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Extort advice

I have seen your letters on parking difficulties and wonder if you have any information or advice about the notice described below. My elderly relatives have lived on an unadopted residential cul-de-sac for over ten years and have not experienced any problems with parking until now.

There are houses on both sides of the road and there is room for two cars to pass on this road. Everyone can park at least one car in their own driveway and I think there was always the assumption that all the houses had equal rights over the road. Earlier this year, the people opposite complained when visitors to my relatives' house parked on the road and later this notice was put up on the garden wall of the neighbour's house opposite.

WARNING CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT This Private Property is strictly for the parking of motor vehicles when complying with the terms and conditions as indicated below. AUTHORISED VEHICLES IN DESIGNATED AREA ONLY If you park on this land contravening the above terms and conditions you are contractually agreeing to pay a parking charge to the sum of £60 within 14 days. Non payment will increase to a max £135.

You will incur additional charges resulting from further action being taken against you if the fee remains unpaid and the vehicle keeper details will be requested from the DVLA. DO NOT PARK HERE UNLESS YOU AGREE TO THE CONTRACTUAL CHARGE. www.parkforce.com. The UK parking enforcement agency. BPA. Approved BPA operator.

This private property enforcer is the trading name of Wilsea Services Ltd PO Box 166 Ashton Under Lyme OL6 6ZU, Company Reg No 04413565. 24 hours a day 7 days a week by issue of parking charge tickets. Tel 0870 7873951 (Sign indicating no concessions for disabled people).

My relatives feel very intimidated by this notice, as indeed I do myself. It is proving hard to find out about their own exact ownership (I am trying) but I do wonder if their modest use of the road for visitors' cars for over 10 years gives them some rights anyway. I am also concerned about finding out you have entered into a contract when perhaps you have not even see the notice. In addition, the fees seem to be excessive.

Asked on 10 September 2011 by BS, Swansea

Answered by Honest John
Unless the neighbours actually own that section of road, or residents of the street collectively covenant to do this, the notice is completely illegal extortion.
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