Parking fine & DRP

[seekers222]

Good morning,
I really need help with something very similar ,
I drove into a car park and couldn’t purchase a ticket due to both ticket machines being broken , so I drove to an alternative car park purchased a ticket and went on my way … i subsequently received a parking fine for not purchasing a ticket . I appealed the fine , my appeal was denied and I now have DRP texting & sending letters .
I have been told to ignore them but the letters, I feel very strongly that this isn’t fair as I didn’t park in the car patk . I feel my appeal wasn’t even read . I’m at my wits end but feel on principle that I shouldn’t pay .
please help

[des8]

Can you please confirm that having entered car park A you were unable to purchase a ticket as both machines were inoperative.
so you drove to Car park B where you parked and purchased a ticket
You have now received a Parking Charge (it is not a fine) from the operators of car Park A

In your appeal did you identify the driver?
Can you post up a copy (remove identifying details but leave in all dates & times & location) of the Notice to Keeper you received initially.
Do you have proof of purchasing a ticket for car park B?

[seekers222]

Hi , that’s correct I did purchase a ticket in car park b which I uploaded to euro parks along with my appeal letter. Yes both machines in car park A were only accepting cash which I didn’t have .
in my appeal I wrote “ I didn’t use the car park etc “ so I suppose I didn’t name myself specifically but I used the work “I”

[seekers222]

This is the first letter I received

[des8]

So you can pay and that will be an end to the matter or you can ignore them.
It's not worth appealing to their good nature and trying to negotiate a lower charge, as it won't be countenanced.

If you ignore them, eventually you will receive a court claim.
Court claims can be defended, sometimes successfully but it is always a bit of a lottery.

The defence you put forward in your appeal is quite weak.
Parking companies have to allow "customers" a "consideration period" of at least 5 minutes in which to decide whether or not to park.
You spent 15 minutes in the car park and you would have to explain why it took so long to decide not to park there.

I suspect they are asking for about £150 now, instead of the original £85.
That can also play to your advantage in a number of ways which are sometimes accepted by the judge, who may then strike out the whole claim. Sometimes it doesn't work!

Depending on how the claim is worded, there might be other defences, but until you receive it we can't tell.

If you are determined to defend any claim, you will need to obtain pictures of the car park signs. Even the small lettering needs to be legible in the picture, and even a plan of the carpark and the position of the signs and payment machines could be useful.