Hi All,
Here’s a post for the sharp legal minds on the forum. Grab yourselves a hot brew before you read this. It’s a pretty long post.
This is a true story that has happened to my neighbour today. A little while ago, they parked in a car park in Leeds whilst going on a night out. When they parked, one of the rear wheels of their car was slightly on a grass verge. Because they were both drinking, they did the responsible thing and got a taxi home.
Next day they return to collect the car from the car park. They discover they have 2 parking fines because they were improperly parked in the parking bay i.e. one wheel was on the grass verge. “2 parking fines?” I hear you all cry. One fine was issued prior to midnight. The 2nd fine was issued 5 minutes after midnight. Now I know you’re all hopping mad saying “income generation” but 2 fines for the same offence?
Anyway, they dispute the parking fines. Surely one fine is enough? Letters, e-mails etc ping back and forth for a few months. This morning at 06.20 hrs, a man clamps their car outside their property. Now I must add at this point that they weren’t parked on double yellow lines, blocking a driveway etc. Just parked normally outside your house as you do.
Mr. Toe Rag Clamper man doesn’t even have the courtesy to tell them their car is being clamped. First they know about it is when they’re trying to take the kids out on the school run. Anyway, phone calls happen and eventually Mr. Toe Rag Clamper man appears. They’ve been clamped for non payment of the parking fines. My neighbour calmly explains the fines are in dispute; don’t be so ridiculous etc please remove the clamp so I can take my kids to school.
Mr. Toe Rag Clamper man then says he’ll remove the clamp when she makes a partial payment of £123! Erm, no. I don’t have £123 on me; I don’t even know who you are. Anyway, Mr. Toe Rag Clamper man leaves the property alleging she threatened him with a bread knife!
More phone calls and Mr. Toe Rag Clamper man # 2 appears a short while later. He’s very wary of said 'mad' woman with bread knife as he’s “only doing his job etc”. She says to Mr. TRC man # 2 how can she have threatened Mr. TRC man # 1 with a bread knife when she was holding her baby daughter at the time!
Eventually, to get the clamp removed, she has to produce the credit card to which £340 is charged. This is the payment for the outstanding fines and clamp removal in full.
My questions are this: Was the clamping in the street outside they’re property even legal? How can councils get away with pulling this kind of sh*t? Can you honestly be clamped for non payment of a parking ticket??? The parking fines issued were from Leeds City Council who must be sub contracting debt collection to Dick Turpin!!!
It would appear we now live in a time where the modern day Dick Turpin has returned and will literally take the shirt of your back. They’re basically holding a gun to your head. If I had known about it sooner, I could have told them how to get the clamp off the car without damaging it.
Surely this type of thing is illegal. And who gave them the vehicle details - DVLA. No wonder everyone has lost faith in humanity!
Ben
