Update Note: To find out what happened see the Parking Fines: You can reclaim them… blog.
After all these years of reclaiming campaigns like bank charges & PPI I have never actually needed to do a reclaim myself. Until now. I received an outrageous parking ticket the other day for £120 (£60 if paid within 14 days).
Having spent a long time working on the Parking Ticket Refunds guide, I immediately got my phone out and took pictures. And have sent a version of our template letters off to my council.
Here’s a copy which explains it… (I’ve only changed a few private details)
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
PCN HZ30789933 Date: 29/12/2008 Reg: XXXXXX
Contravention: Parked in a restricted street during prescribed hours.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I received a parking ticket but I believe the ticket was wrongly issued and I would like to submit a challenge for the following reason:
The alleged contravention did not occur.
I parked on Rockley Road, W14 opposite a sign which says
No Parking Mon-Sat
8am to 6.30pm.
Below is a picture of the sign, taken on my phone, as soon as I saw the ticket (I can provide a clearer version if needed, but the sign is still there, so I doubt that’s necessary).
Yet I have been given a ticket for parking after 6.30pm… “The Civil Enforcement Office observed the vehicle identified above from 18:33 to 18:39 on 29/12/2008”
I have subsequently seen new signs at the end of the road, changing the rules, to an 8pm parking. Yet I parked by a sign saying the parking restriction ends at 6.30pm. The signage is palpably unclear, misleading and thus invalid. I obeyed all the correct restrictions and therefore ask that in the sake of good governance, the fine is cancelled.
Kind regards
Martin Lewis