Has anyone got any recent experiences of receiving a parking ticket at Stockton Heath Aldi?

Just ignore it Bob - they're not legally binding. We've had a couple of them - they threaten to escalate and nothing comes of it - the threat is often enough to make confused people pay up. Check Money Saving Experts for various experiences of these car parks, pal. HTH

I've heard these stories before but I thought I heard that the law has, or was going to change.

I don't know the full details yet either but I've got an angry wife at home telling me it's £90 for going over by 16 minutes.

I've got some mitigating circumstances as to why I went over but I don't know if I should please my case with them or just ignore it.

If you shopped at Aldi on that occasion just take the letter/ticket into the store along with your receipt and they will get it cancelled for you. Personal experience of this, never heard any more.

I did shop at Aldi but didn't go in there straight away. I, er, fell asleep when I parked up, woke up over an hour later and then went into the shop. I might not have the receipt but I paid by card so will have a bank statement, although the bank doesn't always take the money out straight away so the dates may not tally.

Nope, just ignore it entirely, chum. Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert: Google him and the subject and you'll get all the facts you need. It's a scam.

yep just ignore it.
I did.
not in gaol yet. 2 years ago!

I hope they lock all of you up and throw away the key. Scum.

If I ever find out where you live, I'm going to come around your house and park in front of your driveway

Like previously mentioned ignore it. It is only the same as an invoice which you are not obliged to pay, not a direct fine, which are only issued by councils and you must pay. I got one on my local co op car park went on Money Saving Expert printed off their cover letters and stuck by their advise of DO NOT PHONE them or enter into any other correspondence other than the initial letters. I did get 2 years later another demand with warnings of court action, just sent same letters back as first time and heard no more. Check out Money Saving Expert if still not certain.

Because of the new rule changes, I wouldn't completely ignore it. Even the Money Supermarket site that has been referred to advises not to ignore it.

Don't pay it though either!

Basically, if you are confident enough to do it yourself, use the letter template on the Money Supermarket site and send it to Euro Carparks.
I used an online company called Private Parking Appeals Ltd who charged me £15 and that includes the initial letter to Euro Car Parks and the subsequent appeal to POPLA if the fine is not cancelled at the first hurdle.

Essentially the way it works is that when you park in a "Private Land Car Park" such as this one, you are assumed to have agreed to a contract with Euro Carparks to park on their land for a period of time. If you stay beyond that time you are judged to have broken that contract and they send you an invoice for their so called loss.
You will notice the letter you have received is called a "Parking Charge Notice" which is different for the council "Penalty Charge Notice" you receive if you park on double yellow lines or something.

If you ignore the charge, chances are they will eventually go away after sending several threatening letters, but there is a chance you will be the unlucky one they take all the way through the process and you get a civil court summons.
Reality is you would win any court case anyway, but it is all the hassle that comes with it and hiring someone to represent you.
In most cases they eventually go away because it is they who have to pay to go to POPLA and then court.

The letter you/or your representative send will basically ask them to justify their loss they are charging you for and in this case it is a free car park, so they will not be able to justify it.

PPA Ltd sent a letter on my behalf appealing my ticket 6 weeks ago, and I was advised by Euro Carparks I would hear back within 4 weeks. I have still not heard back from them and now PPA have complained to the company and POPLA about this.
Chances are they have realised they are not getting a penny out of me and have not even bothered to respond to my appeal.

I know it cost me £15, but to avoid the threatening letters and the slight possibility of court, I felt it was worth it.