Parking Ticket

[jelly baby]

I just got a ticket for overstaying on a Tesco car park, it was issued not by Tesco but a company called 'Parking Services Ltd' Can this ticket be enforced of should I ignore it and hope for the best?
TIA
Jelly baby x

[EDDIE51]

Complain to Tesco that you were only too long in the car park as you did a lot of shopping. They can contact the parking company and get the ticket cancelled.

[fiction-factory]

In the past you used to be able to ignore them but you are taking a risk as he law is now taking a little more notice of the breach of contract.
There are some sites around that show the current position

[gangesboy]

You might want to read this
http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/protect/2014/08/dont-pay-unfair-private-parking-tickets

[Peter Pedant]

good site Gangesboy
thanks

[fiction-factory]

That may work Eddie but many companies who outsource parking enforcement do so for a reason - so they don't have to deal with these issues. I would expect the car park to allow 2 maybe 3 hours parking. At Christmas they don't want people parking there and then also shopping and elsewhere for long periods.
Worth a try though.
How long did you park, jelly baby, and what was the limit?

[THECORBYLOON]

They are enforceable, https://next.ft.com/content/45b3a664-82ec-11e5-8095-ed1a37d1e096 a court case was heard in November this year.

[ToraToraTora]

just ignore, these are not fines they are invoices. You may get some snotty letters but they'll stop after a while.

[fiction-factory]

The MSE site is good but it is talking about Unfair charges. You need to be able to show the charge was unfair-e.g. signs hidden or ambiguous, charge is unreasonable (eg £200). It's no longer clear cut that you can ignore them

[fiction-factory]

TTT is out of touch on this. The law has moved on

[ToraToraTora]

TCL is correct they are technically enforceable but they hardly ever bother, they just rely on people paying rather than have the hassle.

[fiction-factory]

TTT is right that they are invoices not fines, but you enter a contract when you agree to park there so fair charges are enforceable

[ToraToraTora]

yes FF no one is disputing that, the point is that they are hardly ever pursued. Are you saying that that they are now all vigorously pursued?

[bhg481]

Simple question really; did you overstay because you were doing a big shop in Tesco, which cost a lot of money OR were you cheating ie, parking in Tesco's and shopping elsewhere. If the former you will have a timed till receipt and good grounds to approach Tesco and/or the parking company, involving newspapers if necessary. If the latter then you've been caught out. If they take you to court and you lose you pay their costs as well - very expensive.

[Baldric]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/cars/article-3303189/Parking-ticket-disappointment-UK-motorists-Supreme-Court-rejects-chip-shop-owner-s-85-appeal.html

[bhg481]

This time the supermarket was sympathetic (after a bit of newspaper intervention).

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/reading-berkshire-news/gran-fined-spending-long-lidl-10639753

[PankySmooch]

If you can prove you were shopping in Tesco and not just using their car park they might let you off

[fiction-factory]

TTT said "yes FF no one is disputing that, the point is that they are hardly ever pursued. Are you saying that that they are now all vigorously pursued?"
Yes. Your advice was "just ignore, these are not fines they are invoices. You may get some snotty letters but they'll stop after a while." That approach may work but is quite a bit more risky than it was a year ago and I think your advice to ignore should also contain a health warning

[hiflier]

I parked in a store car park recently. Should have shopped in the said store but didn't. Car park attendant stuck a ticket on the car as soon as I stepped out of the car park. I knew he would so I picked up a used store receipt off the ground and sent it to the car park company explaining that I had entered the store and bought something enclosing receipt. Company replied and let me off. But they also informed me that I must not park in car park unless using the store. Did I care? Not a hoot!