What to do when your parking permit doesn't arrive?!

[hannahleone]

Hi all,

I'm waiting on my parking permit. It was meant to arrive within two working days and it's knocking on 10 now. I have chased Southwark council with no avail, just assurances that it is "in the post".

I noticed another neighbour of mine had left a piece of paper with the application number on and "Permit in the post" written on it in their window. Has anyone else done this and got away with it? I am currently using visitors permits until my proper one arrives, but the book of visitors permits is running out quickly! Really reluctant to park my car on a different street and also do not want any tickets... Does anyone have any experience with this, or have any ideas?!

Thanks!

[Penguin68]

Is there residents' parking in ED/ How did that one slip through?

[hannahleone]

I live on Bellenden Road, hardly any free parking down here!

[Mustard]

I lived in another borough with parking permits and was told that as long as I had paid for the permit, the traffic wardens would input the car reg number into their computers and it would come up as having been paid. I would presume it would be same for Southwark, but surely they would tell you that on the phone? Leaving a note on dashboard sounds like another good idea.

[hannahleone]

Thanks Mustard.

I thought this as well, but was worried to risk it. The lady on the phone wasn't much help to be honest... but I've definitely paid etc so hopefully you're right. Will ring Southwark again tomorrow. Thanks!

[kford]

You'll still get a fine, for not displaying a permit. Happened to me once when mine fell off on a hot day.

[hannahleone]

That was my worry. How annoying!

[Mustard]

You can't display a permit you don't have, so if Hannah was told it's in the post, then that is down to Southwark, she needs to make a note of who she spoke to, what time etc.

[intexasatthe moment]

Could you grab a traffic warden and ask ?

[hannahleone]

I think I'll have to ask a warden tomorrow if Southwark council aren't much help again... Fingers crossed it actually is in the post and not in a giant pile of paperwork somewhere!

Thanks for advice everyone

[James Barber]

Hi hannahleone,

Escalate via a councillor.

[Jeremy]

I had exactly the same problem - took almost two weeks to arrive. I phoned Southwark, and they told me that even if the payment has gone through, you'll still get fined for not displaying a valid permit. The only solution was to park round the corner for a few days until it finally arrived.

I actually prefer living in a CPZ (I park right outside my house every time), but it does have drawbacks...

[Penguin68]

I actually prefer living in a CPZ (I park right outside my house every time), but it does have drawbacks...

Very evidently

[Jeremy]

Yeah but on the roads without parking restrictions, you often have to park round the corner anyway!

[hannahleone]

Very true Jeremy. Only problem is that round the corner is permit only! I would have to park quote far away. Will definitely be escalating this today. Thanks James.

[golfdaddy]

If you call Southwark and tell them they will flag your car on their system so they cannot issue a ticket in your CPZ for 7 days, and they re-start your permit.

This happened to me and they were very helpful. They couldn't work out why the permit hadn't been posted but they tried to fix the problem.

[traveler2]

Is resident parking permits on the cards for ED? With coming theatre and new primary and secondary schools parking will become very challenging.

[Too Good To Be True]

Perpetual problem for me getting visitors parking permits for tradesmen. Often a two-week wait.

No accountability. I have complained to everyone over the last couple of years.

Once, having sent them after a long delay, the parking zone was wrong, so the tradesman still got a fine.

[kford]

A CPZ wouldn't cover cinema parking as they typically run from 0800-1830. As someone who could be greatly affected by extra parking from cinema-goers, I'll accept that as a trade-off for the convenience of being near a cinema.

[James Barber]

If anyone is having a problem please email me and I'll escalate and ask questions around the service, average time to issue, etc.

[hannahleone]

My parking permit arrived at the start of the week. I spoke to a man on the phone who said the lady I spoke to before must have forgotten to process my application, as it hadn't even been looked at yet. He was very helpful but they clearly don't have a great system going on.

Thanks for the offer James. I have a list as long as my arm of things Southwark council are slacking on at the moment! Problems amending my council tax... We need a replacement bin after the bin men broke ours... Still waiting to hear back from a contested parking ticket we received while waiting for the permit. All these things have taken nearly a month, and no reply to any - not good!

[eChapman]

As mustard has already said, the wardens all carry a computer thingy which when they enter the vehicle reg in, it will flash up with a valid or invalid sign, sort of like the new tax disc saga!

[kford]

But they will still issue a PCN for the 'offence' of not displaying a valid permit. Hence the OP's fine.

[Jacqui5254]

One of the MANY joys of having a CPZ...