Clamped

weldoninhio

mistersifter wrote: »

My Mam just rang me after getting clamped at the Luas car park.

She had paid her parking but entered 2 digits of her car registration wrongly on the parking machine e.g. her reg is 07D 2335 and she entered 07D 2553.

She has her receipt to prove she paid for parking.

She rang the NCP to explain all of this. They made her pay of course and said she could only appeal after paying. They were obnoxious on the phone to make matters worse.

Has anyone had a similar experience with entering the wrong reg plate and if she will be able to appeal this successfully?

That’s ridiculous!! How did the clamper not just know your ma’s reg and realise it was a mistake??

mistersifter

weldoninhio wrote: »

That’s ridiculous!! How did the clamper not just know your ma’s reg and realise it was a mistake??

Presumably the clamper could see that someone with a very very very similar reg to my mam's had paid and that it was likely her car as no other car with that very very similar reg was present.

Even when the error was explained by my mam over the phone and she proved that she had paid, they wouldn't take the clamp off until the fine was received.

While explaining this, she asked them to come down and take the clamp off ASAP because she was in sitting in a dark car park in the freezing cold alone with her daughter who has a disability. At this point the fella on the end of the line told her it didn't matter, which I think is pretty sickening.

When I heard this I rang them myself and I'm not lying when I tell you the "manager" I spoke to was despicable. Nonchalant, arrogant, sarcastic, dismissive, confrontational.

Gimme A Pound

Graces7 wrote: »

They deserve the "Jobsworth" award! Give some folk a little bit of "power" and they run amok. I never use that kind of car park; LIDL and ALDI are the best

When people say someone is a jobsworth, they mean "They didn't stick their neck out/risk their job for ME!"

I don't agree with clamping as a practice - I think immobilising a vehicle, so that it is stuck in the very place it shouldn't be, is a bizarre message. I don't think there should be clamping at all, and towing or a fine only. But right now, clamping is in existence - and easily avoidable. I know there are (extremely rare) cases like the one being discussed here, but most people who get clamped know the risk they're taking but take it anyway - I've done it myself. So they have zero reason to complain when they could have avoided it but took the risk - yet somehow think they've a divine right to exemption but not others. That's very arrogant.

And it IS illegal to remove a clamp yourself - that's not an opinion, it's a fact, so it's galling to see people who'd normally be preachy about the law, making out that such a practice is brilliant. Even if you feel wronged, it's still illegal.

And it is also really sh1tty to get angry with the phone advisors - I absolutely don't give a sh1t what the reason is for. It is not the fault of the phone advisor. They are the person you phone to make payment or get information, nothing else. They do not make the rules, or attach the clamp. It's cowardly and lazy to be abusive to them, instead of making the effort to contact the person who sets the rules. That is not their supervisor or manager by the way - it's someone much higher up. They're the problem - but they're not on the front line so it's much easier to take things out on the easy targets. They don't give disagreeable answers for the craic (believe me they'd prefer to resolve things quickly and make the customer happy) and they aren't able to bend the rules.

My Sky broadband is constantly conking on me and it's infuriating at times, and I do feel like giving hell to the phone advisors, but a quick reminder to myself is that they have absolutely no responsibility for this - they don't know who I am, and may never have even been to where I live, so I bite my tongue. Their responsibility is to rectify it, not for the problem in the first place. And if you're nice, they are more willing to look after you. I know that for a fact. They are also much more sympathetic. When you are an asshole to them, their sympathy plummets.

Some of the vileness I see on social media is an absolute disgrace. ESB advisors literally get blamed for the weather. :rolleyes:

Just think of things logically, instead of thinking of everything in terms of "me against The Man".

mistersifter

Alexia Prehistoric Theorist wrote: »

...I don't agree with clamping as a practice - I think immobilising a vehicle, so that it is stuck in the very place it shouldn't be, is a bizarre message. I don't think there should be clamping at all, and towing or a fine only. But right now, clamping is in existence - and easily avoidable. I know there are (extremely rare) cases like the one being discussed here, but most people who get clamped know the risk they're taking but take it anyway - I've done it myself. So they have zero reason to complain when they could have avoided it but took the risk - yet somehow think they've a divine right to exemption but not others. That's very arrogant.

