My daughter has started work as a physiotherapist in an NHS hospital. She is provided a parking space, but part of the agreement is that she has to agree to maintain her car to a required standard including tax, insurance etc. When the tax renewal came it got sent to us at home, with one thing and another she didn't renew her tax by the due date.

The company that operates the parking then clamped her car saying that as it was not displaying a valid tax certificate she was breaking the designated rules. She had to pay a £180 release fee.

Having read your column in Saturday's Telegraph over a number of years I get the feeling that private parking companies are not allowed to do this sort of thing and certainly not charge that sort of amount. Is this the case and should she challenge the situation even though she has already paid and initially signed a document saying that she would comply with the rules?