Ashley Pavett faces ruined credit and housing issues due to an overstayed parking time and unpaid fine at Costa Coffee.
He parked at Green Meadow in Pontyclun, Wales, in April 2024. He paid the fine quickly and thought the issue was over.
Months later, his ex-landlord called with an urgent letter for him. It was another fine from Parking Eye, who manage the car park. He also had a county court judgement (CCJ).
A CCJ means someone sued him for money, which confused him. He paid the extra 192 pounds, planning to sort out a refund later. Then, he contacted Parking Eye to understand the situation.
They claimed he didn’t pay the first fine and sent notices to his old address. They sued him when he didn’t respond, leaving him 252 pounds short.
He couldn’t rent a new place, and he told his employer about the CCJ. His Experian score dropped 500 points. He felt he did nothing wrong.
He contacted the British Parking Association, who contacted Parking Eye for him. They found his payment from April 30, and the court case was dropped. He got a refund of the original fine.
He feels the situation caused chaos and thinks he deserves more than a refund. The company made a mistake, and he believes the damage is more than 252 pounds.
Parking Eye said they have no payment record. They manage the Costa Coffee car park. Signs say parking is for 90 minutes only, and people can’t return for two hours.
They said he parked for one hour, forty minutes, and they never received his payment. They process many payments yearly and use systems to track everything carefully.
All letters went to his registered address. The government plans to regulate parking firms to stop unfair charges on drivers. They will limit fines and fees.