parking fines in UK

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peteroldracer
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parking fines in UK

Postby peteroldracer » Thu Mar 21, 2019 6:54 pm

I have been battling with the tiny minds of council staff in a large city in t'north: On a recent trip I was picked up on a traffic camera entering a "bus gate" - something I had never heard of and which unlike bus lanes operates 24/7.
The hire company, Easirent, sent me a copy of the PCN (Parking Charge Notice) and said they would be passing on my details to the council as the driver. They also said the as per Ts&Cs they would be deducting £55 Admin charge for doing so! :evil: They advised that the PCN would be cancelled and a new PCN would be raised in my name for me to pay and this would be coming from the council.
I have been trying ever since to get the council to tell me the new number so I can pay the fine online, but have come up against the mindless "cannot tell you anything by email due to Data Protection laws", expecting me to telephone at my expense from Spain which I refuse to do.
The council have just informed me that they have cancelled the PCN as they have no authority to pursue such a fine to anyone not resident in England or Scotland......
I am not suggesting that Spanish residents hiring cars over there should ignore all parking and lane occupancy rules but.....
Next fight is with the hire company about their admin charge, when they should know that the fine cannot be pursued, as well as the very excessive cost.
I would warn any renters that this company (one that is on the list to book through Ryanair) take ages to hand over the car, treating you as a potential car theif, did not want to let me have the car booked as I was too old (!) and demand that you refill the car within 5 miles and one hour of the compound on return!
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olive
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby olive » Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:46 pm

Is the £55 a standard fee for dealing with motoring offences including parking offences? If so it would seem reasonable.

Never heard about the refill your car within five miles and an hour before. What happens if you fill up and then have a meal before handing the car back? I use Leeds Bradford and finding a garage is a nightmare. There is a tiny Jet corner shop place five minutes away or miles away is an Esso ( I think) on a major crossroads. I would challenge any clerk to be able to tell which one I had used. Guages arent that accurate.

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peteroldracer
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby peteroldracer » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:04 pm

We used that Jet station...the receipt that you must produce is time & date stamped, and there seems little point in not filling the tank rather than just paying up. They demand a £95 fuel deposit, and I wanted to make sure I got that back.
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olive
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby olive » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:25 pm

Crikey. We use Enterprise at Leeds .

elusive
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby elusive » Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:43 pm

Id stay away from them in future. Very few garages near LBA. I guess the little jet garage is the one on the corner. Expensive. We use europcar never had any issues. Last time filled up at moortown corner. The station at lawnswood was handy but its well gone now

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peteroldracer
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby peteroldracer » Thu Mar 21, 2019 10:34 pm

I usually use Hertz, if Ryanair offer them as a good option. Never had a problem with them, just this visit it only came up with Easirent. One to avoid for many reasons, not least the farmyard patch and portacabin office well outside the airport - try checking for dents in the dark in a pigpen and you get the picture. I usually use Ryanair to book through as they have a price promise, and have yet to beat their prices.
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elusive
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby elusive » Fri Mar 22, 2019 10:12 am

Try zest aka economy carhire if you fancy compairing next time. Used them for years all over europe. Last time we were at LBA werent aware the car hires had all been moved down to the other end.abit odd especially when there wasnt much signage. Didnt help as we had been diverted to liverpool and landed late

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peteroldracer
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Re: parking fines in UK

Postby peteroldracer » Fri Mar 22, 2019 1:48 pm

The better-known car hire firms are now at the Car Rental Centre, easily reached on the free circular car park buses. Easirent are out on the Harrogate Road, needing you to ring them and be collected. They occupy the same portacabin that 1car1 used, a similar low-cost firm that went broke. Low-cost of course means low costs for them, not for the renter. When I queried the protracted check-out process they said they had to be careful who they rented to as they could not afford to get a car stolen....there were some ugly theft-prevention gadgets attached to the windscreen near the rear view mirror, and the whole process made me feel I was being regarded as a potential thief rather than a valued customer.
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