Hi there,
I have received a number of PCNs for being illegally parked in my estate’s car park and I’d greatly appreciate any guidance on possible challenges. I have a resident’s parking permit for my estate’s car park. While away on holiday in late April and early May the permit fell from the window, probably due to the warm weather at the time.
I only use my car on weekends however a couple of days after returning I checked the car and found no PCNs. The following weekend I went to use it and found 3 PCNs. I immediately submitted a challenge on the grounds that I was authorised to use the car park and providing details of my permit (though not a copy).
Three weeks later I received letters for a further 9 PCNs; these had been applied while I was away but must have been removed by someone. I rang the council’s parking department the next day and discovered that a total of 13 PCNs had been issued.
Without thinking to check online first (in this forum or similar)I submitted challenges for the 10 PCNs with text similar to that used with the first 3 but also including proof of my being out of the country at the time.
The council have rejected the challenges, though they have cancelled 6 of them on the basis that they were issued within 24 hours of a prior PCN, though this doesn’t make sense as a number of those cancelled are for sequential days (rather than alternate days).
Where they rejected my challenge the reason given was “no valid permit was displayed on the vehicle. … The terms and conditions of use state that a valid permit must be displayed on the front windscreen of the vehicle…”
I need to go to the housing authority to get a copy of the terms and conditions to confirm that this is stated (though I presume so).
The parking sign for the estate is at the entrance to the parking. This sign only refers to authorised vehicles and doesn’t state a requirement for visible display of a parking permit.
After searching the forums I found this discussion on someone in very similar circumstances (http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showforum=30). This thread contains a good letter that effectively represents reasons for cancelling the remaining PCNs.
Are there any grounds to submit a second challenge to councils or must the matter be taken to PATAS?
Many thanks in advance
aa