Using chargers on private premises

Barney

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I know that Tesco for example provide public charging points on their private property, but what is the situation with other organisations ? For example ones at hotels and leisure facilities are presumably only for guests' use. Zap map shows free public chargers at nearby Nissan and Renault dealers - can anyone just rock up and use them ?
 
For example ones at hotels and leisure facilities are presumably only for guests' use.
Rapid chargers can be found in a number of hotel car parks, but be careful as some car parks are monitored and big fines can be issued if you are not a guess or notified the hotel reception that you are using the charger.
Holiday Inn adopt this policy in a lot of their hotels.
Automatic fine of £100 will be sent to your home address !.
 
Private organisations don't have the power to fine you.
 
So, for example a privately owned multi-storey car park where you fail to pay and display can’t fine you?
 
So, for example a privately owned multi-storey car park where you fail to pay and display can’t fine you?
No, they can only invoice you for the service they provided. That doesn't mean you don't have to pay but if it went to court they would have to demonstrate that you willingly entered into a contract with them, the terms and conditions of which were clear and understood.
None of that is the same as being issued with a fine by the police or local authority.
 
Ok - thanks. Some display penalty charges - I interpreted these as ‘fines’ ?
 
Some Holiday Inn hotels adopt a ANPR system.
Failure to be a guest at the hotel or book your EV in at the reception desk ( take a photo ) while charging, can result in a penalty arriving at your address.
Some will allow a small drop off time, but after this you will get nicked !.
Ask me how I know.
About two years ago, I dropped off two family members at Manchester airport. They where using one of the hotels before taking an early morning flight, the following morning.
A week latter I returned to the same space to pick them up on there return.
I picked them up on the same hotel car park.
There was a small delay of about 10 minute reaching the car, because there was a delay with their baggage.
About two weeks after, I received a penalty/ fine through the door from the private company that was employed by the hotel, to enforce the car park enforcement.
The fine was for £100 - but if I was a good boy and paid up in less than two weeks, they would kindly reduce the fine to the bargain price of £60 !.
The fine included timed images of my car arriving and leaving the car park.
A bit annoying when only about 30% of the car park was being used at the time.
They also included a zoomed in photo of a small sign, that had been screwed to the wall, next to the reception area door.
It did explain the T&C’s of the car park.
Unless you was carrying a set of binoculars in your car, you where never going to see it though !.
Polar rapids tend to be located in Holliday Inn car parks.
The last time I used one of these units, there was a tablet on the reception desk of the hotel.
You just need to key in your registration when prompted and make sure it is 100% correct.
It will give you a brief green tick ✅ on the screen, take a photo !.
An expensive lesson learnt, if you get it wrong.
I have been driving for over 45 years and never received any type of penalties, until this one arrived !.
I was absolutely gutted ?!.
 
I have used Polar rapid chargers at Holiday Inns several times. Just report your car details to reception and I've been offered a free coffee while I wait on more than one occasion. If I'm not a guest at any hotel I always report to reception but quite a few say no need or ask how long I'll be. Never had a refusal yet. After all you are paying for the electricity used.
 
Some city centre hotels charge just for the parking, resident or not.
 
There's a fella on YouTube, Black Belt Barrister. He did a feature recently on the differences between fines and charge notices, and how to go about challenging them.
 
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