Mum's ongoing issue with parking fine...please help!

[fran_em90]

Hi all,

New to this forum and would be very grateful of any help/advice you guys have to offer!

A few years ago my Mum received a parking fine from a local retail park, she didn't realise they had changed their parking t&c's and she therefore stayed longer than was allowed.

She initially contacted the company to explain that she has been visiting this retail park for years and it was a genuine mistake, to no avail. She has received several letters over the years telling her to pay but has been advised my various people to ignore them.

However, I have just found a letter (supposedly) from the County Court Business Centre ordering her to pay £185.

Is this genuine? Is there anything we can do now to avoid paying that amount?

I think my Mum is choosing to Bury her head in the sand with it all but I'd like to resolve the issue on her behalf if necessary.

Thank you in advance!

[des8]

Hi and welcome
As a start can you post up that "letter" (remove identification details)
It could well be a court claim.

[fran_em90]

This is the letter as requested

[des8]

Yep, that is a court order to pay a default judgement that the parking company have obtained because the claim was not defended.
You could apply for the case to be set aside (fee £255) but unless you have a good reason ...........
If you pay it within 30 days it won't be recorded on credit files

[GBExile]

Yep. Genuine as above. She needs to pay it or challenge it but as she has admitted it before as an error it is probably best paid.

Your mum (in fact everyone) should read their mail. She would have had letters from the court beforehand.