Clamping Question- Can anyone help?

chel_

Not sure where I should ask this question, new to boards.
Anyway, I got clamped today, In a housing estate opposite a hospital in Navan ( I'm a student and genuinely hadn't got the 2 euro for the hospital carpark). The whole thing was really fishy. I only noticed the two tiny 'no parking' signs (spray painted on the path and on a wall?)when it was too late and a 'clamping in operation' sign but it was really high up on the pole, but anyway fair enough there was signs.
The sign to tell us we'd been clamped was strange, had no emblem, just the initials 'mcps' on top, and the number they gave was a mobile number! I have never heard of this company nor have I seen a mention on them online. So anyway got a family member to pay on their visa card (this was all they accepted, or cash). A man in a normal car, no uniform came and took the clamp off, just seemed really strange, and he gave us a receipt for 94 euro even though the sign said it was 120euro? Is this normal? Im new on the road and since it wasn't my credit card im anxious to make sure the person who has the details is legitimate. Anybody help? Could it have been a scam?

unkel

chel_ wrote: »

he gave us a receipt for 94 euro even though the sign said it was 120euro? Is this normal? Im new on the road and since it wasn't my credit card im anxious to make sure the person who has the details is legitimate. Anybody help? Could it have been a scam?

Sounds dodgy alright. Tell the family member who paid with their credit card to "raise a dispute" with the bank / credit card company. It might take some time but he / she should get their money back

chel_ wrote: »

I'm a student and genuinely hadn't got the 2 euro for the hospital carpark

You can afford to own and run a car, but you can't afford 2 euro for parking? I ain't buying that

biko

Moved out from someone else's clamping thread so it's not hijacked.

djimi

If Im being totally honest, from what you have described I would probably be inclined to cancel my credit card and get a new one issued. You have just handed your credit card details to some complete unknown stranger, who in no way sounds like they are operating a legitimate business.

andy t

clamping is just a scam in general... remove the wheel & balljoints next time & hand them back the clamp ...

it does look like you got kinda scammed in a way

mullingar

chel_ wrote: »

Not sure where I should ask this question, new to boards.
Anyway, I got clamped today, In a housing estate opposite a hospital in Navan ( I'm a student and genuinely hadn't got the 2 euro for the hospital carpark). The whole thing was really fishy. I only noticed the two tiny 'no parking' signs (spray painted on the path and on a wall?)when it was too late and a 'clamping in operation' sign but it was really high up on the pole, but anyway fair enough there was signs.
The sign to tell us we'd been clamped was strange, had no emblem, just the initials 'mcps' on top, and the number they gave was a mobile number! I have never heard of this company nor have I seen a mention on them online. So anyway got a family member to pay on their visa card (this was all they accepted, or cash). A man in a normal car, no uniform came and took the clamp off, just seemed really strange, and he gave us a receipt for 94 euro even though the sign said it was 120euro? Is this normal? Im new on the road and since it wasn't my credit card im anxious to make sure the person who has the details is legitimate. Anybody help? Could it have been a scam?

I think it was someone chancing their arm. Was it a public road?

If it was a public road, then they have no right clamping you - only the County Council have the authority to do so.

€94??? Thats €120 minus 23%VAT.

What company name is on the receipt??

mullingar

To add:

Minutes of a Navan Town Council Meeting

Linky

6. Notices of Motion


6.1 Notice of Motion – Cllr Francis Deane

That Navan Town Council enforce by-laws to over-rule clamping which is being carried out by a private management company on a public road at Blackwater Heights (beside Fox’s Public House and Funeral Home), Abbeylands, Navan. Several residents use this road which is a right of way for various properties. Charges of €120 are being incurred for release of a vehicle. This clamping has been happening for over three months.

This Notice of Motion was proposed by Cllr F Deane and seconded by Cllr J Reilly.

BMJD

In a normal democracy I'd report that to the police but....

ironclaw

Just so you know, MCPS is a fully legit company in Ireland: http://mcps-ireland.com with Company Number 481060. But then again, the whole normal van and no uniform seems a tad strange to me. Does the receipt match the signs and meter? I sincerely doubt anyone would be brazen enough to try mimic a clamping operator and certainly wouldn't be accepting bank cards (Too much of a paper trail) A true scam would be to turn up and offer to take it off for €50 cash or something.

djimi

ironclaw wrote: »

Just so you know, MCPS is a fully legit company in Ireland: http://mcps-ireland.com with Company Number 481060. But then again, the whole normal van and no uniform seems a tad strange to me. Does the receipt match the signs and meter? I sincerely doubt anyone would be brazen enough to try mimic a clamping operator and certainly wouldn't be accepting bank cards (Too much of a paper trail) A true scam would be to turn up and offer to take it off for €50 cash or something.

It does seem rather unlikely that Munster Car Parking Services would be servicing an estate in Navan (especially when the website specifically states that they serve the Munster area), but I suppose its not impossible.

What sounds more likely to me is that a vigilante group of local residents (at a guess MCPS in this case means Meath Car Parking Services...) has come up with a little operation to clamp cars that they dont want parking in their estate.

chel_

mullingar wrote: »

I think it was someone chancing their arm. Was it a public road?

If it was a public road, then they have no right clamping you - only the County Council have the authority to do so.

€94??? Thats €120 minus 23%VAT.

What company name is on the receipt??

It was a housing estate opposite the hospital, and the signs were so inconspicuous, and no double yellow lines. It was 'mspc'.

chel_

Is it normal for them to give a mobile number?