LOCKED OUT
Our car was CLAMPED at work & we thought it was a joke by a colleague… but we had to prove land was ours
The boss said he'd never seen anything like this in his 11 years there
STAFF at a car dealership were gobsmacked when they discovered a motor had been CLAMPED on their OWN forecourt.
The Fiat 500 had been targeted outside Strood Motor Centre in Gravesend - despite the fact the boss has owned his site for nearly three decades.
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Having parked cars in the same spot for years for customer viewing, dealership employees were in utter disbelief.
Staff member Max Mannouch told : “Basically we came into work and found it clamped.
“We all thought it was a joke at first. I actually believed it was a prank by one of my colleagues."
Fury was sparked when they realised the DVLA clamp was legitimate.
The grey Fiat was due to be viewed by a potential buyer later that day but the pesky wheel boot meat a sale couldn't go through.
Max added: “The land is privately owned.
“The fence used to be pushed up against the kerb but it had to be taken back due to the bus stop next to it."
The 21-year-old dubbed the ordeal "frustrating" and slammed the DVLA for threatening to charge £1,000 should they remove the unwarranted device themselves.
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Instead, they were informed they would have to prove they owned the land - a drawn out and inconvenient process.
Max said: “The deed lies with lawyers, so we are having to go through a process now to get this.
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“It’s just a little bit ridiculous.”
Manager Russell Cox vowed he had never witnessed the likes of this in his 11 years with the dealership.
He explained the fence was previously pushed back to help improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians at a nearby junction.
Max added: “It’s thrown our business off course because this customer can’t pick up their car now."
A spokesman from NSL said: “Whilst we are unable to comment on individual cases, we understand that the vehicle in question has been declamped.”
The Sun reached out to NSL for comment.
It comes as a nurse was forced to pay £60 after her car was clamped in her own hospital car park.
Sarah Todd was raging as it meant she was unable to visit sick and vulnerable patients in the community.
Meanwhile one mum's car was fitted with the gadget after she didn't renew her free tax.
Sharon Taylor had to fork out £100 to remove it from the untaxed motor - even though her low-emissions Peugeot 208 has a £0.00 road tax bill.
What happens if my car gets clamped and how much will it cost?
Cars are clamped usually because they are parked improperly on public parking land, or they are untaxed and on a public road.
But if you have been clamped in a privately owned car park, you have been illegally targeted.
Clamping on private land was outlawed in 2012, although residents may alert you to the error of your ways.
In this situation, demand the clamp is removed — even if you have parked improperly, but you may still have to pay a penalty.
However, if you have made an error with your car parked in an area governed by a local council, it can legally clamp the car.
If you have been clamped legally, follow the instructions attached to the vehicle.
You may be asked to pay on the spot or instead within a short time-frame of around 14 days.
It's advisable not to attempt to forcibly remove the clamp yourself as this can amount to criminal damage, for which you may be prosecuted.
You will need the reference number to quote, and there is usually a telephone number to call.
The authority will declare the fee you must pay to get the clamp released.
It becomes more expensive if you haven't paid your road tax.
In which case, the fee may be as hefty as £200.
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Fees can start from around £50 for more minor issues.
If you don't pay up you could see your car sold or scrapped as soon as two months after your tax is due.
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