[MRenk]

Private parking firms are set to issue nearly two million more tickets in 2019/20 compared with the previous 12 months.

Almost 8.6 million tickets could be issued during the financial year by “out of control juggernaut” parking firms, according to analysis by the RAC Foundation.

If projections are accurate, drivers will face a 26% increase on the total of 6.8 million fines in 2018/19.

Full Article:
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/private-parking-firms-will-dish-out-8.6-million-parking-tickets-this-year/

[alan1302]

Think it shows that people just park where they want and not too bothered about a fine...the government/local authorities need to come up with something that will encourage people not to park where they shouldn't

[ficklejade]

I've been the intended victim of these firms three times and, thankfully, not paid a penny The circumstances were: (1) overstayed performing CPR (yes, qualified to do so) on a heart attack victim who collapsed in the supermarket car park; (2) totally blocked in by some stupid parking so unable to leave without damaging my car and the cars either side and (3) directed by police to turn round in a car park as road closed due to serious accident. In (1) the supermarket and ambo staff backed me up, plus the bystander who called 999 and the one who ran in to the supermarket for additional help. (2) Went to customer services and explained issue and they put out several calls over the pa system but no-one turned up. Supermarket who employed the parking firm sorted. (3) I was in the car park for under 2 minutes driving around following exit arrows to comply with police instructions - police sorted me and several other motorists stuck in the same position.

[98selitb]

Originally Posted by alan1302;n196211

Think it shows that people just park where they want and not too bothered about a fine...the government/local authorities need to come up with something that will encourage people not to park where they shouldn't

The report is about private parking firms though, nothing to do with government/local authorities.

The below refers to England and Wales, no idea about Scotland or Northern Ireland.

Unlike local authorities and police, private parking firms cannot legally issue fines. They are invoices that may or may not be enforceable.

If you park in a private car park that is free (e.g. supermarket), any "fine" is unenforceable, as (unlike the police or local authority) they can only resort to contract law, and can thus only claim damages for lost revenue. As the cost of parking is £0, they have not lost any money by you overstaying. So there are no damages to claim. I have done this a few times and have simply ignored the fake invoices and barely legal notices designed to look like police letters with chequered borders etc. You will also find many of the lawyers' letters are fake - Google the lawyer and you will find they don't exist, and the only results are from consumer rights websites.

The private parking firms give up after a while. They make their profit based on the majority of their victims being scared by the letters into paying (when legally they don't have to).

A private parking company operating a free parking area has as much power to fine you as you do to fine someone who parks on your driveway - i.e. none.

If you park in a private car park that has a charge, this is different and you'll have to be more careful.

[Snowball]

The "parking on someone's driveway" reminded me of a shoe shop we periodically visited. On one occasion we visited early morning - the shop should have been open, but it wasn't. We did a bit more shopping and when we came back later it was open. The shopkeeper told us that a woman on the nearby school run had parked on his rather long driveway - the driveway curved and that near the road could not be easily seen from the house - so he and his wife had to wait forr the woman to return. A heated exchange took place because she said that if there was nowhere else she would do it again. He was particularly annoyed because she had parked in forwards and used the turning circle near the house to turn around before exiting the driveway.
I suggested that he [the shopkeeper] parked his car on the road and then, if she did the same procedure again, follow her onto the drive and park his vehicle to block the driveway as near to the house as possible. Then tell her she will have to wait for him to let her out, but a £10 fee would speed things up, a charge not being for parking but for the trouble of removing his own vehicle.
He liked the idea, but unfortunately the next time we went to visit the shop it had closed and been sold to a developer, so we never found out if anything further had taken place.

[aldenagee]

Originally Posted by Snowball

The "parking on someone's driveway" reminded me of a shoe shop we periodically visited. On one occasion we visited early morning - the shop should have been open, but it wasn't. We did a bit more shopping and when we came back later it was open. The shopkeeper told us that a woman on the nearby school run had parked on his rather long driveway - the driveway curved and that near the road could not be easily seen from the house - so he and his wife had to wait forr the woman to return. A heated exchange took place because she said that if there was nowhere else she would do it again. He was particularly annoyed because she had parked in forwards and used the turning circle near the house to turn around before exiting the driveway.
I suggested that he [the shopkeeper] parked his car on the road and then, if she did the same procedure again, follow her onto the drive and park his vehicle to block the driveway as near to the house as possible. Then tell her she will have to wait for him to let her out, but a £10 fee would speed things up, a charge not being for parking but for the trouble of removing his own vehicle.
He liked the idea, but unfortunately the next time we went to visit the shop it had closed and been sold to a developer, so we never found out if anything further had taken place.

Gotta agree with you
wordle unlimited

[ahmedsayeed1982]

Originally Posted by MRenk

Private parking firms are set to issue nearly two million more tickets in 2019/20 compared with the previous 12 months.

Almost 8.6 million tickets could be issued during the financial year by “out of control juggernaut” parking firms, according to analysis by the RAC Foundation.

If projections are accurate, drivers will face a 26% increase on the total of 6.8 million fines in 2018/19.

Full Article:
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/private-parking-firms-will-dish-out-8.6-million-parking-tickets-this-year/

New in UK and had ticket during last days of 2022 too because I just forgot it over time. But when I have seen the numbers, I mostly thought of usage of paper. Maybe can't it be done electronically? Maybe a message via phone? At least it will be more ecologic.

[Santa]

Originally Posted by ahmedsayeed1982

New in UK and had ticket during last days of 2022 too because I just forgot it over time. But when I have seen the numbers, I mostly thought of usage of paper. Maybe can't it be done electronically? Maybe a message via phone? At least it will be more ecologic.

These companies trace people through their registration numbers and all they have is the address of the Registered Keeper. No phone number or email address. So a letter is the only option.