The Parking Cowboys Survey

We are conducting a survey to collect data about motorists who have received parking tickets on private land. In selling their services, the industry makes a lot of bold claims about protecting land owners rights, and keeping the consumer at the heart of their thinking. We want to gather data from actual motorists to understand the effectiveness of such tickets. Are they really detering abuse of facilities? Are they putting of genuine customers?

If you have received a private parking ticket, then please take 1 minute to complete the below form. Please answer the questions honestly – we capture no personal data and the data will be used for statistical purposes only.

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17 Comments on “The Parking Cowboys Survey

  1. It was after midnight and all the bars/shops alongside the car park were closed. I was visiting a friend in a nearby apartment block.The car park was in darkness, there was very little ambient lighting, the signs were not seen and therefore not read. On seeing them the next morning, the signs were still illegible even in daylight. Only 1 out of 7 signs mentioned the parking tariff and times and the one and only ticket machine was painted dark blue and hidden in the most obscure corner of the car park. It is clearly entrapment. The ‘fine’ for not paying £1.00 to park in an empty car park overnight was £100

  2. I was a genuine shopper at the retail park, in the run up to Christmas so I was spending a lot of time browsing and buying my gifts in several shops. I mostly made cash purchases and didn’t keep most of the receipts.In all I spent over £80 in the retail park. I over-stayed by 20 mins (max stay 2 hours). I didn’t realise the time restriction from the signs, I thought it was for non-shoppers i.e. football parking. There was no match on that day and the car park wasn’t full, so I wasn’t preventing another shopper from spending money in the retail park. When I wasn’t shopping I was spending money in the Costa coffee shop. I presented a receipt to Parking Eye as proof of purchase but they rejected it as “non-compliant” without telling me why, so I assume it is because I went over time.
    If I had left within the 2h window I would have not spent as much in the retail park.

  3. My son got a £100 ticket reduced to £60 if he paid within x days for overstaying in a free 2 hr limit carpark by 19 mins. The fact is when it is busy you can wait for a number of minutes to get a space as the main road outside does not allow parkign at the time he was there.

    Since earlier this year the council controlled car parks are now allowing you to have a grace period of 10 minutes. If so, shouldn’t the private car parks have a similar grace period, after all the 2hr linit is supposed to be for actually parking not driving around, but their ANPR cameras detect as you go in and out of the car park and not the actual time you are phyically parked in a bay.

    Therefore in my opiniuon such an ANPR controlled car park should have maybe a 20-30 grace period to cover driving around and including the 10 minute grace the councils do.

    My son appealed but was turned down by the car park’s appeal body. Currently ignoring all letters demanding payment.

    Also, why are the “fines” imposed by private parking companies so much higher than council parking fines?

    • >> Also, why are the “fines” imposed by private parking companies so much higher than council parking fines?

      Because they can get away with it, simple as that.

      • Yes so much higher and as said before – all designed to catch us – the busy public – out. But what can we do about it now if The Supreme Court has judged these companies to be acting within the law?

  4. I parked in a Car park where Iceland is on the left but a Wetherspoons is on the right and there are parking spaces I thought we Wetherspoons as there was no signage at all on that wall or that side of the car park
    You cant see the sign on the entrance when driving in from the rights
    The signs on Iceland are not visable from where I and several others were parked all with no tickets
    eland shuts at 6pm I arrived at 7.15pm
    All the carparks in the town are free for an hour and then after 6pm
    I have appealed but they have said they are not accepting the appeal despite numerous photos showing
    insufficient signage
    This is a parking charge not a ticket others parked there have not got a charge
    They want to charge me £60 for this going up to £100 if I don’t pay by September
    I will be taking this further
    After checking the internet this is one of the biggest scams going

  5. I received a parking charge notice but I was nowhere near this car park living 12 miles away. On sending a registered post letter explaining my number plates had been cloned and sent a police reference number, Parking Eye did not acknowledge my letter and sent me a reminder to pay!! Watch this space… GIVE OUT YOUR TELEPHONE DETAILS PARKINGEYE LIKE A NORMAL OPERATING COMPANY. YOU EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO EMPLOY PEOPLE TO MAN TELEPHONES!

