Clamped in error: recourse?

Sam the Sham

Today at 2:21pm I parked in Rathmines, used the ParkingTag iPhone app to pay for 90 minutes parking (car obviously registered with ParkingTag), returned to the car after 85 minutes (at 3:45pm) to find it had been clamped at 3:30pm.

Turns out that the clampers misread the registration (they had one digit as a 1 when in fact it is a 7). Of course the staff at NCPS or whatever they're called were extremely apologetic (not). Actually, they were useless. Didn't apologise. Couldn't tell me when my car would be declamped (other than "as soon as possible," which means nothing).

Because they car was clamped, my wife had to take a taxi to collect our son. And I had to stand around for 25 minutes before the car was freed.

My question is: do I have any recourse here? I paid them €2.40. The taxi cost about €5 and I was deprived of the use of my car at a time when I needed it thanks to their inability to do an extremely basic job properly.

Put it this way: if I make a mistake, it costs me €80. If they make a mistake, does it also cost only me? Anyone successfully complained and received compensation?

corktina

don't ask them, TELL them you want compensation or else your brother in law (you know the one, the Solicitor) will be handling it. Your expenses would not be unreasonable for them to pay out.

biko

Small claims court?
Maybe bring it up with the local papers as well.

dingding

And tell Joe.

ironclaw

NCPS or whatever? You might want to check who actually clamped your car. ParkingTag is, to my knowledge, only operated by the councils (https://www.parkingtag.ie/) You were clamped in error and it cost your €7.40 all in. Honestly, as bad and all as it was, its cost you more already in time to complain about it. They are hardly going to turn around and give you a couple of thousand in compensation. An error was made, you were 'freed' at their earliest convenience (As lets be honest, unless the van was around the corner it was going to be 20 mins the fastest)

I'd ask for some parking credit on your account, I'm sure they will oblige, but honestly, it ain't worth your time to go down the small claims / solicitor route. Mountains and Mole hills etc.

(And yes, I hate clampers. I'm just trying to look at this rationally)

Sam the Sham

ironclaw wrote: »

NCPS or whatever? You might want to check who actually clamped your car. ParkingTag is, to my knowledge, only operated by the councils (https://www.parkingtag.ie/)

The "Immobilisation Notice" says Dublin City Council. They contract the enforcement out to DSPS (http://www.dsps.ie). Sorry for not having perfect recall of which incompetent private company is illegally immobilising my vehicle. ParkingTag is operated by the councils as a means of payment.

You were clamped in error and it cost your €7.40 all in. Honestly, as bad and all as it was, its cost you more already in time to complain about it. They are hardly going to turn around and give you a couple of thousand in compensation.

Who said I was looking for a couple of thousand? But it's hardly fair that they can make mistakes that illegally immobilise cars for however long it takes for them to get to it and can do so with impunity but that, if we make mistakes, it's €80 every time. I accept that anyone can make a mistake (although the job in this case is so basic a robot could do it: look at the reg, see if it paid, if not issue ticket). But the question is: when a mistake is made, who is liable for it? Am I supposed to pay not only the financial cost, which I agree was minimal, but also the cost of any inconvenience?

If they stole my car for 25 minutes and then gave it back, would you say it was not worth talking about?

quadrifoglio verde

Sam the Sham wrote: »

The "Immobilisation Notice" says Dublin City Council. They contract the enforcement out to DSPS (http://www.dsps.ie). Sorry for not having perfect recall of which incompetent private company is illegally immobilising my vehicle. ParkingTag is operated by the councils as a means of payment.



Who said I was looking for a couple of thousand? But it's hardly fair that they can make mistakes that illegally immobilise cars for however long it takes for them to get to it and can do so with impunity but that, if we make mistakes, it's €80 every time. I accept that anyone can make a mistake (although the job in this case is so basic a robot could do it: look at the reg, see if it paid, if not issue ticket). But the question is: when a mistake is made, who is liable for it? Am I supposed to pay not only the financial cost, which I agree was minimal, but also the cost of any inconvenience?

If they stole my car for 25 minutes and then gave it back, would you say it was not worth talking about?

In that case I'd push it, primarily because dsps are reasonable to deal with.
A while back my mam parked down on the docs on a Saturday, put 2 euro in the machine and then realised that there was no charge on weekends in that part of the street. Tried getting a refund from the machine, but for some reason it wouldn't give one. The next working day she reported it to dublin city council parking department and a few days later rwceived 9 euro parking credit.

Yes it was only 2 euro for her, but in her opinion she pays too much tax as it is, so the more in her pocket the better.
I'd let dcc street parking know, tell them you're not happy, the inconvenience of their mistake etc.

cerastes

quadrifoglio verde wrote: »

In that case I'd push it, primarily because dsps are reasonable to deal with.
A while back my mam parked down on the docs on a Saturday, put 2 euro in the machine and then realised that there was no charge on weekends in that part of the street. Tried getting a refund from the machine, but for some reason it wouldn't give one. The next working day she reported it to dublin city council parking department and a few days later rwceived 9 euro parking credit.

Yes it was only 2 euro for her, but in her opinion she pays too much tax as it is, so the more in her pocket the better.
I'd let dcc street parking know, tell them you're not happy, the inconvenience of their mistake etc.

Fair play for her following it up, Its not usually convenient to do that and I think its smart for the individual to follow stuff up like that.
I got a refund for another service via a gift token, bloody well didnt work, and for damn sure I followed it up.
Maybe the OP can get their costs refunded and some parking credit as it is a bloody inconvenience.