A COUPLE have received thousands of pounds worth of fines as well as legal threats for parking in spaces they pay £60 each a month to rent.

Tracey and Tony Newman run Tony Newman Estate Agents in Poole High Street and rent two spaces in the Prosperous Street car park from Thornes Surveyors.

Despite that, and the signs for the business by the spaces, Premier Park has fined the couple thousands of pounds and is now even threatening to take them to court.

Tracey said: “We rent the spaces for our own use, it doesn’t matter whose cars are in there, as long as it’s only those two spaces.

“Premier Park manage the rest of the car park, those spaces are separate and they are fully aware of that, however they keep sending us parking tickets.

“Their guy who comes round has even been in and said sorry and we won’t get anymore tickets, that was a load of rubbish.

“We’re now getting threats to be taken to court if we don’t pay these various fines which are thousands and thousands of pounds.”

Tracey said it was ruining their credit rating and it was “beyond a joke”. She added the issue had been going on for more than a year.

“We don’t have to display a permit,” Tracey continued. “They know those two spaces are nothing to do with them whatsoever.

“It’s really irritating. When you are trying to run a business, the last thing I want is to be opening my post and getting debt threats when all I’m doing is parking in a space I’m allowed to park in.

“Even more concerning when it’s customers or visitors. Tony’s car is in the Mercedes garage at the moment and they’ve given him a loan car, Mercedes garage are now getting parking tickets.

“It’s embarrassing for us. It’s not doing us any good at all. I’m worried, I don’t want to go to court.

“We’re not even illegally parked, there’s no grey area.

“They are our parking spaces, rented by us, paid for by us, for our own company.

“It feels like you’re banging your head against a brick wall. I’d like them to cancel all the fees and guarantee there won’t be any court cases And a sorry would be nice.”

It comes days after an elderly couple were fined and threatened with court action for parking in a Premier Park car park for less than 15 minutes while they donated their late relatives belongings to a charity shop.

Premier Park Ltd has been contacted by the Daily Echo for a comment.