I have just received a parking ticket which was dated 24th November. Basically, I parked in the car park behind Somerfield in Broomhill, which you can do. Then you are meant to buy a ticket from the machine there. Well it used to be fine and you could just park. Well now they have these camera things and they have taken pictures of the car going in and out. I have a fine of £60! I also know though that I have parked there since and it could be a possible two more times. How would they know if I have bought a ticket from the machine or not!? Also, I can't afford that money, I am a full time student and it is just before Christmas! ARGH! Finally, do you think they will charge me for the other times?
Any suggestions on how to get out of it would be VERY helpful.

Did you buy a ticket?

..methinks he doth protest too much!!

I imagine they have parking wardens or something? Is this the car-park on the top of the shops or the one further up Spooner Road?
It is unclear whether you bought a ticket, I suspect not...
I'm going to be really narrow minded here, but - you can afford to run a car as a full time student!!
You should be able to afford a ticket when you park somewhere that is pay and display.

Unfortunately I do need my car for personal family reasons, so I have to put up with the pains of running it! I have now paid the fine, I didn't buy a ticket unfortunately! I guess I should just warn people now. The Car Park on top of Somerfield is the one, it now has the cameras on top! GRRRR.

There is PLENTY of free road parking in and around Broomhill if you know where to look.....I never have a problem and never park in fee paying areas....

They know, because you have to put your whole reg number into the ticket machine.

I thought that was just to prevent ticket swapping...but the cameras, I didn't know about them. That really is a bit BB.

Link the camera to the machine and there is your answer. What will happen if there are no parking spaces and they take a picture of you. You could claim this... or the spaces which existed were too tight for you. You tried to park but couldn't. Or maybe you had no change when you got to the machine and had to come back out.

But, if you used the car park, left the car, went shopping and didn't pay the redeemable 50p, then your nicked.

I know, thing is this spot used to be fine- it has now changed.I remember the night too, I was quickly going into Somerfield to just get milk, expensive milk!!!

But, if you used the car park, left the car, went shopping and didn't pay the redeemable 50p, then your nicked.

From using it last week i don't think it is redeemable anymore.

I never use this car park as it is more expensive than the others but my partner insisted it gave you your money back if you shopped in Somerfield but there was no bit of ticket to take into shop.

There is a bar code on the back, which is a bit sticky. I have never bothered redeeming it.

Not anymore, he says it used to have but not now.
Like i say i dont use it i always use the 20p ones and as i'm only usually down the 5-10 mins i then pass it on to anyone else waiting.

The Broomhill car park has been a pay and display for quite a few years now, and it's only about 50p an hour so much cheaper than a £60 fine. They also have car park attendants so anyone parking there without a ticket will get fined.

I've just got a £60 ticket for here too, I overran my ticket by 20 mins (put 3 hours in for my hair appointment, and it took 'em 3 hr 20 mins!).

It's annoying but what can you do? You have to pay if you're in the wrong.

It is a good one for people to be aware of though.

Just out of interest Boroughgal, do you go to Loaf. The last three times I have been there it has over run too. I have had to get the bus, as it is so unreliable. This is a pain for parking. Sorry to hear about the ticket.

It is getting increasingly difficult to get free parking around Broomhill of late many of the roads are now either pay and display or residential scheme.

Just out of interest Boroughgal, do you go to Loaf. The last three times I have been there it has over run too. I have had to get the bus, as it is so unreliable. This is a pain for parking. Sorry to hear about the ticket.

Nah, I use Shine - who are very reasonable, might I add! They always do something a bit funky but are cheap-ish!

My other half was also the unlucky recipient of a £60 fine in this car park around 3 weekends ago. I was very unimpressed as the ticket was addressed to me (as the registered car owner).
I think the problem is that many metered spots and car parks tend to be free on a sunday morning, which is when this ticket was issued. Obviously Somerfield don't subscribe to this ethos. Personally, I will just be taking my custom elsewhere from now on!

blue canary , Don't blame Somerfield they have NO control over this car park and neither do any other tenants in this block. In fact Somerfield will reimburse parking fees off their own back just as an extra service to their customers.
The car park is controlled by a company called Staghold Ltd. of Finchley, London ( the landlord) of which the boss is John Lawson.
In an effort to line his own pockets and bankrupt his tenants he empowered the equally evil Excel Parking to oversee the car park.
As a matter of fact the tenants have to pay for the maintenance of the car park and if they should just happen to park their own cars on the roof they get fined !!!!!