And it IS illegal to remove a clamp yourself - that's not an opinion, it's a fact, so it's galling to see people who'd normally be preachy about the law, making out that such a practice is brilliant. Even if you feel wronged, it's still illegal.

And it is also really sh1tty to get angry with the phone advisors - I absolutely don't give a sh1t what the reason is for. It is not the fault of the phone advisor. They are the person you phone to make payment or get information, nothing else. They do not make the rules, or attach the clamp. It's cowardly and lazy to be abusive to them, instead of making the effort to contact the person who sets the rules. That is not their supervisor or manager by the way - it's someone much higher up. They're the problem - but they're not on the front line so it's much easier to take things out on the easy targets. They don't give disagreeable answers for the craic (believe me they'd prefer to resolve things quickly and make the customer happy) and they aren't able to bend the rules.

My Sky broadband is constantly conking on me and it's infuriating at times, and I do feel like giving hell to the phone advisors, but a quick reminder to myself is that they have absolutely no responsibility for this - they don't know who I am, and may never have even been to where I live, so I bite my tongue. Their responsibility is to rectify it, not for the problem in the first place. And if you're nice, they are more willing to look after you. I know that for a fact. They are also much more sympathetic. When you are an asshole to them, their sympathy plummets.

Some of the vileness I see on social media is an absolute disgrace. ESB advisors literally get blamed for the weather. :rolleyes:

Just think of things logically, instead of thinking of everything in terms of "me against The Man".

I agree that it doesnt make sense to clamp a car where it shouldnt be parked in the first instance and towing or fining makes more sense. Good point.

The thing is, what you refer to as rare occasions where people are unfairly clamped are actually not so rare. Stuff like this seems to happen quite frequently. And when you have a company that goes out of its way to take advantage of people; a company that demands payments unnecessarily to force people into a corrupt appeals system, then yo have a company that has no right to be clamping anyone.

I'm sure everyone agrees with fining people who park their vehicles with no respect for others. That's not the issue here. The issue is rather that NCPS clearly cannot be trusted to operate a fair system. As one poster pointed out, they have no interest in "designing out" problems in their system because they are making too much money out of its flaws.

With regard to getting angry with clamper reps on the phone - that's just tough. People are clamped and they're angry. I can tell you with absolute certainty that the lack of respect shown by NCPS staff to both myself and my mam on separate occasions was nothing short of spectacular. My mother works in a call centre so she would never be disrespectful when speaking to one. She simply asked the guy on the phone in a very calm manner was he paid to be rude to people - and he answered her rudely. When I called them, I made a point of approaching the conversation with a respectful tone. My intention was to explain things clearly and ask for an explanation of their system. The person I spoke to (a manager, to make things worse) was just obnoxious. Utterly obnoxious and very confrontational. Once I figured out he had no intention of being anything other than a sarcastic little sh*te, I told him what I thought of him.

The point is that these people can be c*nts. They're not all angelic little poor souls who have no choice but to work for "the man". If they are prepared to work for a company (particularly as managers) that extorts people and demonstrates an alarming lack of empathy with the public, then they are going to get sh*t off people.

And I say this as someone who has also worked as a customer service rep in a call centre.

blade1

Alexia Prehistoric Theorist wrote: »

When people say someone is a jobsworth, they mean "They didn't stick their neck out/risk their job for ME!"

I don't agree with clamping as a practice - I think immobilising a vehicle, so that it is stuck in the very place it shouldn't be, is a bizarre message. I don't think there should be clamping at all, and towing or a fine only. But right now, clamping is in existence - and easily avoidable. I know there are (extremely rare) cases like the one being discussed here, but most people who get clamped know the risk they're taking but take it anyway - I've done it myself. So they have zero reason to complain when they could have avoided it but took the risk - yet somehow think they've a divine right to exemption but not others. That's very arrogant.

And it IS illegal to remove a clamp yourself - that's not an opinion, it's a fact, so it's galling to see people who'd normally be preachy about the law, making out that such a practice is brilliant. Even if you feel wronged, it's still illegal.

