Council admits issuing multiple invalid parking penalties - legal action

[brammers]

Three months ago I received 2 back to back tickets from the local council for “having an invalid residents permit.” I knew my permit WAS valid so, after about 3 hours of phone calls and emails over 2 days they acknowledged that the tickets had been incorrectly issued as their permit database was out of line with the outsourced parking services provider who supplies the wardens!

I received a bland apology and any claim for compensation was declined.
On Friday last, I received another ticket – same alleged reason - but my permit is valid through Dec 2013.

I sent them a pretty aggressive email on Friday night (including my local councilor, the head of parking and the Council Leader) with a demand that they provide a response by close of Monday, before I consider legal action for victimisation and damages. In retrospect I should have just gone straight to appeal, but I don't have time to waste unless there's a real chance of compensation or sanction against the Council.


How do I deal with this degree of incompetency third time around?

What are my courses of action? I have demanded £80 (the cost of a ticket) which is more than reasonable since the cost of my time and stress is in the hundreds. If they decline compensation I intend to pursue this through appeal or court, to send them a message, but do I have something to pursue and what are my chances of compensation?

I will not be content with an apology this time.



Thanks

[bluebottle]

Re: Council admits issuing multiple invalid parking penalties - legal action

Hi Brammers and welcome to LB.

From what you have said, it sounds like the parking enforcement contractor employs people who cannot tell their difference between their arses and their elbows. Which outsourcing outfit is responsible for parking enforcement, please?

One wrongly-issued ticket is an error. Two wrongly-issued tickets is carelessness. Three wrongly-issued tickets is incompetence.

As to ensuring this doesn't happen again, I would ask the council to confirm, in writing, the expiry date of your permit and then send a photocopy of the letter to their brainless contractors, making it clear that any further wrongly-issued tickets may result in your taking legal action against them. Send a copy of any letter to send to the contractor to the CEO of the council requesting that the council takes steps to ensure their contractor does not wrongly-ticket your vehicle.

Another thing you could do is use the Freedom of Information Act to find out in how many cases the council has overturned wrongly-issued tickets as the result of this contractor's incompetence.