£100 Parking Charge Notice - Innocently 20 minutes over time

[abisnail14]

Hello...

Your help would be most welcome, so thank you in advance...

Unfortunately I have just received a £100 parking charge (not a penalty if that makes any difference) from CarFlow (reduced to £60 if I pay now) for breaching their parking terms.I paid for 2 hours as I was confident that was enough time but happened to be out on a Christmas shopping trip with my 9 year old daughter for her school friends, Dad etc. Basically I returned 20 minutes late (she needed the toilet and was having meltdown). If I am being honest, I didn't actually realise I was over time. I am shocked it was 20 minutes, I am usually very good with those sorts of things...

Anyhow, I am aware I breached the terms, its there in black and white but is there anything I can do? I mean I paid in good faith, I was just late back, for all the reasons every parent will understand.

Should I contact them and plead, ignore, pay it or put together a defiant case?

Many thanks again.

[R0b]

Hello

Are you able to share details of the location of the parking and also the PCN letter you received? There are strict requirements before a parking company can hold the registered keeper liable and even then, there might be alternative defences available.

Bear in mind, any communications with CarFlow should be stated as "the driver did this or that" and do not refer to yourself in the first person otherwise you just give it all away and they don't need to chase the registered keeper as they can go directly after the driver.

It would be sensible to edit your initial post to say the driver as some parking companies monitor these forums and may use your posts against you if legal proceedings are issued.