Is it fair to get parking ticket at a care home?

M.M. writes: As a chiropodist, I treat residents at a Horsham retirement home. The exact car park arrangements have never been clear, but the management instructed me to park in any space. This worked well until, unknown to me, UK Car Park Management was appointed. Nobody in the building said a word about changes, but a few days later I received a Parking Charge Notice demanding £60. My appeal was rapidly dismissed with a warning that if I did not pay, the penalty would be £100. I paid up, to protect myself against court action, but at 90 years of age I do not like being taken advantage of.

I ASKED Saxon Weald, who run the home, to comment. They say residents received a letter from UK Car Park Management explaining the new rules and penalties. There was also signage in the car park, though you told me you had already read this in the past and had no reason to realise things had changed.

UK Car Park Management refused to comment, but I understand the company relied on residents to warn visitors that they needed to follow new restrictions, though clearly your patients did not do so and you have paid the price. Is this fair? Of course not, but the Government abandoned its scheme to make car park firms act more fairly. Meanwhile, operating a car park, or simply controlling the cameras that monitor someone else’s car park, is a licence to print money.