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My daughter received a parking fine from a private parking company for being 5 minutes overdue on her parking ticket. Is there guidelines or rules governing what is a reasonable amount of time from expiry to issuing a penalty notice?Steve
Optional Information: Province/Country relating to question : UK
Hi
Has she done anything about this yet - like corresponding with them, admitting to being the driver, etc?
No, nothing at this stage. They do have photographic evidence of the ticket in the window of the car at 22.05
My colleague asked me to look at this.
If you havent' admitted being the driver then thats good. This is a private land fine. They are unenforceable. This is not a parking fine however it may look. These companies are private firms that have no more right to punish you for the manner of your parking than your neighbour does. Only the police or the local council can do that. These are issued on the basis that you have accepted a contract by parking there and breached it by staying too long. To make that work they would have to hang signs over almost every bay and anyway, they still cannot show loss. The way to stop them dead is to write back refusing to give them the name of the driver. They have no power to make you as they are not the police. They only have a 'contract' with the driver and not the registered keeper. That will not stop them writing to you but it will put a stop to any real action being taken. They won't know who to sue. Nothing will ever happen over this.
Experience: Bar Exams, over 5 years in practice