Car Clamping Northern Ireland for

cmcm2

Hello,
Was at College the other day in Derry for about two hours, I parked in a residential area across from the University, When I got out to my dismay......THEY CLAMPED MY CAR!! BULL****!! and they left a note saying the my tax was out, I mean its a Republic of Ireland registered car, and i'm not a resident of northern ireland how the hell can they do this! well they did and I had to fork out £260 that day or they were towing it away.
When they came back to take the clamp off I contemplated beating the guy to a pulp although my good nature took over ( or maybe it cause his buddy sitting in the driver seat looked bigger than me) anyway...
I was told that if I went in with my Tax disc and the tax up to date I could claim back £160 of it, that still means £100 for the (lets face it) British Government for not paying a tax that was not intended to be paid to that government in the first place.

When I went into the DVLA in Derry today to show them my up to date tax I raised the point and they suggested putting something in writing, so I wrote F*** *** on a piece of paper (without the *) and handed it to her.....

Anyway just wanted to know has this happened to many people from the Republic, I know it has but maybe something can be down about it.
I actually phoned the PSNI and they advised my that I could take civil action as it was a private company that clamped me.

muffler

Im sure there were signs up advising of the no parking area so why did you do it?

cmcm2

"and they left a note saying the my tax was out"
I was on a public road, parking is allowed i wasn't in front of anyone's drive THEY LEFT A NOTE SAYING MY TAX WAS OUT, and yes your going to reply saying that I should have had my car taxed but it was out by 4 days all that's needed is to backdate it, so again I repeat the issue is PRIVATE COMPANIES CLAMPING REPUBLIC OF IRELAND REGISTERED CARS (DL, D, G, etc) IN NORTHER IRELAND FOR HAVING OUT OF DATE TAX now is it clear enough?

Mint Sauce

could it have been possible, and i say possible that you had actually illegally parked, and co incidentally (maybe unprofessionally) the parking company, was just informing you, that your tax was out of date

ie, the clamping, had nothing todo with your tax

muffler

cmcm2 wrote: »

"and they left a note saying the my tax was out"
I was on a public road, parking is allowed i wasn't in front of anyone's drive THEY LEFT A NOTE SAYING MY TAX WAS OUT, and yes your going to reply saying that I should have had my car taxed but it was out by 4 days all that's needed is to backdate it, so again I repeat the issue is PRIVATE COMPANIES CLAMPING REPUBLIC OF IRELAND REGISTERED CARS (DL, D, G, etc) IN NORTHER IRELAND FOR HAVING OUT OF DATE TAX

You didnt make that clear in your first post so it was assumed that you were parked "illegally" and that the tax was only a secondary issue.

I dont really know what the law is in relation to this. It would certainly seem very odd for a private company or the local warden or even a policeman to take issue with the fact that a car from another jurisdiction has no current tax. They dont stand to loose anything. maybe you should seek legal opinion from someone in Derry or contact the local citizens information office there.

cmcm2 wrote: »

now is it clear enough?

Even here where you are looking for a bit of debate or advice your attitude is a little aggressive. Maybe thats what happened in Derry.

smashey

cmcm2 wrote: »

"and they left a note saying the my tax was out"
I was on a public road, parking is allowed i wasn't in front of anyone's drive THEY LEFT A NOTE SAYING MY TAX WAS OUT, and yes your going to reply saying that I should have had my car taxed but it was out by 4 days all that's needed is to backdate it, so again I repeat the issue is PRIVATE COMPANIES CLAMPING REPUBLIC OF IRELAND REGISTERED CARS (DL, D, G, etc) IN NORTHER IRELAND FOR HAVING OUT OF DATE TAX now is it clear enough?

Serves you right.

When I went into the DVLA in Derry today to show them my up to date tax I raised the point and they suggested putting something in writing, so I wrote F*** *** on a piece of paper (without the *) and handed it to her.....

Nice. :rolleyes:

donegalman1

There is an agreement between both juristrictions coming into force on speeding and penalty points, but I have heard of car tax arising before and motorists being fined in Northern Ireland for not having southern indate tax. Its not new and started about two years ago.

cmcm2

it'd be a sad day if they could clamp your car for being a little aggressive, anyway i sincerely apologise for my angry ramblings here . I'll get back to the point.... I am aware that this has happening but do you think that another state should have the authority to impose a fine/clamp for not having motor tax,for instance if i was driving from monaghan to donegal and stopped off in omagh for a cup of tea when i return to my car the Northern ireland Authorities have clamped my car for not having an up to date road tax.

