PCN - pay and display ticket put in wrong window

[Scholar]

I parked at the Odeon Beckenham in a privately operated car park. I paid and displayed but put the ticket in the drivers window as opposed to on the windscreen. Apparently the signs in the car park say you should display in the windscreen. The person who wrote out the PCN (Parking Charge Notice) took photos which clearly show my pay and display ticket. I appealed to the company who rejected it and then appealed to the IAS who rejected it.

Help, do I need to pay up when I have clearly paid for my parking but put the ticket in the wrong window. Do I need to just bite the bullet and put it down to experience?

[Kati]

Re: PCN - pay and display ticket put in wrong window

[MENTION=5553]charitynjw[/MENTION] [MENTION=39331]ostell[/MENTION]

[charitynjw]

Re: PCN - pay and display ticket put in wrong window

Hi Scholar, welcome to LB.

In your appeals to the parking management co. & IAS, did you ID who was driving?

[topolinodichiesa]

You never "need" to pay a private parking charge invoice, but they can take the driver (if they know who it is) or the keeper (if they follow the rules in POFA 2012) to court, which could order you to pay it (plus costs).

But there are usually several opportunities to avoid court (and avoid paying an unfair ticket), and most people you will meet on forums such as this one, MoneySavingExpert and PePiPoo will discourage you from simply paying up.

I would imagine that, having dutifully paid and displayed, you would not be very keen to pay the PPC £100 on top! Based on what you have said, displaying a valid ticket in the "wrong window" would seem to be a classic "de minimus" breach of contract even if the contract itself is valid and enforceable (which is TBD). Frankly, any self-respecting person would be too embarrassed to take such a case to court, but PPCs are known to be operated by very "special" people.

--Topolino di Chiesa