Private Traffic Wardens

Big Nasty

As y'all have seen over the last few years there has been a massive increase in private traffic wardens in business parks, shopping centres and apartment complexes. Recently I received a notice in the post in relation to an apparent offence. I was parked in a legitimate parking space in a business park, however the vehicle in front of me had not left adequate room for another vehicle and I was forced to park in half a parking space with the rear half of the car on double yellows. As stated this was not a public road as such and I had payed my parking fee and displayed my ticket accordingly. When I returned to my car it was not clamped nor was there any notice left on the vehicle in relation to my offence. Over a month later I received a letter in the post stating details of said offence and asking for €40 payment and threat of prosecution if fine was not paid!

I promptly tore up said letter and binned it and I haven't heard anything since! That's not to say that some day soon I may now receive a summons in the door requesting a court appearance. Note: The company in question was not NCPS who appear to look after many of the afore mentioned facilities but some other company that I have never heard of.

My questions are as follows:

A) Has anyone else had a similar experience and if so what was the outcome?

Have private companies any right to bring me to court?

C) How do private companies manage to acquire my details and postal address?

Tipsy Mac

What would worry me is how they got your address details from your reg? As far as I know only government agencies have access to such information.

Anan1

I'd be surprised if it was a private company - like you said, they wouldn't have access to the database. Was it one of those solicitors letters - Dun Laoghaire CC are very fond of them, I think it's Partners at Law who do them? If so, they have (AFAIK) six months from the date of the offence to summons you.