And again I realise that a car should have road tax.... but its should only be a problem in the country that is recieveing a tax, or Am i completely wrong.

Broxi_Bear_Eire

cmcm2 wrote: »

it'd be a sad day if they could clamp your car for being a little aggressive, anyway i sincerely apologise for my angry ramblings here . I'll get back to the point.... I am aware that this has happening but do you think that another state should have the authority to impose a fine/clamp for not having motor tax,for instance if i was driving from monaghan to donegal and stopped off in omagh for a cup of tea when i return to my car the Northern ireland Authorities have clamped my car for not having an up to date road tax.

And again I realise that a car should have road tax.... but its should only be a problem in the country that is recieveing a tax, or Am i completely wrong.

HHHmmm Don't think your right in this know a fella who got pulled up by the police in Edinburgh had been over there for a few days his tax was out by three days they done him for no tax but told him they could impound his car he was'nt best pleased

sesswhat

cmcm2 wrote: »

I am aware that this has happening but do you think that another state should have the authority to impose a fine/clamp for not having motor tax,for instance if i was driving from monaghan to donegal and stopped off in omagh for a cup of tea when i return to my car the Northern ireland Authorities have clamped my car for not having an up to date road tax.

One of the 'benefits' of cross-border co-operation I suppose. Since the start of last month the vehicle does not even have to be on a public road.

The worst part is how badly publicized it is. It's only with cases like your own that anyone gets to hear about it. On the radio recently there was the case of a car dealer who was driving from Dublin to Donegal on trade plates who had the untaxed car he had just bought seized at a checkpoint.

They say of course that it is to combat the use of untaxed, uninsured cars used by criminals, and maybe it does. But if you were working for the private company doing the clamping, I would think that something parked in the leafy suburbs is going to be a lot more attractive than going into the heart of the Bogside or Tullyally.

byte

I've watched documetary before on the private clamping companies in Britain, some of which seem to get enjoyment out of clamping vulnerable "targets". maybe the clamper's are paid commission, so clamp as much as possible for even the mildest of issues.

Mr. Presentable

Where are you resident, OP? If the car is spending a lot of time in the North, maybe they think it's an unregistered/taxed import.

ardmacha

It is not unreasonable to ensure that cars comply with legal requirements, wherever they are. Cars from outside a particular place shouldn't get away with ignoring laws that locals have to respect. However being 4 days out of date is unreasonable, given that people have no control over postal delays etc.

robertjordan

what rights do private clampers have in the south? or am i wrong in thinking that only county council have the right to clamp? . also what happens when the clamps are removed by the illeagle use of a hacksaw( ie) can criminal charges be pursued? damages? and can a case be taken against the clamping company?.

smashey

robertjordan wrote: »

what rights do private clampers have in the south? or am i wrong in thinking that only county council have the right to clamp? . also what happens when the clamps are removed by the illeagle use of a hacksaw( ie) can criminal charges be pursued? damages? and can a case be taken against the clamping company?.

Look at Letterkenny General Hospital, there is a private company running the car park and they can clamp.

Tampering with a clamp could lead to criminal charges.

muffler

smashey wrote: »

Look at Letterkenny General Hospital, there is a private company running the car park and they can clamp.

Tampering with a clamp could lead to criminal charges.

Agreed.

And if you want to look at it from another perspective you can take this forum for example. Its private too and I can put the clampers on you and if you even mention the word legal you are kicked off the entire site.

In a private site whether that be the internet or tarmacadum the people who own it and/or their agents can just about take whatever action they want to.

Goodluck2me

muffler wrote: »

In a private site whether that be the internet or tarmacadum the people who own it and/or their agents can just about take whatever action they want to.

Not quite! It depends on the circumstances of your entry onto the site. If you are an invitee you have different rights to a trespasser, who also have rights. You can't just clamp someone without due notice and say it's my site, I can do what I like.

regob

i got a parking ticke in belfast and didnt have to pay it.

jimmycrackcorm

I don't understand that if it was a private clamping company, why did the op have to go to the DVLA?

It's illegal to damage a clamp but not if you can get it off without damaging it. I'd suggest taking an angle grinder to the axle.

sesswhat

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

I don't understand that if it was a private clamping company, why did the op have to go to the DVLA?

The private company work with, and on behalf of, PSNI/DVLNI.