I have just received a parking ticket which was dated 24th November. Basically, I parked in the car park behind Somerfield in Broomhill, which you can do. Then you are meant to buy a ticket from the machine there. Well it used to be fine and you could just park. Well now they have these camera things and they have taken pictures of the car going in and out. I have a fine of £60! I also know though that I have parked there since and it could be a possible two more times. How would they know if I have bought a ticket from the machine or not!? Also, I can't afford that money, I am a full time student and it is just before Christmas! ARGH! Finally, do you think they will charge me for the other times?
Any suggestions on how to get out of it would be VERY helpful.


you can afford to run and keep a car boyo so pay yer fine our kid,without the wardens the streets of sheffield would be a nightmare.

without the wardens the streets of sheffield would be a nightmare.

You mean they aren't already?

You mean they aren't already?

they would be alot worse belive me

you can afford to run and keep a car boyo so pay yer fine our kid,without the wardens the streets of sheffield would be a nightmare.This off street private car park is run and patrolled by a private company who have nothing to do with streets.

Has any one else been stung recently by a parking ticket from the car park above Somerfield in Broomhill. I was sent a ticket for £60 even though I had paid and still had the ticket to prove it. I've since found out that several people I know have also been sent tickets and I suspect there might be something underhand going on. What's your story?

Yes, I did. They'd got photo evidence of me overstopping.

Not much to tell other than that - think they're clamping down. There's another thread on here somewhere, I'll find it for you and merge them.

Threads merged.

Isnt Excel parking owned by a Sheffield man?

I heard of someone getting a ticket here after their mobile rang as they parked up, they took the call for a few mins then went to get a ticket.

As they didnt immediately go to the machine it clocked their plates from when they arrived and fined them

Nice !!

I always use this carpark if I come to Broomhill and I always buy a ticket and I never have over run the ticket time. So I was amazed to get a letter from Excel saying I had parked there without a ticket just before christmas and to pay up as they have photographic evidence, including a picture of my car leaving the carpark to prove their claim.
I was really cross because I have never not brought a ticket. Anyway, I wrote back refuting their claim and asking for more proof - I also pointed out that as I have to enter a number plate in their machine they can check whether I have paid against this. Strangely enough, I have not heard anything from them in a month!

There's been dozens of letters in the Telegraph in the last couple of weeks. People are getting stung for entering a "O" instead of an "0" on the ticket machine. Some people have appealed and won the case but Excel insist on a £10 "admin" charge.
It's legalised robbery if you ask me. I have parked there in the past but not any more. Just be careful if you do park there.

There's been dozens of letters in the Telegraph in the last couple of weeks. People are getting stung for entering a "O" instead of an "0" on the ticket machine. Some people have appealed and won the case but Excel insist on a £10 "admin" charge.
It's legalised robbery if you ask me. I have parked there in the past but not any more. Just be careful if you do park there.


More letters today: Susan Hartley on the Broomhill car park (http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/letters/Susan-Hartley--on-the.3853364.jp), J M Parsons on the Broomhill car park (http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/letters/J-M-Parsons--on.3853351.jp), Beverley Warne on the Broomhill car park (http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/letters/Beverley-Warne--on-the.3853303.jp)

and an article about Coun Paul Scriven saying: ‘Some of the instances in which people have been given fines and charges are unfair and unacceptable. It’s clear that this parking company is trying to take advantage of local people’ (http://www.sheffieldtelegraph.co.uk/news/39Overzealous-and-unfair39.3851540.jp)

never use that place.... there is plenty off on road free parking still around in Broomhill if you seek it out....

When added to the council's resident's parking scheme though, this would appear to be another good reason not to go and park or shop at Broomhill.

When added to the council's resident's parking scheme though, this would appear to be another good reason not to go and park or shop at Broomhill.


The permit parking scheme has provided plenty of on-street pay and display spaces and there are free spaces available too, if you look for them. Most peopel think that the on-street parking situation has been improved by the permit scheme.

The permit parking scheme has provided plenty of on-street pay and display spaces and there are free spaces available too, if you look for them.

Yes PLENTY of free spaces, just cruise around the back roads for a while and you will hit gold......

yep they got me too....i was going to the bank,last october...i paid for an hour and run over by 10 mins...i was horrified to have a ticket i dont mind tickets for non payers or people who pay for an hour and stop for 6 but not for running over 10 mins...anyway i sent out a cheque the same day...unbeknowns to me it never got to them in the postal strikes,i dont check my bank account (hence i was at the bank!!!) and we had just moved house (across the road) i hadnt informed dvla of a change of address...and a couple of months later the people in our old house put a bunch of letters through the door in 3 from the parking people,a debt colletor,and a solicitors letter,the fine had gone up to £180 !!!! i rang them all,the only ones who would deal with me were the solicitors i said i could prove i had moved house etc,argued my corner,even said i would go to court,but they said they didnt have to go to court they could just send in the baliffs!!! arghhhhh panic...ive never dealt with anything like this before so ended up paying it over the phone in a panic.....the only option otherwise was to pay it in 3 monthly installments,not much help......

so be very warned...they are so on the ball there,that company......

