Wandsworth Resident parking permits - no renewal reminder and a parking ticket? Post Reply

[jingo_x]

For anyone that is following this thread.  I received answers to my Freedom of Information request today (not all, but some).  As I was asked to activate my new parking account on 16th May 18, I used that as a 'launch date' for the new system and asked for the total number of parking tickets issued 5 months before that date and 5 months after.  Interestingly there was a 28% increase in the number of parking tickets in the 5 months after 15th May.

That's not good surely?

Still waiting for a response to my second representation.

 

[jingo_x]

Just by way of an update.  My second representation was accepted and my PCN cancelled.  It's taken 3 months and a good deal of man/woman hours to get to this point, but I fell it was worth it.  Unfortunately none of my specific points were addressed in the letter, but I still feel it was worth making  a stand!

[njm123]

Well done jingo_x! So glad you were successful, would like to think that it will lead to WBC taking a different approach in these situations and also sorting out the problems with the new IT system which does not seem fit for purpose.

[Gonefishin]

Hi Jingo,

I am currently facing the exact same situation as you did last year, having received a PCN for an expired permit that I didn't receive a renewal reminder for.

I plan to challenge it but wondered if you had any specific advice on that process based on your successful challenge?

Thanks

[mr_e]

I just got 3 parking tickets in exactly these circumstances. No reminder either via post or email to renew my resident permit, forgot to renew. Then come home after being away a few days and 3 tickets on my windscreen. Grateful if any updates on how to fight this.

[jingo_x]

Wandsworth’s argument was that it was my responsibility to remember to renew which I accept. However, the gist of my letters to them was that they had set a precedent by always sending reminders that I had (rightly or wrongly) come to rely on and therefore should accept responsibility. I also pointed out that there would be no logical reason for a resident to deliberately want to let their permit expire so why would we? Surely an automated system should be able to generate a reminder on the expiry date if it hadn’t been renewed.

In my case I was abroad and my neighbour alerted me to the first ticket, but Wandsworth deleted all my details from the system when the permit expired so I was not able to renew online without rescanning all my documents. I felt this was also unfair.

They said an email had been sent to me (it hadn’t) so I did a freedom of information request to ask for copies of all emails sent to me, but they couldn’t provide that information.

I don’t know if you’ll be successful but I was so livid I would have been prepared to go to court over it, so best to decide how far you’d go I guess!

Good luck

[mr_e]

I managed to get the parking tickets revoked by appealing to my local ward councillor. My councillor contacted the parking department, who then admitted there had been a technical issue with the reminder system. All of the tickets were then cancelled. Another thing I was told during the process is that if you apply online for a resident permit, in theory as soon as you submit the application online you get 1-2 weeks of cover based on your number plate, so simply applying for a new permit should put a stop to getting any further parking tickets ... BUT ... please call Wandsworth parking to double check this as it's not a published benefit and the policy may have changed by the time you read this. In my view parking wardens should put a reminder notice on windscreens instead of a parking fine in the first few weeks after a resident permit expires, would save a lot of angst and faff.