How I got two penalties and met the Jobsworths

Now, back in August, my car (which I had only had for 6 weeks) blew it's cam shaft. That is another story, however while it was being repaired I was provided with a Loan car.

So I parked the loan car outside my house with a note explaining this clearly visible in the car along with my existing parking permit. The note even gave my house number so if there was a problem the parking person could let me know.

This was on the 25 of August and no penalty charge notices were placed on the car.

But then on Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd of September two penalty notices were placed on the windscreen. I had not looked and I don't drive every day - I use my bike for short trips, so had not noticed the first one.

So I wrote an appeal, which I delivered by hand to the Parking office on September the 8th

It said

My Car Reg  ***** is sick

It is being repaired, and so I have a car, Reg **** on loan from the garage where I bought it and where it is being repaired.

You can check this by phoning *** Car Sales

(I included their phone number)

I have had a note to this effect clearly visible in the car along with my existing parking permit. This has been the case since the 25 of August and no penalty charge notices were placed on the car except on Sunday the 2^nd and Monday the 3^rd of September

I am appealing against these two penalties

All went quiet, after a month I assumed that they had decided not to pursue the fines

Then, 5 weeks after I delivered my appeal I received a rejection!

I then Emailed the Parking department as follows

I am appealing again against these two penalties

I was astonished to receive two identical letters rejecting my appeal against the penalty for parking a loan car that I had when my car as being repaired. As I had mentioned my permit was displayed along with a note explaining the situation.

It strikes me as utterly unfair and as a Council tax payer I do not expect the staff of my council to be so unreasonable.

Do you have no discretion? Evidently the parking enforcement officer who did not put penalty notices on my loan car on the many other days it was there did use discretion sensibly.

You also state

Whilst I note that you had left a note I should advise you that Civil Enforcement Officers are not able to pay any attention to notes left in vehicles as to do so would allow all vehicles displaying notes to park without charge or penalty.

I understand the point but you fail to mention that I was also displaying my actual Permit, not just a note so this statement is wrong. I also provided you with information by which you could confirm that my car was off the road.

I have in the last 6 years already paid The Parking Office 283.25 for parking mostly for visitor permits and once to change my permit as I had changed cars.

I do not object to this, but to fine me for parking a loan car is not acceptable.

You state that I should have got a temporary permit, but I did not know how long my car would take to get repaired. And why should I pay for that when I had a valid permit for my car, if not the loan car.

I also note that it took over 5 weeks to reject my appeal.

So please apply some discretion and waive the fines

Please reply by email, this will save costs.