  6. I was shopping in TK Maxx for my family for a forthcoming holiday. My son has aspergers and refuses to go shopping, so I was shopping on his behalf which does take time as he has very specific requirements given his condition, which takes longer, plus shopping for the rest of my family. When I left TK MAXX, I noticed a new Nando’s outlet so decided to stop and eat. Because it was a new Nandos, it was extremely busy, so took longer than usual taking me over the allotted parking time, which I unaware of at the time. I was a genuine shopper using the facilities and not just parking to leave my car there. If this pcn is imposed I’ll no longer use this retail park. They should extend the parking time here as now there are more outlets at the retail park it takes longer to shop.

  7. Received a private parking ticket back in April through the post. Been fighting it ever since. Now with debt collector who got told same as euro car parks. Claimed my car (as registered keeper) was parked on private land for 28 mins over the 60 min free parking time limit. Thing is driver that day wasn’t parked there. They were parked in council parking bay next to it and gave me ticket to prove it. Of course this had no bearing on being harassed for payment firstly by euro car parks then the debt company. Thing is in Scotland the registered keeper is under no legal obligation to name driver and protections of freedom act 2012 where registered keeper becomes liable after 30 days of non payment doesn’t exist in Scotland. Now onto 6th letter and been offered to pay “fine” in instalment. They won’t be seeing a penny from me I can assure you. In one of the letters they said there assuming I’m the driver as I’m the registered keeper then next paragraph there assuming I know the driver as I’m the registered keeper lol. Make your bloody minds up.

  8. Some of these parking companies can only be Describled as Criminals charging ing extortionate amounts of money and any form of trickery to trap people into paying over there parking period.But the real blame lies with the DLVA for supplying personnel information info that is supposed to be confidential to these cow boy organisations who will use any excuse to screw people for money.The fault lies with this government supplying this information to these criminals organisations which will screw people any way they can

  9. We paid £1 to park in Sports Direct car park in Darlington, we were in & out of the shop in less than 20 minutes. 5 days later we received a NTK letter stating we had overstayed our time & were being ordered to pay £45.

    I emailed Smart Parking telling them we paid but never got a reply. Today 26th September I received a letter from DRP Ltd stating I now owe them £160 for non payment & I have until 6th October or they will recommend the creditor takes court action.

    I have emailed DRP & Smart Parking telling them I have not received a reply to my initial email as yet.

    Suppose it’s a wait and see scenario.

  10. I parked in the car park, small, approximatley 100 cars. Noted all the fees required, purchased ticket including vehicle Number 2.60 pounds. 120 minutes. made sure the ticket was in an easily viewable position. left the car park and returned 27 minutes later and left.
    I have recieved a parking fine of 100 pounds.
    The fine notice states that I will be fined if not purchasing the appropriate parking time or exceeding the time purchased.
    I have met all the requirements, there was not a parking attendant in sight.
    My defence is their word against my own, what chance do I have.

    I think because of my short stay the scrutineener has assumed I did not pay for a ticket.
    There is not any statement issued for the reason of the issue of the fine.

  11. I visited a local pub to see a band. In the corner of the pub car pack was a parking machine. It was very dark but I did my best to read the sign and pay the appropriate fee and enter my reg number in the machine but in the dark. I like to support local pubs so didn’t bother to use the £3 refund voucher. 2 weeks later a £100 parking fine came through the post from Parking Eye. I appealed saying I did pay but it was too dark to enter my reg number but they have rejected my appeal

    • They have rejected my appeal as well. And now – with no warning at all they have this month sent me an alarming County Court Judgment Order. I was away a lot this summer working – the parking ticket was issued in June – I didn’t hear from ParkingEye all that time but I was planning to contact Parking Cowboy as soon as I got back – which I did – or rather Private Parking Appeals – who ignored my payment and request for help on this. Not sure what to do now.

  12. 80 year old gentleman had hospital appointment at Barnet with a disabled badge and could find absolutely nowhere to park so he parked in the staff car park rather than miss his appointment. The car registration number is registered as a disabled badge user with Barnet hospital. What does he do? Miss his appointment, Waste NHS money? Perhaps in future he would be better to make sure he uses hospital transport instead of making his own way there and trying to be independent.