I'm furious, spitting feathers. I've been caught, not once but twice by one of those insidious car parks, you know the ones, you get held up and arrive back to your car one minute over the allocated time, or, as in my case the allocated parking time changes from 3 hours to 2 hours and the signage is woefully inadequate, so pow they sting you for £90, yes £90!!!!!!!!!!!!............ And here's the sting, it took ten days to notify me so by then as a regular customer I had parked there again the next week! I wonder how many others got stung by the time change, I bet they made a tidy profit from that little stratagem.
Now I get that it's private land and they can do whatever they like with it and they do provide free parking for a limited amount of time, however the amount they charge for going over that time is completely excessive and not based upon any commercially justifiable loss to either the company or the landowner, and far exceeds the cost of parking to the landowner, it's just another example of greed.
I appealed with a very polite letter (resisting the temptation to tell them exactly what I thought of them). They replied requesting receipts and reduced it to £50 payable with 3 post dated cheques. After receiving my cheques and receipts they reviewed my appeal and "As a gesture of goodwill" waived the fine and returned the cheques, great result. I don't think I will be so lucky with the next one though as I can't find my receipts :-(
Now I get that it's private land and they can do whatever they like with it and they do provide free parking for a limited amount of time, however the amount they charge for going over that time is completely excessive and not based upon any commercially justifiable loss to either the company or the landowner, and far exceeds the cost of parking to the landowner, it's just another example of greed.
I appealed with a very polite letter (resisting the temptation to tell them exactly what I thought of them). They replied requesting receipts and reduced it to £50 payable with 3 post dated cheques. After receiving my cheques and receipts they reviewed my appeal and "As a gesture of goodwill" waived the fine and returned the cheques, great result. I don't think I will be so lucky with the next one though as I can't find my receipts :-(
A lot of comparable businesses make they money by inflating late fees. I try to be flexible with my check-out times, but there is always someone who abuses my good will. Being able to see both sides makes me more sensitive to rules. The thoughtless actions of a few make things hard for many.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy, these are big corporate companies, the free parking is generous but the change from 3 hours to 2 isn't made clear, then they charge massively excessive fees.
DeleteWell done for getting one fine overturned, that really is an excessive fine.
ReplyDeleteHi mama, it certainly is.
DeleteThis is a disgrace, Polly. For £90 I'd hope there where new shoes involved.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
It is Amalia, but the greedy company will have to wait until July to be fully paid, I've sent 3 cheques, 2 post dated. I keep thinking "that could be a new summer outfit"!!! :-(
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