Hi, advice needed... I bought a Japanese imported car. When I tried to get a parking permit for it - since permits are priced according to emissions, my car didn't have any emissions info, therefore the council (Harrow) defaulted to the most expensive bracket.
I disputed this as being unfair and sent like for like comparisons of my car from auto trader proving the emissions were lower, as well as recent mot certificate with emissions info - they claimed the format was wrong.
As this was in discussion, Harrow Council were responding every 2 weeks to emails, always dismissive and using the argument that if they changed the bracket for me it would be unfair on other residents, somehow. At one point they offered to sell me a permit slightly lower but not at the correct rate and told me I'd need to contact bmw for an official emissions report (£250) which somewhat defeats the purpose of the argument.
Anyway, as this went in for several weeks, and with very sporadic replies to countless emails I sent, in the meantime I received two parking fines for parking outside my own home without a valid parking permit!
I appealed them but they were dismissed. I then bought the more expensive permit to cut the discussion short as I didn't want more fines, I wasn't getting anywhere and they weren't replying at all at this point. I tried calling also but that didn't work.
On principle I now want to go to court and fight these two tickets, I have all the emails showing how slow they were to reply and how they didn't give me a temporary permit whilst we were clearly in the midst of discussing my predicament.
I have received the 28 days double fee £140 letter now stating I can do a representation on grounds that I feel are compelling.
Any assistance on the above would be gratefully received, thank you!
