Parking fine...

I know this has been done to death however I'm gona bring it up again, I got a parking ticket up te Heath hospital (even though I'm staff and have a permit etc) but Vinci refused my appeal. As they are a private parking firm I have ignored them as various websites have instructed as they are neither council or police but I've just received a letter from debt collectors working on their behalf. Are they just scare mongering or do they have a legitimate claim to the money? Any ideas?

The issue will be whether you have entered into a contract with them. Given the fact that you have appealed, it is likely that you have accepted that you were 'responsible' for the parking offence. Usually the private car parks have to prove who was driving (the police & council by law are able to insist you tell them)

If you dispute it, make sure you tell them in writing. A civil debt can not be lawfully enforced if you dispute it. The parking co will then have to persue this in the County Court.

In the meantime, appeal to the independent parking adjudicator. There is guidance on the net to help you with the procedure

Good luck!

If you believe whats been written no car park company has ever gone to court over a fine. It's not worth their time and if they were to win then the fine has to be appropriate to the money you've denied them by not paying. How much would this be?

I work down heath too and I got done appealed it and then I had a debt company asking for £70 I wrote again to them and to Vinci and they reduced it to £12 I paid it but many other people who have been done have just ignored them I am yet been told of anything being done to them.

I am a Unison rep and I am constantly advising members who get done as we can not do anything with Vinci just hope the contract hurrys up and I can assure you the contract wont be with them again they have annoyed to many people at the trust .

If you look at the ground around the car parks you will see them littered with parking tickets people just throw them and never bother paying, even got told by one of the nurses that she never pays and nothing has ever happened.

Ok brilliant thanks guys, I paid staff rates and put the ticket in te window next to my community permit whilst I was on a course an they said I hadn't paid enough to cover the length of time I was there (pretty sure staff rates cover the whole shift an nurses ain't running back an forth to renew their tickets) ... I've heard that they can't really persue it as would cost more than its worth to them etc but now these debt collectors have started sending letters I was just curious what advice people may have many thanks