A firm of car clampers has been fined £420 for over-zealous clamping and an ambiguous warning sign in an East Finchley road.
Capital Car Clampers, working for residents of Heathfielde flats, off Lyttleton Road, clamp drivers parking without authorisation in a residents' parking area.
Vehicles that have been clamped after parking there have included patients at Heathfielde Medical Centre, minicab drivers picking up patients and a British Gas van dealing with an emergency.
Jennifer Shulman, from Hampstead Garden Suburb, was clamped by the company after stopping to view a flat with an estate agent. She took the clampers to Barnet County Court last month. She won £420 in compensation, because she did have authorisation to park there, and left a notice in her windscreen to say so.
But the clampers clamped her anyway, and demanded £95.
District Judge Karet said: "The notice on the site is confusing, in my view. It just says Unauthorised vehicles will be clamped'.
"It does not indicate what that means or whose authority has to be given."
Capital Car Clampers declined to comment.
April 30, 2003 19:00
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