Friend's car clamped

Ironic Namesake · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:42

My friend's car was clamped today - a few minutes before 5.

Called the number of the guys that clamped it (mobile number) - was told that now has to pay up £500 :

£100 for parking there (apparently private property)
£200 for clamping the car
£100 because they have to keep the car overnight (they close at 5)
£100 for collection

Surely, this is a complete scam?

Red and White · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:44

isnt there a number to ring for illegal clamping.

this is being clamped down on these days

HeadlessChicken · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:44

If he shouldn't have parked there, he'll get fined. IIRC the laws regarding amount that can be charged are ropey at best. Doubt he'll get out of it.

cymatty · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:46

If it is there overnight you have 12 hours to play with the clamp.

Manlove is my forte · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:48

IMO Clampers are modern highwaymen.

Clamping should be illegal, it serves no purpose imo. A ticket is just as effective.

ci_newman · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:49

cymatty said:
If it is there overnight you have 12 hours to play with the clamp.

Exactly

You don't have to damage it, but 12 hours is a long time to remove it!

Ironic Namesake · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:50

Sorry - the car wasn't clamped , was towed away to a yard in Watford where it has to be collected. No where is stated that its private property :rolleyes:

Manlove is my forte · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:51

ci_newman said:
Exactly You don't have to damage it, but 12 hours is a long time to remove it!

TBH I wonder how much trouble you would get in if you destroyed the clamp.

OoOverclockaoO said:
Sorry - the car wasn't clamped , was towed away to a yard in Watford where it has to be collected. No where is stated that its private property

Oh,

Call the police and report the car stolen.

Edit:

Disclaimer - My advice may not be good advice.

daz · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:53

Kronologic said:
TBH I wonder how much trouble you would get in if you destroyed the clamp.

You'd have to pay for a new clamp... if they could be bothered to bring any kind of case. Police aren't going to give two hoots I would have thought.

Any loss of earning case would have to be brought seperately though.

Manlove is my forte · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:55

daz said:
You'd have to pay for a new clamp... if they could be bothered to bring any kind of case. Police aren't going to give two hoots I would have thought.

Any loss of earning case would have to be brought seperately though.

Surely they would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the car was validly clamped, and it was you that destroyed it. In the case of loss of earnings, again they would have to prove that as a result of losing the clamp they lost earnings.

VeNT · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:55

Kronologic said:
TBH I wonder how much trouble you would get in if you destroyed the clamp.

Oh,

Call the police and report the car stolen.

Edit:

Disclaimer - My advice may not be good advice.

depends if you told them or not

Logsi · 9 Nov 2006 at 17:58

I got clamped today!

The signs they use are so damn small i didnt see them, wasnt as bad as £500 though was £70.50.

daz · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:04

Kronologic said:
Surely they would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the car was validly clamped, and it was you that destroyed it. In the case of loss of earnings, again they would have to prove that as a result of losing the clamp they lost earnings.

Exactly... that was my point... it's not something they're going to care for doing. Considering these people like making money the laziest way possible, I can't see them bothering to do anything about it.

Apart from maybe looking up your reg plate in the DVLA register and finding your home address and paying you a visit. You never know with these people. :/

Flat4 · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:06

Re register the car in the clampers company name tbh

Job done

Manlove is my forte · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:10

daz said:
Exactly... that was my point... it's not something they're going to care for doing. Considering these people like making money the laziest way possible, I can't see them bothering to do anything about it.

Apart from maybe looking up your reg plate in the DVLA register and finding your home address and paying you a visit. You never know with these people. :/

Is the DVLA allowed to give them these details?

Ironic Namesake · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:10

Well .... he is paying a visit to the director of the company that towed the car - on his way there at the moment

Also they can't exactly be a big company, as soon as he called up they knew who it was - didn't need to ask for registration plate or anything "Oh - you're the guy with the BMW"

AS_Platinum · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:13

A workmate got clamed a few weeks ago in Boots service yard (was working in boots) obviously he didn't see it being clamped as he was working inside, anyway my workmate phoned up our Head Office (initial electronic security) and they told him to cut the damm thing off and they would deal with the clamper.

Workmate phones the guy who clamped him, told him to come and remove it as he was allowed to be parked there, he refused unless he paid up, so he told him hacksaw going through padlock now, clamper tells him that he will get him done for criminal damage. Nout come of it.

Ironic Namesake · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:26

We'll see how it goes him getting the car back by speaking to the director, I doubt he'll cough up the £500!

Gaygle · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:28

OoOverclockaoO said:
Well .... he is paying a visit to the director of the company that towed the car - on his way there at the moment

Also they can't exactly be a big company, as soon as he called up they knew who it was - didn't need to ask for registration plate or anything "Oh - you're the guy with the BMW"

Deffo keep us informed, i want to know how this one ends.

£500 is absolutely ludicrous and i would fight them (not literally of course). If it was something like £50, fair enough, you won't be doing it again, but £500!!!

Ironic Namesake · 9 Nov 2006 at 18:32

Gaygle said:
Deffo keep us informed, i want to know how this one ends.

£500 is absolutely ludicrous and i would fight them (not literally of course). If it was something like £50, fair enough, you won't be doing it again, but £500!!!

Yup...£50-£80 is still a lot but acceptable - £500 is absolutely ridiculous!

They also clamped some other cars, probably just towed his one because it looked the most expensive - just before 5 as they apparently close at 5 so they can charge £100 for holding it one day :mad: