On Wed, 17 Nov 2004 09:15:52 -0000, "Carlos"
wrote:

I parked in a pay-and-display area at 17:05. Put £1 in the machine (charge
is £1/hr) and the ticket came out valid until 17:30 after which time parking
is free. The signage also confirmed that parking is chargeable only between
09:00 - 17:30.

Came back to find a parking ticket, time-stamped at 17:36.

Clearly the parking attendant was trying it on, aware that a certain
percentage probably just pay up. But I want to make a stand and sue the
council for wasting my time. Would I be reasonable in charging a £50 admin
charge for having to issue an explanatory note..?

Cheers


That worked for me in other similar case of maladministration by
admittedly a private company, i.e. a bank.

Make a charge for the time you spend sorting this out and getting the
ticket cancelled. You'll have to establish a reasonable hourly charge
out rate - and only you can determine this. Err on the high side since
they'll probably knock your charged down.

There's certainly going to be the first letter to them, pointing out
the facts you've stated. Then if they're just as inefficient as many
council departments seem to be, and they don't reply in a reasonable
time, you'll have to charge for a second letter, and/or time spent on
the phone. You might be lucky and find that the left hand doesn't know
what the right's doing, and since you won't be paying this, they could
well issue an increased fine giving you another opportunity to lay it
on with them. Keep a note of the dates of relevant correspondence,
since all councils have targets set for responding to the public's
letters.

And don't forget the 'trauma' of being incorrectly treated as a
parking offender.

Good luck.


__
Richard Buttrey
Grappenhall, Cheshire, UK
__________________________