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How can I contest a parking fine I've received from Parking Eye received after parking in a hotel?
I know you have covered this before a few times but would be grateful if you could let me know what you think about the following: On 2 March I had a meeting at the Crewe Arms Hotel in Crewe, for which the party I was with booked a meeting room and ordered food and drinks - i.e. we were proper patrons. I parked in the hotel car park and, not seeing any signage (it was going dark and I was a few minutes late), went straight into the hotel to join the meeting. Last week I was horrified to receive a notification from ‘Parking Eye Car Park Management’ stating I had parked illegally and had incurred a fine of £90 (reduced to £60 if paid within 13 days). I am in the process of taking this up with the hotel itself because I think it is a disgraceful way to treat paying punters. I was there for about two and a half hours so cannot see that £90 is anything other than scandalous? Your views would be greatly appreciated.
Asked on 16 June 2012 by CD, Enderby
Answered by
Honest John
It’s a contractual penalty, not a “fine”. And until Clause 56 of the Protection of Freedoms Act is made law, a registered keeper is not responsible for breaches of parking contracts by whoever may have been driving the car. I get more complaints about Parking Eye and Parking Eye makes more electronic applications for keeper details from the DVLA than any other parking enforcer; 609,909 between April 2010 and December 2011.
Parking Eye is sold open access to DVLA keeper details without having to show “reasonable cause” in every case, seemingly in contravention of The Data Protection Act and potentially resulting in an annual income to Parking Eye of 348,919 x £50 - £150 (£17.5 million to £52.3 million). To quote Parking Eye’s website, “Parking Eye’s ANPR System feeds to secure live client web pages, where live statistical data is accessible 24/7.”
After obtaining CD’s permission I forwarded his complaint to the British Parking Association on 17 March, and no response was received. You could try appeals@parkingeye.co.uk. Please let us know how you get on.
Parking Eye is sold open access to DVLA keeper details without having to show “reasonable cause” in every case, seemingly in contravention of The Data Protection Act and potentially resulting in an annual income to Parking Eye of 348,919 x £50 - £150 (£17.5 million to £52.3 million). To quote Parking Eye’s website, “Parking Eye’s ANPR System feeds to secure live client web pages, where live statistical data is accessible 24/7.”
After obtaining CD’s permission I forwarded his complaint to the British Parking Association on 17 March, and no response was received. You could try appeals@parkingeye.co.uk. Please let us know how you get on.
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