And it is also really sh1tty to get angry with the phone advisors - I absolutely don't give a sh1t what the reason is for. It is not the fault of the phone advisor. They are the person you phone to make payment or get information, nothing else. They do not make the rules, or attach the clamp. It's cowardly and lazy to be abusive to them, instead of making the effort to contact the person who sets the rules. That is not their supervisor or manager by the way - it's someone much higher up. They're the problem - but they're not on the front line so it's much easier to take things out on the easy targets. They don't give disagreeable answers for the craic (believe me they'd prefer to resolve things quickly and make the customer happy) and they aren't able to bend the rules.

My Sky broadband is constantly conking on me and it's infuriating at times, and I do feel like giving hell to the phone advisors, but a quick reminder to myself is that they have absolutely no responsibility for this - they don't know who I am, and may never have even been to where I live, so I bite my tongue. Their responsibility is to rectify it, not for the problem in the first place. And if you're nice, they are more willing to look after you. I know that for a fact. They are also much more sympathetic. When you are an asshole to them, their sympathy plummets.

Some of the vileness I see on social media is an absolute disgrace. ESB advisors literally get blamed for the weather. :rolleyes:

Just think of things logically, instead of thinking of everything in terms of "me against The Man".

You're entitled to your opinion.. personally I think they are a bunch of cnuts!

weldoninhio

mistersifter wrote: »

Presumably the clamper could see that someone with a very very very similar reg to my mam's had paid and that it was likely her car as no other car with that very very similar reg was present.

Even when the error was explained by my mam over the phone and she proved that she had paid, they wouldn't take the clamp off until the fine was received.

While explaining this, she asked them to come down and take the clamp off ASAP because she was in sitting in a dark car park in the freezing cold alone with her daughter who has a disability. At this point the fella on the end of the line told her it didn't matter, which I think is pretty sickening.

When I heard this I rang them myself and I'm not lying when I tell you the "manager" I spoke to was despicable. Nonchalant, arrogant, sarcastic, dismissive, confrontational.

Presumably your mother knows her own reg? Not the clampers fault she got it wrong.

mistersifter

weldoninhio wrote: »

Presumably your mother knows her own reg? Not the clampers fault she got it wrong.

yep she knows her reg and made an minor mistake when keying it in.

This mistake was easily identifiable and she also had a receipt to prove she paid for her parking. The problem is not specifically that they clamped her car (although this should have been avoidable), it's that they wouldn't release the clamp when she proved that she had paid. By forcing her into an appeals system they demonstrated a reluctance to use common sense to provide a decent service. This reluctance is due to their desire to milk whatever they can from people, rather than maintain a fair system.

Their despicable attitude is the second problem, and further confirms the values I've just mentioned.

In other words, if you think that clampers arent taking the piss, then you're mistaken.

weldoninhio

mistersifter wrote: »

yep she knows her reg and made an minor mistake when keying it in.

This mistake was easily identifiable and she also had a receipt to prove she paid for her parking. The problem is not specifically that they clamped her car (although this should have been avoidable), it's that they wouldn't release the clamp when she proved that she had paid. By forcing her into an appeals system they demonstrated a reluctance to use common sense to provide a decent service. This reluctance is due to their desire to milk whatever they can from people, rather than maintain a fair system.

Their despicable attitude is the second problem, and further confirms the values I've just mentioned.

In other words, if you think that clampers arent taking the piss, then you're mistaken.

The company has their processes which are well known. I don’t drive and I know if you are clamped you have to pay to get it off, then appeal it. It’s the same rule for everyone. This was all avoidable if your mother had been more careful. This all stems from her carelessness. It was her fault, no one else’s. Everything else is just an emotional appeal to dodge the blame from your mother.

end of the road

weldoninhio wrote: »

The company has their processes which are well known. I don’t drive and I know if you are clamped you have to pay to get it off, then appeal it. It’s the same rule for everyone. This was all avoidable if your mother had been more careful. This all stems from her carelessness. It was her fault, no one else’s. Everything else is just an emotional appeal to dodge the blame from your mother.

none of that is relevant. according to the poster, she provided proof to the company that she paid what she was required to pay. given that was the case, there was no reason for them not to release the clamp. therefore, it is the company's fault that this ended up going further then it needed to go. she made the original mistake, which was tiny, that is as far as her responsibility goes here. after that, how the company handled it was fully their fault and they take the greatly larger share of the blame.

questionmark?