I supose i was lucky then, i popped into cooplands to buy my lunch, i honestly did not notice the pay and display signs. I was in the shop around 3 mins when i came out the warden was writing out a ticket for me. I asked why she smiled and said you have no ticket on display, therefore i have to issue you a ticket.
She told me i had been very lucky that day and it was a good job i came back when i did. £64 would have been a very expensive sandwich :hihi:

Private Parking " invoices " ( they have no authority to fine anyone ) are legally unenforceable and to date not one person has ever been taken to court to enforce payment , they depend upon bluster and officious language to con people into paying up. For a review of the facts relating to this matter visit www.pepipoo.com.

p.s I have no connection with the owners/operators of this website , I'm just a motorist who refuses to hand over money to a bunch of scam artists.

I came across this forum totally by accident, and have some information it may be worth sharing (see steelhead4's comment too).

Please please please do NOT pay these invoices from Excel till you have read and reviewed the following website's "stickies" about private company invoices.

It appears I cannot post a link yet, but the relevant website is consumeractiongroup- check out the parking traffic offences section, or just type in "excel parking" and see what it comes up with.

The law which governs these private parking companies is CONTRACT LAW, under which they have no right to charge these PENALTY PAYMENTS.

My husband and I are disputing even their claim for £10.00 administration costs as we do not believe they are correct in law to so charge us.

Also, if you are invoiced, for goodness sake don't call the number they give, as it's a premium rate number (what a rip off!). Try this information instead:

Excel Parking
356 Omega Court
Cemetery Road
Kenwood Park
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S11 8FT

tel: 0114 267 8008
fax: 0114 267 8009

Managing Director : Mr Simon Renshaw-Smith

We intend to fight this lot every step of the way, and I would encourage everybody to challenge their every invoice. They rely on fear and intimidation, and their very official looking stationery to scare us into settling.

Please review the consumer action group's information before you feel you need to pay up.

Regards,

CL

There's an interesting article in todays Mail on Sunday whereby Excel have lost a court case as the judge ruled that Excel's charges were designed to intimidate rather than cover any actual expenses incurred by the company, the link is below. This company relies on bully boy tactics - do not give in to them!

Sorry, I've not been able to post a link, but go the the MOS website for more details.
Kez

There's an interesting article in todays Mail on Sunday whereby Excel have lost a court case as the judge ruled that Excel's charges were designed to intimidate rather than cover any actual expenses incurred by the company, Kez


Thank you for posting that kezzajane. Much appreciated. Good ammunition for all of us should (when, given their usual behaviour) we need it.

Regards,

CL

There's an interesting article in todays Mail on Sunday...

Here's the link - http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=542355&in_page_id=1770

"The law which governs these private parking companies is CONTRACT LAW, under which they have no right to charge these PENALTY PAYMENTS."

Speaking as a professional in this field, for the most part they have every right to charge whatever they want - fundamental to contract is the rights of the parties to agree on their own terms as lavish or expensive as they may be. In some instances statute law intervenes - it is possible to argue that any given term is not a reasonable one, however, that is not an easy test to satisfy. I don't agree with or condone their behaviour, it's just important to note that it is not that simple.

A few weeks ago I drove into the Broomhill car park and drove straight out again when I saw the parking charges, and parked on the street instead. Can I expect to get fined if they have cameras even though I didn't park? Surely they should display the charges at the entrance.

A few weeks ago I drove into the Broomhill car park and drove straight out again when I saw the parking charges, and parked on the street instead. Can I expect to get fined if they have cameras even though I didn't park? Surely they should display the charges at the entrance.

nope, don't think so - they take a timed pic when you go IN, then when you go out. They link this in to your ticket (that's why they need the full reg), and compare the two. If you did just go in and out, even they couldn't charge you for that. could they? surely not?

i'm speaking from experience, just been done myself.
also speaking from experience, 10yrs ago this car park was always full or nearly so on saturday mornings, now there are usually no end of spaces. where have all the shoppers gone?

Somewhere where they don't have to pay to park, perhaps? And quite rightly too.

Somewhere where they don't have to pay to park, perhaps? And quite rightly too.

Where's that?! What is so frustrating is the charges are so small I don't see they achieve any of the aims of such schemes or even cover the cost of implementation. The same is true of Ecclesall Rd and surrounding area.

I went to Broomhill this morning, realised I had no change with me and eventually after looking round for ages for a free, vacant space just went home. Of course because all the parking is now charged for there was no chance of getting into the Natwest car park - the place I was actually going.