'I went ballistic!' - Sheffield barista gets £7,000 fine for parking outside work

A Sheffield shop worker has been hit with a £7,000 fine for using the car park where she works.
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As a shift supervisor at Costa coffee on Ecclesall Road’s Berkeley precinct, Charlotte Machin was allowed to park her Fiat 500 at the shopping centre for free.

However, after her registration details were inputted wrongly, her car began incurring charges last summer.

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Charlotte Machin and her son, Jack.Charlotte Machin and her son, Jack.
Charlotte Machin and her son, Jack.
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To add insult to injury, the company she bought her car off also completed her logbook wrong, meaning all the parking charge notices went to the wrong address.

She only found about the huge fine after her real address was discovered by a debt recovery agency working for Sheffield-based company Excel Parking Services.

She said: ““I just went ballistic. I am a single mum and I only work part time. I earn £8,000 a year.

“They said I am going they are going to get CCJs against my name. I am trying to sort my credit rating out and this could finish me off. They are making my life hell.”

The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.
The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.
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Charlotte says Excel offered to reduce the fine, first to £2,500 and then to £500, but only if she paid within five days.

However, after she informed them she simply didn’t have either amount, they say they are going to take her to court for the full £7,000.

A representative for Vehicle Control Services Limited said: "Ms Machin had a responsibility to ensure that her details were correct on the logbook (V5C) at the time the vehicle was transferred and this is specifically covered in the Declaration in Section 8 which she should have signed.

"In any event she could have subsequently contacted the DVLA to query why she had not received an updated logbook; again this is covered in the logbook information.

The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.
The Berkeley Centre Customer Car Park, Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.
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"Had Ms Machin taken the appropriate action she would have mitigated the unfortunate events that have occurred. We also highlight this responsibility for the benefit of your readers who may not realise the importance of checking information when selling or purchasing vehicles.

"We would also add that Ms Machin was given 14 days to pay the reduced amount and not 5 days as stated in the article. In any event she has not attempted to contact us to discuss settlement of the outstanding amount.

"Again, we can only re-state that Ms Machin should contact us as soon as possible in order to make arrangements to settle the outstanding amount before matters progress further."