Private Parking Fine Claim Form received. Please help!!

[Kayy_Manz]

Hello everyone it would be great to get some advice from any of you lovely people as I've recieved a claim for a parking fine last year.

I live in an apartment and we have a private basement car park. The car park is managed by a company called 'parking and property management ltd'. We all have permits to display and each flat has an allocated parking bay.

So basically last year august I was inside my car with my two little ones and one of them took the permit out of the windscreen wallet, he then put it back but placed it the wrong way round so the permit was not displaying my flat number. The next day when I went to my car, I noticed a ticket on my windscreen!

So I appealed the ticket explaining to them on the basis that the parking bay belongs to me as I have been renting this flat since 2015. I also have owned the same car since the time I lived here and although my permit was not displayed correctly, it was visible and you can recognise that it's my permit but facing the wrong side! I did not realise that my son had played with it and placed it the wrong side up. I did not cause any inconvenience to anyone as nobody would have parked in this bay as this bay only belongs to me and therefore believe this fine should be cancelled considering that the bay does belong to me, but I just had my permit displayed the wrong way around. The appeal was rejected as they mentioned on the letter that my permit was clearly not visible. I decided not to pay the fine as I just could not afford it. I was hoping as it is a private parking fine they wouldn't take it further. However, I have now received a county court claim form. So need to know what to do now?

Is this claim worth me defending? Are my reasons to defend valid for a judge to consider? Or am I best just paying now?
I seriously do believe that my fine is unfair but the reason why I ask if I should just pay it is because I'm worried if I lose, I really dont want to end up with a ccj on my credit file.

So please could someone guide me on what is best to do. Many thanks in advance.

[ostell]

So what does your lease say about the parking space?

If you lose you will only get a CCJ against your name if you don't pay within a month

Yes you are allocated a space, you have no need for a parking contract offered by the sign,, your lease does not require you to display a permit nor pay a charge to a third party stranger if you don't display.

[Kayy_Manz]

Hi ostell thanks for the reply. I have attached a part of my tenancy agreement where it talks about parking. I don't see permit mentioned there!

You have mentioned that I only get a CCJ if I don't pay within a month? Is that after the judge's decision, whether I lose even? If that's the case, I guess it's worth me defending!

If I'm right then I need to fill the defence form? Any advice on what I should mention on there as my strong points?

Thanks so very much. 20201106_142937.jpg

[ostell]

What's the signs say?

[Kayy_Manz]

ostell sorry about the delay. This is the parking sign in the car park.

[Kayy_Manz]

Is there anyone to help me please?