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#Post#: 105294--------------------------------------------------
Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: Parker
Date: January 9, 2026, 9:41 pm
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Hi all. I'm just asking for some help. I don't actually live in
the UK full time but hired a car on my UK drivers license. I
picked up a hire car and then picked up my family from the
airport. We then went to McDonald's in Mondial Way near Heathrow
and took a parking ticket and ate in the restaurant. Whilst I
was in there, there were signs saying you needed to validate
your parking ticket so I asked a member of staff how to do it.
She seemed very confused and told me that it was only free for
two hours and I said 'I know I've only been here 20 minutes'. I
showed her the time on my parking ticket and the time on my
phone. I could identify the staff member of necessary. She then
went away with my ticket for about five minutes and came back
and gave it to me. I assumed it had been validated so exited to
the car park with it. I've just received an email from
Enterprise telling me that I've got a fine for parking at
McDonald's Mondial Way. They have already charged me £35 and I'm
going to get the parking ticket in the post I presume. I'm just
really annoyed as I took all steps I thought were necessary to
validate my parking. I don't really know if I have a leg to
stand on as presumably the ticket wasn't validated. I have
complained to McDonald's but they're obviously a massive company
and will probably just completely ignore me. So I think I'm
stuck paying what will be probably over £100 for doing nothing
wrong. Is there anything I can do?
#Post#: 105296--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: ixxy
Date: January 10, 2026, 2:31 am
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Until you actually receive a PCN in your name theres not much
you can do. Assuming you actually receive it you need to come
back here and post both sides of the notice to hirer. At that
point you will probably have grounds to appeal as its unlikely
the private parking company has provided all the documents
required to hold the hirer liable. Do not identify who was
driving to anyone, if they don't know who was driving and can't
hold the hirer liable (even if it's the same person) they are
stuck.
Validated parking rather than a simple max stay is a bit odd in
a MacDonalds, especially given the confusion from the staff
member, however it's just outside Heathrow where they get major
problems with people using the airport.
#Post#: 105300--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: Dave65
Date: January 10, 2026, 4:19 am
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As stated wait for the notice to hirer, then come back.
Need to see if this Mcdonalds is within the Heathrow land and
covered by byelaws.
have a look at your hire agreement and see what it says about
parking tickets (not penalty tickets).
to see what they charge admin fees for.
If you live outside the UK, then you could submit your address
for serving the driver.
#Post#: 105301--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: DWMB2
Date: January 10, 2026, 4:25 am
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As above wait for something in your own name. But in the
meantime...
You mention that you don't live in the UK "full time" - when
hiring the car, did you provide the hire company with a UK
address or foreign address? (Or both). If the hire company hold
a UK address for you, is it one at which you're able to get
access to post?
#Post#: 105304--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: jfollows
Date: January 10, 2026, 6:22 am
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HTML https://www.ftla.uk/private-parking-tickets/smart-parking-ltd-exceeded-parking-time-mcdonalds-mondial-way-harlington/msg28725/#msg28725
HTML https://www.heathrow.com/content/dam/heathrow/web/common/documents/company/doing-business-with-heathrow/flights-condition-of-use/heathrow-byelaws/HAL_Byelaws_2014.pdf<br
/>includes a map. I haven’t checked or correlated this with this
Mcdonalds location but it should be easy to do.
EDIT Since Mondial Way is N of the Bath Road I think it is
outside the airport boundary, so not covered by bylaws.
As already stated, the Notice to Hirer is unlikely to comply
with the requirements of PoFA 2012 to transfer liability to the
hirer, so if the driver is not identified an appeal on receipt
of the NtH will be clear.
#Post#: 105313--------------------------------------------------
Re: Parking charge at Mcdonalds as staff member did not validate
ticket
DIR By: mickR
Date: January 10, 2026, 9:56 am
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the OP should also check Enterprise T&Cs regarding the £35 admin
charge. there has been much discussion on the validity of such
charges.
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