Clampers!

[LadySeagull]

Are the clamping firm not compelled to give the names of who have employed them and under what authority they have to operate.

No. Annoying isn't it? You have to find out and in some cases they have no authority at all. Even if they have been contracted by someone - as long as you can find that someone - you can successfully sue in almost every case.

 

[csider]

Do not park where you can will or may get clamped....better?

 

[BensGrandad]

I will dig out the letters and notice that accompanied the clamp and then delve into this again via pepipoo.

 

[LadySeagull]

Do not park where you can will or may get clamped....better?

No not really because they set car parks up with hidden, unlit signs - or even no signs. How can you possibly know till it's too late? And also what if it's your own residential car park that has clampers crawling around it, you would have to park there. And they will clamp for any reason at all including 'permit fallen down' (often because 'someone' has shaken the car...), parked over a white line, or because there's an R in the month - any excuse at all, residents, deliverymen, anyone.

Having said that, if I see a clamping sign I would never park there and would absolutely NOT even consider living in a flat where the Managing Agent is daft enough to allow this protection racket on the site.

 

[little al]

No my daughter in law wrote and told them to deal exclusively with me. I then wrote stating that I considered their parking notice to not be valid and that in the event of going to county court I will charge them for my time. They have wriiten back to my daughter in law who in turn has written and told them that they were advised that I am dealing with this problem.

Will now wait and see what happens.

That's your problem, getting in touch in the first place. There should be ABSOLUTELY NO CONTACT AT ALL. I promise, if you ignore, they will go away.

 

[little al]

Can't believe how many people on here have used that word 'illegally'.

Even on the public highway you can't be parked illegally in Sussex unless you are causing an obstruction or are on yellow zigzags (in which case the Police can act, hence = 'illegal').

If you have parked against any rules on the public highway other than that, then it's not 'illegal', not a crime. It is just an alleged contravention of a Council traffic order - in which case most people can get off the PCN by appealing. Councils try to bluff people into paying but most win at adjudication if you just see it through.

But in this case it was private land with private clampers = SCUM and almost certainly NOT the OP's fault. All private parking companies are parasites, if ever you get a fake PCN (parking charge notice) ignore it completely. Simple. It's a scam.

If ever you get a private clamp shackled to your car, cut it off at the padlock then replace the padlock, or pick the lock, or get a garage to remove your car to another place where they can remove the clamp without damage (cheaper than paying the scammers). Then hand their toy back via the local Police Station as lost property so they can check it is undamaged.

Their practice is due to be made illegal soon but in the meantime all private clampers are stepping up their proctection racket. These are not reasonable people and they set up car parks like a honey trap deliberately, with bad signage etc. Someone mentioned Ethical? They are well-known among many names of shocking practices among clampers, there are NO good ones.

If you have PAID a private clamper (last resort) you can sue the clamper and whoever instructed them to carry out their scumbag 'trade' and can get your money back plus the cost of the Small Claim. No need for solicitors.

There are almost always grounds to show the clamping was unlawful as they never get the signage/paperwork right, even charging a ridiculous amount is enough for you to be able to argue it was a penalty (unlawful/unenforceable contract). Myself and Westdene Seagull (who have never met each other BTW!) go on forums to advise people about the scam of private companies, best place to look is here on pepipoo:

FightBack Forums -> Private Parking Tickets Clamping

LockStock you have been robbed. Get pepipoo forum advice and sue them and whoever contracted them to carry out their worst there.

Worth repeating. This advice is spot on.

 

[BensGrandad]

I have told her if they write to her to give the letters to me I will file them and then ignore them and take it from there. I am going to get more involved in trying to recoup my other daughter in Laws £200 for her from when she was clamped.

 

[little al]

Good on you.

 

[Surrey_Albion]

Pikies in little white vans, stealing from people who have made a mistake, when we had all the snow and bad weather, down the road I work in it was not save for the company at the end of the road couldnt get into their car park and if they had it would be darangerous, the "private" (remember these cnuts are just private firms) came down and clamped everyone while they where at work, there is two companies on this road we being the other and we didnt mind and understood why they were parked there but the scabby hatfilled little vultures where here clamping and gone in a shot, SCUM OF THE EARTH

 

[narly101]

How to Remove a Wheel Clamp | Removing Wheel Clamps