Couple’s warning after being charged £320 for THREE minutes of parking
Daniel and Victoria King were charged £320 for three minutes of parking at Sentinel House. Picture: David Hannant/Daniel King - Credit: Archant
A couple have spoken of their frustration after being fined more than £300 for just three minutes of parking.
Parking sign at Sentinel House in Norwich. Picture: David Hannant - Credit: Archant
On two occasions earlier this year, 28-year-old Daniel King used the car park at Sentinel House on Surrey Street in Norwich to drop off his wife, Victoria, at work.
On both occasions, Mr King pulled into an empty space in the car park, opposite the Surrey Tavern, allowed his wife to leave the car then headed off to his own workplace at Broadland Business Park.
The two saw him spent a grand total of three minutes in the empty space, and he thought little else of it.
But the couple were shocked when they received two letters from National Parking Enforcement Ltd, which runs the car park, informing them they had been fined a combined £320 for using the car park.
Further letters then indicated the dispute could land the couple in court.
Mr King said: "The first two days we did it, we thought nothing of it really, but then Victoria spotted a private parking sign so we decided we probably better not do it again.
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"It was definitely a shock and £320 is definitely a substantial amount for three minutes in a car park."
Mrs King, also 28, said: "It's had a big impact on us, both in terms of being a payment we hadn't budgeted for and the stress it has caused.
"I know we haven't been whiter than white, we used the car park when we weren't supposed to, but it is just ridiculous we were charged so much.
"We just want to warn other people that this happened to us, so may happen to others."
The couple opted to pay the fine, rather than pursue an appeal, a decision Mrs King said they now regretted.
She added: "It really has put a lot of pressure on us, but we just did not want to stress of it potentially ending up in court."
Several attempts have been made to contact National Parking Enforcement Ltd, but none have been responded to.
