Recently I attended a popular Adelaide nightspot on the city fringe where parking is routinely a problem.
I found an open car park a few doors down at the rear of some office buildings. It was mid-evening on a Saturday and there were few cars there.
There was a ticket machine there for pay and display. I plugged all my change into it and duly put a ticket on the dashboard.
Upon returning around 11.30, the ticket had expired and there was the inevitable bit of paper around one of the wipers......a demand for $69 for "damages".
Looking carefully, this claim is not an expiation notice or parking fine. It says that at the top in red letters.
It is a civil claim for "estimated damages" made by "The Manager". They claim a "genuine pre-estimate of loss".
Now this is new one for sure. They call themselves Parking Collection Services Pty Lty......and really, it sounds like a rort. I've not got a parking ticket, it seems, but a claim for damages!!!!
Is this even legal? How much standing do they have in a court of law?
They seem to base such a business on the belief most people will pay up thinking it's just another parking ticket. But it's actually a claim for damages.
My instinct is to ignore them. I doubt they have the backing to claim hundreds in extra penalties and freeze my registration the way SAPOL would
What do you think?
I found an open car park a few doors down at the rear of some office buildings. It was mid-evening on a Saturday and there were few cars there.
There was a ticket machine there for pay and display. I plugged all my change into it and duly put a ticket on the dashboard.
Upon returning around 11.30, the ticket had expired and there was the inevitable bit of paper around one of the wipers......a demand for $69 for "damages".
Looking carefully, this claim is not an expiation notice or parking fine. It says that at the top in red letters.
It is a civil claim for "estimated damages" made by "The Manager". They claim a "genuine pre-estimate of loss".
Now this is new one for sure. They call themselves Parking Collection Services Pty Lty......and really, it sounds like a rort. I've not got a parking ticket, it seems, but a claim for damages!!!!
Is this even legal? How much standing do they have in a court of law?
They seem to base such a business on the belief most people will pay up thinking it's just another parking ticket. But it's actually a claim for damages.
My instinct is to ignore them. I doubt they have the backing to claim hundreds in extra penalties and freeze my registration the way SAPOL would
What do you think?