Alexia Prehistoric Theorist wrote: »

When people say someone is a jobsworth, they mean "They didn't stick their neck out/risk their job for ME!"


And it IS illegal to remove a clamp yourself - that's not an opinion, it's a fact, so it's galling to see people who'd normally be preachy about the law, making out that such a practice is brilliant. Even if you feel wronged, it's still illegal.

So you say its a fact?? Which piece of legislation states that it is illegal to remove a clamp when you are parked on private property or anywhere were no by-laws are passed to allow clamping?

mistersifter

weldoninhio wrote: »

The company has their processes which are well known. I don’t drive and I know if you are clamped you have to pay to get it off, then appeal it. It’s the same rule for everyone. This was all avoidable if your mother had been more careful. This all stems from her carelessness. It was her fault, no one else’s. Everything else is just an emotional appeal to dodge the blame from your mother.

"the company has their processes which are well-known" ... What kind of a reason is that? How can you criticize a so-called emotional appeal when that's your reasoning? There is no sense to that.

What I'm doing is criticizing the system that is put into place in order to maximise their profits rather than simply make sure people dont act the bollocks with their parking.

If I was going for an emotional appeal, as you suggest, I would be telling you that she had her hands full trying to look after a disabled person and while doing so she keyed in the wrong number. I am not focusing on that though.

What I am saying is that it's bull**** that they didnt just remove the clamp when she presented her receipt. She did no harm in reality. What exactly is she paying for?

This attitude of "the system is just is the way it is" is rubbish. Maybe the next time you make a minor error that causes nobody any harm whatsoever, you will fined by someone who is sitting there waiting for that to happen and then comes at you with the "those are just the rules" excuse. Of course, when you ask WHY those of there the rules, you will not be given any proper reason.

"They're just the rules" my hole.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Alexia Prehistoric Theorist wrote: »

When people say someone is a jobsworth, they mean "They didn't stick their neck out/risk their job for ME!"

I don't agree with clamping as a practice - I think immobilising a vehicle, so that it is stuck in the very place it shouldn't be, is a bizarre message. I don't think there should be clamping at all, and towing or a fine only. But right now, clamping is in existence - and easily avoidable. I know there are (extremely rare) cases like the one being discussed here, but most people who get clamped know the risk they're taking but take it anyway - I've done it myself. So they have zero reason to complain when they could have avoided it but took the risk - yet somehow think they've a divine right to exemption but not others. That's very arrogant.

And it IS illegal to remove a clamp yourself - that's not an opinion, it's a fact, so it's galling to see people who'd normally be preachy about the law, making out that such a practice is brilliant. Even if you feel wronged, it's still illegal.

And it is also really sh1tty to get angry with the phone advisors - I absolutely don't give a sh1t what the reason is for. It is not the fault of the phone advisor. They are the person you phone to make payment or get information, nothing else. They do not make the rules, or attach the clamp. It's cowardly and lazy to be abusive to them, instead of making the effort to contact the person who sets the rules. That is not their supervisor or manager by the way - it's someone much higher up. They're the problem - but they're not on the front line so it's much easier to take things out on the easy targets. They don't give disagreeable answers for the craic (believe me they'd prefer to resolve things quickly and make the customer happy) and they aren't able to bend the rules.

My Sky broadband is constantly conking on me and it's infuriating at times, and I do feel like giving hell to the phone advisors, but a quick reminder to myself is that they have absolutely no responsibility for this - they don't know who I am, and may never have even been to where I live, so I bite my tongue. Their responsibility is to rectify it, not for the problem in the first place. And if you're nice, they are more willing to look after you. I know that for a fact. They are also much more sympathetic. When you are an asshole to them, their sympathy plummets.

Some of the vileness I see on social media is an absolute disgrace. ESB advisors literally get blamed for the weather. :rolleyes:

Just think of things logically, instead of thinking of everything in terms of "me against The Man".

