Car Clampers..........

[Smirking_Saint]

.........Literally the biggest c*nts on earth.

 

Basically, i was parked in Birmingham this weekend, i was originally parked in the hotel car park but you could only pay for 24 hours so this morning i drove 5 mins down the road to another car park which was 50p an hour...... i should have realised that it was bound to be a scam.

 

Anyways, i parked the car and paid, and disappeared up the road to go for a bite to eat etc. I parked the car at 12.01 and was paid until 16.01. I got back from shopping etc at around 15.30 to notice my car missing, at first i thought F*ck, someone has knicked it, then i noticed the signs low down on the fence where i had parked. Unfortunately i always reverse park through habit (i have to because of work) and at the time didn't realise, nor did my father or step father, to be fair, because it was a car park and we had paid to park i never realised we would have to look for signs. The sign read Reserved parking, any car parked in this space will be towed regardless of parking tickets.

 

So, i phoned the number and just wanted my car, my missus was ill also so just wanted to get the car and go home, plus i didn't want to argue as i needed to pay for the car before 18.00 to avoid an over night fee. The current release fee was £150 for clamping and £200 for towing, the car was not there. £350 !!!!

 

We got to the site, a small compound, with one massive iron gate and then behind another locked gate, the second gate had no slots and was pure metal you couldn't see through, the big black guy at the gate greeted us, we could only pay cash and had to pay before even seeing the car, i got a reciept as i handed the cash over and he asked me alone to walk in, chaining the gate up behind me, i was sort of thinking at the time 'sh*t, what happens now' He then took me out back and shut that gate behind, i got in the car and drove out, i then looked over the car and there is white and yellow paint scratches on the offside rear wheel arch.

 

Basically i know i should have looked over the incident and i think that ok, i didn't see the signs however is £350 quid CASH not a bit steep ? Does anyone think i have a case etc ?

[TUS]

Erm, that doesn't sound very legal.

 

Is this for real?

[Smirking_Saint]

100%

 

I will be phoning around some contacts for some legal advice tomorow, but i will be writing a letter to them soon anyways.

[Hatch]

I have a baseball bat in the boot of my car specially reserved for clampers.

[Smirking_Saint]

I have a baseball bat in the boot of my car specially reserved for clampers.

 

Unfortunately it was in the compound and i couldn't get to it. He also filmed everything i did.

[angelman]

pepipoo.com should be able to give you some advice. Basically I think that you have to take them to small claims court to try and get your money back.

[Smirking_Saint]

pepipoo.com should be able to give you some advice. Basically I think that you have to take them to small claims court to try and get your money back.

 

Cheers, i have posted on that site and i am going to see if i have a case.

[toofarnorth]

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/private-parking-tickets

 

Useful info and links here - specifically the already paid to have car release section under clamping near the bottom.

[Smirking_Saint]

Cheers guys, I have done a lot of research into these guys, it turns out they are VERY well known and have lost 4-5 times through the courts, unfortunately however they have only paid up once and have ignored many of the CCJ's they have recieved etc and have basically refused to pay the judgements, they ensure they have zero assets on site which i can vouch for as the site has literally nothing there.

 

So all in all, i MAY have a case but have to go to Birmingham to get some more pictures etc as people on Pippo have said that the signage is inadequate, i would then have to take them to court to try and get a judgement and if i DO win then they will refuse to pay and it will be pointless paying for bailiffs.

 

One of those moments you just learn and move on, never will i park in a private car park again.

[Hatch]

My local Authority have issued ASBOs to the over zealous clampers due to the number of complaints they were receiving.

 

NB, they may not technicallty be ASBOs, but they amount to the same thing, ie the persons being banned from the area.

[buctootim]

My local Authority have issued ASBOs to the over zealous clampers due to the number of complaints they were receiving.

 

NB, they may not technicallty be ASBOs, but they amount to the same thing, ie the persons being banned from the area.

 

Agree Council might be a better way to go than County Court. Try Trading Standards.

[hamster]

good luck with resolving this fella. i ahd a situation a couple of years back after parking in the 'wrong place' when visiting a friend in hospital who'd had a CVA. Foolishly I entered into a debate with the collecting agent and over the phone was told that the 'fine' was frozen pending appeal, final bill was just shy of £300 and obviosuly no-one could recall our telephone agreement meaning that I was up **** creek basically.

 

I paid up reluctantly when proper court summons appeared on my doormat taking the amount over the £300 mark and mrs h insisted that I give up and learn my lesson.

 

iirc, little while back there was a clamper had the crap kicked out of him in Romsey. He'd clamped a car shortly prior to this incident and the car's owner had nothing whatsoever to do with the beating. Don't advocate violence personally but I can see how one's stress levels might be pushed over the edge in some instances.

[JackFrost]

.........Literally the biggest c*nts on earth.

 

Basically, i was parked in Birmingham this weekend, i was originally parked in the hotel car park but you could only pay for 24 hours so this morning i drove 5 mins down the road to another car park which was 50p an hour...... i should have realised that it was bound to be a scam.

 

Anyways, i parked the car and paid, and disappeared up the road to go for a bite to eat etc. I parked the car at 12.01 and was paid until 16.01. I got back from shopping etc at around 15.30 to notice my car missing, at first i thought F*ck, someone has knicked it, then i noticed the signs low down on the fence where i had parked. Unfortunately i always reverse park through habit (i have to because of work) and at the time didn't realise, nor did my father or step father, to be fair, because it was a car park and we had paid to park i never realised we would have to look for signs. The sign read Reserved parking, any car parked in this space will be towed regardless of parking tickets.

 

So, i phoned the number and just wanted my car, my missus was ill also so just wanted to get the car and go home, plus i didn't want to argue as i needed to pay for the car before 18.00 to avoid an over night fee. The current release fee was £150 for clamping and £200 for towing, the car was not there. £350 !!!!

 

We got to the site, a small compound, with one massive iron gate and then behind another locked gate, the second gate had no slots and was pure metal you couldn't see through, the big black guy at the gate greeted us, we could only pay cash and had to pay before even seeing the car, i got a reciept as i handed the cash over and he asked me alone to walk in, chaining the gate up behind me, i was sort of thinking at the time 'sh*t, what happens now' He then took me out back and shut that gate behind, i got in the car and drove out, i then looked over the car and there is white and yellow paint scratches on the offside rear wheel arch.

 

Basically i know i should have looked over the incident and i think that ok, i didn't see the signs however is £350 quid CASH not a bit steep ? Does anyone think i have a case etc ?

 

You have a very good case (and that's an understatement)

 

Right, contact the Security Industry Authority (SIA) on 0844 892 1025 and check the clampers are registered with them. (I bet they won't be)

 

If they aren't then whoever clamped you has committed a criminal offence. Just for the clamping they've charged you double what the legal maximum rate is.

 

I'd also go down your local nick and report this, and take a few photos of the scratches on your motor just on the off chance.

 

Birmingham is a notorious area for dodgy clampers.

Edited 16 July, 2010 by JackFrost

[Macey_J2]

Good Luck, i got clamped for parking in the retail park in hedge end when we went to the rosebowl, so beware that too. If you want to drive to the rosebowl, your only option outside of the car park next to the bowl is the £5 field 'car park' across the road