An Aberdeen man has condemned council parking chiefs as “unfair and unreasonable” after they refused to refund two annual parking permits after he moved house.
Gary Boyd, 45-year-old, relocated from the Ferryhill area of the city to Airyhall with his family just a matter of months after he renewed the permits – which cost £180 in total.
Mr Boyd said they would not be entitled to a refund of the remaining term of the permit, despite only being three months into the term.
The business development manager claims he spoke with a council officer at Marischal College who told him that a refund would be possible in certain circumstances.
However he was informed by the parking appeals department that he would not be getting his money back.
Mr Boyd has now launched a petition calling on the council to change the rules on permits.
Speaking last night, the father-of-two stressed the issue had become a matter of “principle”.
He said: “It’s not about the money now, although that would be nice, it’s about the principle.
“Offering refunds is not something that’s uncommon among other councils.
“I’m now at a point where I want to make a case to the council that this is an unfair policy.”
The council’s current policy of non-refundable permits has been in place since 2010.
Highland Council has a similar permit system in place in Inverness and but does not offer refunds.
Aberdeenshire and Moray councils do not use a permit system for residential streets.
However, both Glasgow and Dundee city councils do offer refunds if someone finds themselves in the same circumstances as Mr Boyd.
Councillor Ian Yuill – Airyhall/ Broomhill/ Garthdee ward – has backed Mr Boyd’s petition.
He said: “It’s only fair the council pays refunds to people who no longer require residents’ parking permits – I would support any move to reinstate a refund system in those circumstances.”
Last night, Aberdeen City Council confirmed the refund system had been changed in 2010, and that money would only be reimbursed if an error is made in processing payments or in exceptional circumstances.