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MET Parking Services have returned my part payment of a parking charge - what should I do now?

I received a MET Parking charge (£100/£50 if paid in 14 days) for overstaying by 19 minutes in a McDonalds. I read your letter page every weekend and have noticed your suggestion concerning these "fines". So I sent a cheque for £3.75 with a note stating: "in full and final settlement for a minor breach of contract.” Today I had the cheque returned, with a letter from MET Parking Services, and among the "legal" jargon was the sentence: "We note you have enclosed a partial amount of £3.75 for the above parking charge. However please note we do not accept partial payments." Maybe I should have done nothing. By offering to pay £3.75 could be construed as an admission I was the driver?

Asked on 2 November 2010 by GW, Rustington

Answered by Honest John
As long as you were in the McDonalds restaurant for the whole time it makes no difference. All they can sue you for is breach of contract and for that they have to take you to a court convenient to you, which they will not do. They will threaten and intimidate and harass and attempt to make you really worried. You should simply reply that you regard their overstay penalty as "unreasonable" and you will see them in court. But if you used the McDonald's car park to shop elsewhere, then they could successfully take you to court for the "damages" from having deprived a potentially paying customer of their restaurant from being able to park there and use the restaurant. In that case, you would have effectively stolen the parking place and can be required to pay for it. See: www.honestjohn.co.uk/faq/parking-fines
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