I was fined £90 for parking at a supermarket when it was closed
MOST drivers have been there - you're walking back to your car and spot a yellow parking ticket slapped on the windscreen.
But one person got hit with a hefty fine for a lesser-known rule surrounding a supermarket car park.
The motorist told how they parked at supermarket Lidl and a week later found out they had been hit with a £90 fine.
The driver, writing under the initials TG, said they charged their electric vehicle for an hour one Sunday morning before the store opened.
They paid £10 for using the EV rapid charging point and left just after 9am, before the shop had opened.
However, the fine stated that the driver failed to register their number plate to the supermarket, which was closed at the time.
The penalty would be reduced to £45 if paid promptly.
It said that customers had to get their parking ticket validated in store to prove they are using the shop and not just the car park.
Lidl told the Guardian the same rules applied to those using the rapid chargers.
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However, the customer claimed there were no signs to this effect and asked for the fine to be cancelled.
The company allegedly told the driver they could appeal the fine but would most likely lose.
Lidl said a parking validation system is used at a small number of its locations and requires customers to scan their receipt in store to validate their parking.
It says signage is displayed prominently in its car parks outlining the terms and conditions, and customers using the EV chargers are prompted by an app to check them.
It confirmed the customer's parking fine was cancelled.
So we take a look at when you should appeal a car parking ticket and how to do it?
When can you appeal a car parking ticket?
As a motorist, if you feel you have been wrongly fined, you have the right to appeal.
There are valid reasons, why you should appeal if the ticket seems unfair.
For instance, if the signs were not visible or had the wrong information.
More than half of drivers have won their ticket appeal from local councils, an investigation by The Sun found.
Get in contact with whoever issued the initial parking fine and explain your situation – you can do this by phone, email or post.
If you think you were wrongly charged, hold off from paying the fine but check how long you have to challenge the ticket.
To back up your appeal, make sure you have evidence to support your case.
This can include photos that may show the parking signs not being visible or giving clear information.
If you lose your parking appeal then make sure you pay the fine as the costs will keep getting higher.
Many ticket issuers give you 28 days to pay the parking fine before it increases and in some places, the fine is reduced if you pay within 14 days.
If you fail to pay a penalty charge within 28 days, you’ll get a "charge certificate", and will have 14 days to pay the fine and 5% on top too.
This can turn into a court order if you fail to pay.
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