Online Solicitor

We’ve all been there; parked our car, done some shopping and returned to find a ticket stuck on the window, demanding money from us for no apparently fair reason. Unlike council-organisations, private parking companies have to operate by different rules – making them much easier to dispute! Today I’ll explain what motoring solicitors say you should do at the time you find the ticket.

Firstly – DON’T PANIC!

Private parking tickets are NOT fines – these companies have no official right to fine you anything. The ticket they issue is simply designed to look like a fine; it is merely an invoice for a supposed breach of contract between the driven and the landowner.

Secondly – ACT!

Gather evidence to reflect the unfair nature of the situation; take photographs of unclear (or a lack of) road signs and markings, obstructed signs and your car. If there was no parking notice (or you couldn’t see it) you couldn’t have agreed to the contract you are supposed to have been in breach of! For this reason, you should take pictures to prove there wasn’t appropriate signage, or that the were hidden, blocked or hard to see. Signs need to be visible from all over the car park, or they’re not sufficient.

Take witness statements from anybody who will testify to the fact that you were given your parking fine unfairly. By gathering all this evidence you’ll be in a better position to fight the company

Next time: fighting for your rights!