TONY HETHERINGTON: Fine proves car parks are licence to print money

Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday’s chief investigator. He battles the reader’s corner, reveals the truth that lies behind closed doors, and wins victories for those left out of pocket. Below you can read how to contact him.

Mrs JD writes: We parked at West Pentire, Crantock in Cornwall, in a car park managed by UK Car Park Management Limited.

We paid with a debit card and although we didn’t keep the ticket (who did!), we have a bank statement clearly stating that we paid.

However, we later received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) saying we had not paid and were claiming £60.

Tony Hetherington replies: The PCN claim you received from UK Car Park Management contained two photos of your car, taken by the company’s on-site cameras, claiming that you owed £100 because you had not paid anything for the time you spent in the West Pentire spent parking lot.

If you paid within 14 days, the company would accept £60. But if you don’t pay within 28 days, the £100 fine could increase.

You have made use of the ‘Independent Appeals Service’, a name used by a commercial company properly titled United Trade and Industry Limited. It is paid by UK Car Park Management to handle appeals – and it considered and immediately rejected your appeal.

This was more than a mystery as you had shown with your bank statement that you had paid for the use of the car park with your debit card. However, the appeals service says that the arbitrator “may only assess the legality of the charge.”

And UK Car Park Management says it was unable to identify your payment despite proof from your bank that it was paid.

The payment terminals in the car park ask motorists to enter the registration number of their car. You told me that your husband did this, and while there is no evidence either way, it is possible that he pressed a wrong key.

But this still doesn’t explain why your undisputed payment couldn’t be found simply by eliminating other payments made around the same time. Logically, UK Car Park Management did receive your money, even though at first sight it could not be related to your registration number.

UK Car Park Management has declined to comment and due to the time it took to appeal, you had to pay £100. So what we are left with is a situation where you can prove that you paid, but you are severely penalized for something completely different, which is a possible mistake when entering the number of the car.

In short, the parking garage has had its money. You will be fined for anything else in the terms and conditions, not for non-payment.

Logically, a parking company could then set the condition that motorists must pay standing on one leg and sing the Hallelujah choir.

And if the cameras caught them not hopping and singing it would count as a breach of contract and the driver would be slapped with a demand for another £100. It just makes sense.

After commercial television launched in the 1950s, one of the first bosses said it was like having a license to print money. Today parking bosses must feel the same way. At least ITV gave us Coronation Street. Parking bosses often behave slightly better than parasites.

‘Perfect’ pet insurance is really anything but…

Mrs SE writes: My son and his partner took out a policy with Perfect Pet Insurance in 2020 at a premium of £44 per month.

In November 2021, our family’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel fell ill with congestive heart failure.

He died in February 2022 and the insurance company was notified and a £111 claim was made but has still not been paid.

Distress: The family’s beloved Cavalier King Charles spaniel fell ill with congestive heart failure

Tony Hetherington replies: Your son’s partner has signed a legally binding release, which allows Perfect Pet Insurance to discuss your family’s complaint with me and provide the necessary documents. While banks, government departments, and so forth accept such signed releases, this insurance company insisted on contacting it directly and, in effect, asked, “Are you sure you want to authorize this?”

The reason became clear. Perfect Pet Insurance had not responded to the claim. “This was a mistake on our part,” the insurer said.

And the explanation for your claim’s rejection was just as depressing. Your dog’s treatment in November 2021 cost £54, and in February 2022 it cost £57, but the policy says you have to pay the first £90 a year out of pocket. Your policy was renewed in January 2022, meaning the two bills fell in two different years, each with a £90 deductible, so you get nothing.

Even worse, Perfect Pet Insurance even collected a premium of £44 in March 2022 despite knowing your dog was no longer alive.

I expected it to pay this back, but the company says that since it offers the insurance on an annual basis but makes you pay monthly premiums, you were effectively in debt despite no longer having a pet. However, it has not collected any further premiums. Far from good customer relations.

If you believe you have been the victim of financial misconduct, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Due to the large number of questions, no personal answers can be given. Only send copies of original documents, which unfortunately cannot be returned.