It’s actually only illegal if it’s a council clamp. It’s criminal damage on a private clamp, so if you can remove it without damaging it then it’s not illegal. And besides illegal or not I’ll be damned if anyone will hold my car to ransom to extort 125 euro out of me after I paid the required amount.

Laois_Man

I remember back in 2005 or 2006 when I lived in an apartment building in Dublin, my girlfriends and I came out of the building to find her car clamped. We went back inside, paid the fine - they told us it would be unclamped within half an hour. Went back out about 20 minutes later to see was the clamp gone - it was - BUT - there was another ****er of a clamper who had just finished putting another clamp on the car. I had it out with them, they refused to remove the clamp, I had to show them my call history that proved I had been on the phone about 20 minutes previously to the number where you pay the fine. It was a job even getting him to look at my phone - arrogant bastard. He eventually rang the office and got permission to remove the clamp. Dunno what would have happened if I had emerged from the building 10 seconds later, they'd have been gone and I would have been left assuming it was the same clamp.

Cowboys!

mistersifter

Laois_Man wrote: »

I remember back in 2005 or 2006 when I lived in an apartment building in Dublin, my girlfriends and I came out of the building to find her car clamped. We went back inside, paid the fine - they told us it would be unclamped within half an hour. Went back out about 20 minutes later to see was the clamp gone - it was - BUT - there was another ****er of a clamper who had just finished putting another clamp on the car. I had it out with them, they refused to remove the clamp, I had to show them my call history that proved I had been on the phone about 20 minutes previously to the number where you pay the fine. It was a job even getting him to look at my phone - arrogant bastard. He eventually rang the office and got permission to remove the clamp. Dunno what would have happened if I had emerged from the building 10 seconds later, they'd have been gone and I would have been left assuming it was the same clamp.

Cowboys!

And yet we still have people on this thread defending clampers.

ArnoldJRimmer

mistersifter wrote: »

And yet we still have people on this thread defending clampers.

Yep, the clamping companies are part of nothing but a money racket, but we still have the smarta*ses saying that no one is allowed to make a mistake of a few digits and then try to rectify it. Its their fault, and these bureaucratic leeches don't need to show any leniency

Was meeting friends in Ranelagh for lunch years ago on a deserted Easter Monday. There are signs up on Appian Way where they rightly state that parking is not allowed Monday to Friday, as its a busy road, but Saturday and Sunday is fine. Friends made the mistake of assuming that on a bank holiday, Sunday hours would apply, and came back to the car clamped and towed. Still fcuk all traffic on the road, but they clearly saw the opportunity to make a few quid

So once again, technically the clampers were right, but they're also absolute c**ts

Guy:Incognito

Alexia Prehistoric Theorist wrote: »

. I don't think there should be clamping at all, and towing or a fine only. ".

And who's going to force the people to pay a fine to a private company? It would cost more to go to court to force them to pay.

end of the road

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

And who's going to force the people to pay a fine to a private company? It would cost more to go to court to force them to pay.

nobody as really only the state should be able to fine anyone. toeing the car will allow for the same outcome as clamping, and will remove the disrupting vehicle.

Guy:Incognito

end of the road wrote: »

nobody as really only the state should be able to fine anyone. toeing the car will allow for the same outcome as clamping, and will remove the disrupting vehicle.

So the owner needs a 2nd carpark to house the cars of the people that don't follow the rules? Seems it would be cheaper to just have 1 carpark and clamp the cars.........


How is towing any different for the person getting towed btw? If anything it's worse as they now have to travel to a different location. Surely if youre letting the car park owner tow them then let them decide of they'd rather not move the cars and just clamp them instead?

weldoninhio

mistersifter wrote: »

"the company has their processes which are well-known" ... What kind of a reason is that? How can you criticize a so-called emotional appeal when that's your reasoning? There is no sense to that.

What I'm doing is criticizing the system that is put into place in order to maximise their profits rather than simply make sure people dont act the bollocks with their parking.

If I was going for an emotional appeal, as you suggest, I would be telling you that she had her hands full trying to look after a disabled person and while doing so she keyed in the wrong number. I am not focusing on that though.

