I’m fuming after I was fined £100 for QUEUEING at a carwash – it was only an extra 10 minutes, it’s insane
A MUM has been left fuming after being fined for overstaying the time limit of a car park while queuing for a carwash.
Natalie Carby, from Watford, Hertfordshire said she queued for about 25 minutes at her local Esso garage before heading home on February 15.
However, 12 days later, she received a fine from Euro Car Parks, saying that she had exceeded the maximum 15 minute stay at one of their sites.
There are signs notifying customers of this, but Natalie, 41, said that the restrictions shouldn’t apply for the queue for the car wash.
She said: “I’m just absolutely appalled.
“I think it’s absolutely outrageous that they can do this. Fair enough there may be signs around for a car park, but the carwash queue is not a car park.”
Natalie added that she had planned to go to a nearby BP garage, but it was closed, resulting in an unusually long queue at the Esso premises.
She had only bought the new car an hour before going to get it washed.
With the fine, the £9 wash could end up costing her over £100.
The mum-of-two fumed: “It has taken a lot of time and effort and help from family members to get this car and then within an hour I’m whacked with a £100 fine.
“I had my previous car for over ten years and I never got a parking fine. An hour of this car and I’m getting a fine for having a carwash – I’m just appalled.”
She appealed on the company’s website and has said that she cannot afford to pay amid a cost of living crisis and mounting energy bills.
However, she has only been given 14 days to pay the £60 fine before it is increased.
The penalty notice she received added: “Failure to pay the full amount of this notice within 28 days may result in the proceeding of debt recovery action and/or issuing court proceedings against you.”
Euro Car Parks have been contacted for comment.