Parking fine in the north

I've never had any follow up from any fines abroad, or up north.

I used to work executing warrants back in wales for the local authorities and know how the system works, sure that may happen if the car was UK registered, but not a hope it happens with a foreign reg car

Published 13 years ago🤔

Notice the nordie cars down south, no regard for speed limits

It depends on whether you are planning to visit the North again, presumably they could clamp you until you paid everything accrued.

I was in the same boat as you. I paid it because it was my Mrs car and I didn't want her getting the letters in her name. No way would they do anything bar clamp you or tow the car if you ever were caught again up North parking illegally is my guess. Tbh I feel like an eejit to have paid.

Google

Northern Ireland drivers getting away ‘scot-free’ from paying Sligo parking fines

It depends where you got the fine.

There are generally two types - one issued by Traffic Wardens (aka Civil Enforcement Officers, employed and paid by the government) if you park on the oublic road on double yellow lines or in a bus lane etc ......................... the other is those parking fines issued in retail car parks by private parking enforcement firms.

If it's a goverment issued fine, I would absolutely pay it. The UK DVA and the ROI Dept of Transport have shared information mutually now for a number of years (e.g. disqualifications, road tax, etc) and they reached an agreement on parking fines also a few years ago. If they actually pursue it or not? That's another question, but for the sake of being pulled in by PSNI any time you ever find yourself in the six counties again, I would just pay it.

If you got fined by one of those private firms operating in retail parks - bin it and don't respond. I live in the North and I don't pay them either. They have no legal jurisdiction in Scotland, Wales and NI (and only slightly more power in England) and as a private firm, they technically have no more legal right to 'fine' you than McDonalds do. What they're actually issuing you is an invoice and threatening you with legal jargon, ever-rising fees and intimidating letters to fool you into thinking a court appearance is right around the corner. They send more and more until they get bored and eventually give up. I've had the letters 3 or 4 times and all have made excellent basketball practice into my corner bin.

How much was the fine? If only a small sum of money, I'd just pay it.

Are the letters registered? If not, they’ve no way of knowing that you received them. Send them back unopened - ‘return to sender - no longer at this address’. They’ll stop eventually.

What?