What I am saying is that it's bull**** that they didnt just remove the clamp when she presented her receipt. She did no harm in reality. What exactly is she paying for?

This attitude of "the system is just is the way it is" is rubbish. Maybe the next time you make a minor error that causes nobody any harm whatsoever, you will fined by someone who is sitting there waiting for that to happen and then comes at you with the "those are just the rules" excuse. Of course, when you ask WHY those of there the rules, you will not be given any proper reason.

"They're just the rules" my hole.

Yeah because this is the first time you mentioned your disabled sister. It’s not emotive. Oh no, it’s not. Your mother fcuked up. No one else. Hopefully she won’t fcuk up again. An expensive lesson

end of the road

weldoninhio wrote: »

Yeah because this is the first time you mentioned your disabled sister. It’s not emotive. Oh no, it’s not.

even if he mentioned her 100 times it's still irrelevant to what happened and doesn't change what happened.

weldoninhio wrote: »

Your mother fcuked up. No one else. Hopefully she won’t fcuk up again. An expensive lesson

she made a small mistake. it can happen to us all. yes it's her fault she made the mistake, but it's chicken feed compared to the company's behaviour, the company being absolutely unreasonable and refusing to rectify their mistake when provided with proof, for which that is their fault and nobody elses. the company was in the wrong to the greatest extent.

Kirby

I was clamped a good few years back at work. I parked in my regular spot that I was assigned. Got clamped by the building security guys. I tried explaining this was my assigned spot that I parked in EVERY DAY but they wouldn't hear of it. Paid the 120 euro and was absolutely livid.

Went home, did some legal research. Then went onto Amazon and bought a lockpicking kit. When it arrived I spent a couple hours on youtube and practiced until I was good at it. The kit went in my glove box and is still there. I've been clamped once since and just removed it myself. I will say not all clamps are created equal. There are certain models that are near impossible to pick. You might have to cut them.

Clamping is illegally detaining your property and is illegal unless performed by a person or company employed by the state. If you are clamped on private property, you have been clamped illegally. The private clamping companies know this which is why they settle every suit against them because the moment a case goes to court.....that's it. The jig is up so they will never let it get that far.

From a legal standpoint, you are well within your rights to remove a clamp yourself if clamped on private property not owned by the state. You just can't damage it. If you use a bolt cutter on the chain for example, technically you have to replace the chain. Picking it, if you have the time to learn, is the easier option I found. There is absolutely nothing they can do to you from a legal standpoint so don't let them threaten you.

Legitimate clamping is necessary, is less than 100 euro by law and the money goes back to the state.

However, if you have been clamped on private property and the fee is over 100 euro, all money is going into a shady businessman's pocket and you are well within your rights to remove it.

lawred2

mistersifter wrote: »

My Mam just rang me after getting clamped at the Luas car park.

She had paid her parking but entered 2 digits of her car registration wrongly on the parking machine e.g. her reg is 07D 2335 and she entered 07D 2553.

She has her receipt to prove she paid for parking.

She rang the NCP to explain all of this. They made her pay of course and said she could only appeal after paying. They were obnoxious on the phone to make matters worse.

Has anyone had a similar experience with entering the wrong reg plate and if she will be able to appeal this successfully?

Appeal and she'll get a refund. Just keep the ticket

Reati

lawred2 wrote: »

Appeal and she'll get a refund. Just keep the ticket

Look a few pages back. She already posted the outcome.

lawred2

Reati wrote: »

Look a few pages back. She already posted the outcome.

Ah yeah.. partial refund. Fair enough.

timfinnegan

I have an APCOA parking account. I recently took my father out for dinner to celebrate his birthday and we then went for a drink to the local bar. I input his car details onto my account and paid the parking fee of € 6.00. I keyed in the right model and colour, but confused the 6 for a 5 on the reg number as it was dark and wet. My father was anxious to get in out of the rain. Tried to explain the story to the clamper, had to pay €125 fine, appealed the decision, but was told to sling my hook. Have appealed to the NTA, so we'll see how that goes. I think it's most unfair as I have proof of payment to their Company, but as far as I can see they're just a bunch of money grabbing c***ts.

