Morrisons Brentford Parking Fine

[little al]

It costs relatively little for a company to refer a claim to the Small Claims Court (£75 for anything under £1500). I doubt they'd bother for a balance owing of £75, but if they ramp the fee up due to non-response / non-payment (after forewarning you in writing) and it amounts to a few hundred quid, then you could well find that someone in the Morrisons finance area will do the necessary, fill out the claim form and apply for Judgement. I've filled out Small Claims court documents in the past in my line of work. It doesn't take very long, piece of piss in fact, not much effort at all, and if the defendant doesn't bother contesting the claim, then the Court will give judgement in the claimants favour and order the fee be paid (and you'll also be liable for costs on top). Of course if you then DO contest the claim, then you'll have to have grounds for contesting it. Not sure whether "I didn't see the sign" is going to stand up really, but then that'd be for the Court to decide.

Its their private land and they are within their rights to make penalty charges, and have them legally enforced if necessary.

He is in a win win situation. Take my advice and not pay, or get a court order and I will pay it.

 

[little al]

If you contest the invoice within a reasonable time i.e. a couple of days they are unable to add further charges and costs because the payment process is put on hold until it is resolved. So it will always be £75 which is the same as they would pay to take it to small claims court.

Under no circumstances should he contact them. FFS I know I am Palace, but I have provided enough links, and offered to pya any "fine" if I am wrong.

 

[Gully]

Tell them that you had intended to shop in their store but had a sudden attack of D&V, retreated to a local pub, spent two hours in the toilet...then decided that it was better not to go into the store in case the symptoms returned, putting them and their customers first, you then left the car park to go home again.

 

[BensGrandad]

Under no circumstances should he contact them. FFS I know I am Palace, but I have provided enough links, and offered to pya any "fine" if I am wrong.

My concern is that they, being the car park operators not Morrisons, may take the law into their own hands and just turn up and restrain the vehicle. Whilst being illegal you have a lot of trouble to get it back if they took it at 4.00am and you needed it for work at 7.00am.

 

[beorhthelm]

If you contest the invoice within a reasonable time i.e. a couple of days they are unable to add further charges and costs because the payment process is put on hold until it is resolved. So it will always be £75 which is the same as they would pay to take it to small claims court.

that sounds like the best advice. for one thing it makes you look reasonable which magistrates like.

 

[little al]

My concern is that they, being the car park operators not Morrisons, may take the law into their own hands and just turn up and restrain the vehicle. Whilst being illegal you have a lot of trouble to get it back if they took it at 4.00am and you needed it for work at 7.00am.

It will be illegal for them to do that, and it won't happen, the costs they will incur will be to great.

Honestly 6-8 increasingly nasty letters is all that will happen.

 

[little al]

that sounds like the best advice. for one thing it makes you look reasonable which magistrates like.

Its not the best advice, the best advice is to totally ignore any letters. I give up.

 

[BensGrandad]

that sounds like the best advice. for one thing it makes you look reasonable which magistrates like.

Sorry to be pedantic but it would go to a county court not a migistrate and county court registrars will do all they can legally to help the little man against big firms generally.

 

[Lush]

Well I dunno. Much as I hate big supermarkets ...

Morrisons buy land in order to provide a car park for people shopping in their shop. You park on their land with no intention of using their shop. Then you bleat about being fined and plead that you're "the little man."

Can I come and park on your drive?

 

[little al]

My last comment (for now).

If you pay it, you are an arsehole.

 

[empire]

pay it,its your fault,end of thread

 

[Giraffe]

Okay, I have spent all day mulling this over and against my better judgement and some advice, particularly Little Al's I HAD decided to pay and then write to Morrisons to claim it back. So I went on Euro Car Parks website, put in my details and up came, would you believe an outstanding account of £90!! (the original amount was £70 not £75).

The letter is dated 22nd September, I received it today (28th) and yet the bastards have already added £20!!!!! Unbelievable. So f*** IT, the BASTARDS are not getting a penny out of me. They have had their chance. I have taken a picture of the website which shows the date as 28th September which is six days after the date of letter, and only the evening on which I received the bloody letter.

So little Al, although I hate Palace, and it is against my better nature I am taking your advice and ignoring them.

I will however write to Morrisons and all of their directors at their home addresses to report this outrageous behaviour.

Thanks again for all of your advice.

I also found this link which suggests Euro Car Parks are as much of a shit organisation as others have suggested.

£70 Euro Car Parks? - Page 17 - The Consumer Forums

 

[Giraffe]

Sorry to be pedantic but it would go to a county court not a migistrate and county court registrars will do all they can legally to help the little man against big firms generally.

pay it,its your fault,end of thread

If I had seen ANY signs and decided to wing it then I would happily pay it. But I saw nothing, absolutely nothing to suggest there was a restricted time. Also is £70 anything like fair and just?? And how can it take six weeks to send me the letter but then the amount increases to £90 straight away!!!

I'm an honest bloke who will readily admit when I am wrong and have paid a couple of parking fines in the past without quibbling but this just feels completely unjust to me.

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

I received a letter in the post today with pictures of my car entering and leaving Morrisons in Brentford. I parked there for our away game. Apparently there are signs saying that parking is restricted to 120 minutes for customer use ony. However neither me or my son saw any of these signs. The bastards are charging me £75 for the privilege of using their f***ing car park.

I recall seeing other Brighton fans in the car park and in fact in one picture there is someone walking by my car in their Brighton yellow and blue shirt!! Anyone else got caught by this?

Sorry mate it seems to me its a fair cop. " I did not see the signs " is no defence.

 

[clippedgull]

So is your beef the amount of the 'fine' or the fact that you have to pay anything at all?

 

[SICKASAGULL]

Pay up and be glad they did not tow your car away, you really think that Supermarkets should provide you with free parking to enable you to avoid using a public parking area, also you do not care how much difficult it would be for shoppers in the area if people like yourself behaved in this way.

 

[Giraffe]

So is your beef the amount of the 'fine' or the fact that you have to pay anything at all?

My beef is that I saw no signs, was not warned that it would cost me £70 to park there and therefore could not make the choice whether to park there for that amount, and yes the size of the amount is astonishing and that amount has now climbed to £90 on the day I received the letter!!

 

[Giraffe]

He is in a win win situation. Take my advice and not pay, or get a court order and I will pay it.

And I have this guarantee. Does anyone know where little Al lives (Obviously somewhere not very nice in keeping with his team! )

 

[little al]

And I have this guarantee. Does anyone know where little Al lives (Obviously somewhere not very nice in keeping with his team! )

I am about to PM you my address and phone number. Call me. I will stick to my word.

 

[little al]

Check PM's and feel free to call me for verification.