket.

Just taken a look at the thread. To be honest I'd rather than pay it than enter into a 'battle' or game of ignoring letters etc. Probably best to ring the council and tell them the notice in our car was not for our car - and then mention having paid anyway but for wrong car.

[UncleIan]

Just taken a look at the thread. To be honest I'd rather than pay it than enter into a 'battle' or game of ignoring letters etc. Probably best to ring the council and tell them the notice in our car was not for our car - and then mention having paid anyway but for wrong car.

Not sure I'd make any admission of being in the car park. A call yes, but to say the registration notice reg no. doesn't match your vehicle. No need to complicate it, you'll only confuse the computer.

[jackdaww]

Penalty Charge Notice (Council) or a Parking Charge Notice (Private)?

Then see, for instance, http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 86603.html. There's a template letter there, if needed, if the ticket has been issued by a private company (assuming the laws haven't changed since 2014) and you hear further.

The thread includes The wrong registration is fatal to a council ticket.

Just taken a look at the thread. To be honest I'd rather than pay it than enter into a 'battle' or game of ignoring letters etc. Probably best to ring the council and tell them the notice in our car was not for our car - and then mention having paid anyway but for wrong car.

====

if i were in charge i would fine you from what you have said .

i suggest you use the technical loophole.

[GoSeigen]

Normally I would not use that type of loop-hole to avoid paying .... but we have paid .... but for the wrong car, so I feel justified in using it if it is indeed a loophole.

You made a slip-up paying, they made a slip-up fining you. I would have no qualms about pointing out their error, having the charge cancelled and calling it quits.

As others have said keep it simple and just point out what is wrong with their claim, nothing else. I think you have an open and shut case.

GS

[PinkDalek]

Penalty Charge Notice (Council) or a Parking Charge Notice (Private)?

Then see, for instance, http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 86603.html. There's a template letter there, if needed, if the ticket has been issued by a private company (assuming the laws haven't changed since 2014) and you hear further.

The thread includes The wrong registration is fatal to a council ticket.

Just taken a look at the thread. To be honest I'd rather than pay it than enter into a 'battle' or game of ignoring letters etc. Probably best to ring the council and tell them the notice in our car was not for our car - and then mention having paid anyway but for wrong car.

That's probably what I'd do but you did ask.

The last Council PCN ticket I received was as I'd forgotten to scratch out the day, on one of those visitor permits, and there were other issues at the time regarding illness (not mine). I wrote politely explaining the situation, saying I'd made a one-off mistake, and received a polite response cancelling the charge. Saying not to forget next time. This from a Council who are renowned for collecting millions via PCNs.

Up to now, though, I think you've yet to receive a letter from the Council. If what was said in the pepipoo thread is correct, they will not be writing to you, as they can't match the incorrect registration number to the correct car but, if they attempt to by looking at their photos, they'll realise the mistake and should not pursue it. If they do, you tell them it is invalid.

[jackdaww]

Penalty Charge Notice (Council) or a Parking Charge Notice (Private)?

Then see, for instance, http://forums.pepipoo.com/lofiversion/i ... 86603.html. There's a template letter there, if needed, if the ticket has been issued by a private company (assuming the laws haven't changed since 2014) and you hear further.

The thread includes The wrong registration is fatal to a council ticket.

Just taken a look at the thread. To be honest I'd rather than pay it than enter into a 'battle' or game of ignoring letters etc. Probably best to ring the council and tell them the notice in our car was not for our car - and then mention having paid anyway but for wrong car.

====

if i were in charge i would fine you from what you have said .

i suggest you use the technical loophole.

i meant NOT fine you !

[didds]

You made a slip-up paying, they made a slip-up fining you. I would have no qualms about pointing out their error, having the charge cancelled and calling it quits.

As others have said keep it simple and just point out what is wrong with their claim, nothing else. I think you have an open and shut case.

GS

If they have the registration down incorrectly, they can't possibly "find" you.

Why stick a head over the parapet?

Maybe I'm missing some nuance here?

didds

[GoSeigen]

You made a slip-up paying, they made a slip-up fining you. I would have no qualms about pointing out their error, having the charge cancelled and calling it quits.

As others have said keep it simple and just point out what is wrong with their claim, nothing else. I think you have an open and shut case.

GS

If they have the registration down incorrectly, they can't possibly "find" you.

Why stick a head over the parapet?

Maybe I'm missing some nuance here?

Only that some of us might be too thick to have noticed that...



GS

[PinkDalek]

You made a slip-up paying, they made a slip-up fining you. I would have no qualms about pointing out their error, having the charge cancelled and calling it quits.

As others have said keep it simple and just point out what is wrong with their claim, nothing else. I think you have an open and shut case.

GS

If they have the registration down incorrectly, they can't possibly "find" you.

Why stick a head over the parapet?

Maybe I'm missing some nuance here?

didds

Photographic imagery, if available (which is most likely as a Council ‘ticket’), would disclose the correct registration number. See whole thread though and the pepipoo link.

[Clariman]

Thought I'd update you on this. It turned out that the ticket had the right registration on it, but their 'O' looked more like a '0'. Normally zeros are narrower but not on the parking notice printer.

So I went down the route of telling the (true) story about it being a genuine error by grandparents on first solo trip with grandson in the car and sent a screenshot from Ringo app showing that I had paid to park a car (the wrong one) in the right place at the right time. I heard nothing other than an immediate acknowledgement. So I've just entered the details online a month later and it says "ticket not found", so it looks like they have waived it but not told us.

C