PAY AND DISCLAIM

I READ that if your vehicle is damaged while on a fee-paying car park, then the owner of the car park has a legal responsibility to make good the damage, even if the car park displays a disclaimer. Is this correct? Car park owners have a legal duty to look after your car only if it is implicit in the service they agree to provide. In order to avoid any such liability most car parks therefore make it as explicit as possible that motorists park at their own risk. This condition must be made clear to the driver at the entrance to the car park i.e. before it’s too late for the motorist to change his or her mind. A notice won’t prevent a claim for negligence, however – if for example the premises are unsafe or an employee carelessly brings down the barrier on your car bonnet.