Post-holiday shock for couple who get huge bill

A Chiswick couple who found themselves unable to park their car in their garden driveway because it was blocked by Hounslow Highways, have received seven parking tickets totalling hundreds of pounds- despite the fact that they had applied for a resident's parking permit weeks beforehand. The total demanded is £770.00.

The couple had moved house in July from one area of Chiswick to another and submitted an appication for the residents' permit for Alwyn Avenue. They parked in the off-street driveway at their new home for over two weeks. They then went to France for a two-week holiday, taking their car, and returned on August 11th.

"We returned from France to find that our access to our parking driveway was blocked by roadworks carried out by Hounslow Highways and, contrary to our expectations we had not received our parking permit in the post", they said.

They parked their car on the street in Alwyn Avenue and nearby Sharon Road without a permit and received seven parking tickets, which they are trying to have overturned.

The couple said they had sent five emails to Hounslow council, starting on 12 August, asking for an update on their application for a resident's permit and informing them about the blocked driveway. On September 10th, Hounslow Highways had finished repairing the pavement and they were able to park in the off-street driveway again. No further PCNs were issued after that date. The car was out of London for some of the time or the number of PCNs might have been higher.

They finally received their resident's parking permit on September 19th after submitting a second application and they received a refund for the unexpired part of their permit from their previous home- which they say proves that the Council had received their application from July 25th. They said they were told that their original application had been "lost"- a few days before the contract went out to Serco.

They have been told they will have to appeal each PCN on an individual basis and have been referred to PATAS. However they believe this is unfair since it is due to what they describe as "negligent maladministration" on the part of the Council.

Councillor John Todd, who is assisting the couple with the matter described their treatment as "atrocious" and he has contacted LBH Two Assistant Directors Head of Parking and the Lead Member on Parking. He is awaiting a response.

A council spokesman said: “We are looking into these claims, however, we always make sure any appeal goes through the correct process.”

November 18, 2013