mistersifter

timfinnegan wrote: »

I have an APCOA parking account. I recently took my father out for dinner to celebrate his birthday and we then went for a drink to the local bar. I input his car details onto my account and paid the parking fee of € 6.00. I keyed in the right model and colour, but confused the 6 for a 5 on the reg number as it was dark and wet. My father was anxious to get in out of the rain. Tried to explain the story to the clamper, had to pay €125 fine, appealed the decision, but was told to sling my hook. Have appealed to the NTA, so we'll see how that goes. I think it's most unfair as I have proof of payment to their Company, but as far as I can see they're just a bunch of money grabbing c***ts.

Sorry to hear that. 125 euro. Unbelievable.

I'm sure you'll get some smart arse boardsie telling you it was your own fault and you deserve to pay 125 euro for keying in a digit wrong. But the fact is they are scum and they're sitting there waiting for this to happen so they can f*ck you over.

I hope the NTA see sense and force a refund. Let us know how you get on.

Out of curiosity, how do they reconcile the 6 euro they received for a car that doesnt exist? Strange they don't monitor the stuff that doesn't suit them to.

timfinnegan

mistersifter wrote: »

Sorry to hear that. 125 euro. Unbelievable.

I'm sure you'll get some smart arse boardsie telling you it was your own fault and you deserve to pay 125 euro for keying in a digit wrong. But the fact is they are scum and they're sitting there waiting for this to happen so they can f*ck you over.

I hope the NTA see sense and force a refund. Let us know how you get on.

Out of curiosity, how do they reconcile the 6 euro they received for a car that doesnt exist? Strange they don't monitor the stuff that doesn't suit them to.

It happened on a Saturday evening. I rang the local car park clamper in Cork and explained that I had keyed in one incorrect digit from my father's car. He told me that he could not liaise with the administration people to check out my story as they only keep normal Mon - Friday office hours. He sympathised with my situation and advised me to pay the €125 fine, which he said I should appeal and would more than likely be successful in this claim, which obviously is not the case.

I looked at the receipt and I noticed that the normal parking fee is €5, but they charged me an additional €1 for the convenience of using my phone app. I would have thought the convenience is for APCOA, as they don't have to mess about with coins and tickets.

Anyway, they're own inhouse appeals process is a joke. You get a standard template f**k off letter regardless of the merits of your case. They stretch out the reply waiting time to the max to hope you'll have cooled off.

Now my appeal is with a Government employee working for the NTA, (paid for out of the public bursary) who will examine the case. It took about 15 minutes from the time i parked the vehicle for them to clamp it, so my guess is this is a right nice money little earners for the shower of c**ts.

lawred2

timfinnegan wrote: »

I have an APCOA parking account. I recently took my father out for dinner to celebrate his birthday and we then went for a drink to the local bar. I input his car details onto my account and paid the parking fee of € 6.00. I keyed in the right model and colour, but confused the 6 for a 5 on the reg number as it was dark and wet. My father was anxious to get in out of the rain. Tried to explain the story to the clamper, had to pay €125 fine, appealed the decision, but was told to sling my hook. Have appealed to the NTA, so we'll see how that goes. I think it's most unfair as I have proof of payment to their Company, but as far as I can see they're just a bunch of money grabbing c***ts.

Had an annual parking ticket with apcoa at an Irish rail/dart park and ride. For my own car obviously enough.

My old man came up for a game at the Aviva and for some reason we took his car down and without thinking we just jumped out and got on a train.

Habit on my part.

Came back to car clamped. Appealed based on a simple mistake and got near enough all of the declamp fee returned.

Bit of a lottery the appeals process by the looks of it.

timfinnegan

lawred2 wrote: »

Bit of a lottery the appeals process by the looks of it.

Lottery contract for APCOA methinks

PARlance

mistersifter wrote: »

Out of curiosity, how do they reconcile the 6 euro they received for a car that doesnt exist? Strange they don't monitor the stuff that doesn't suit them to.

Reconcile what exactly? They don't go around recording every transaction and matching it to a parked car.

€50 back from an €80 fine seems fairly reasonable. Your mothers mistake cost them time and effort.