Parking fines due to withdrawal of parking permit without knowledge?

Questioner

I recently moved within Amsterdam from a street in Parking Area 2b (for which I had a parking permit) to Parking Area 2a. 2a and 2b together form Parking Area 2 and with a permit from both you can park in the entire area 2. After my move I changed my address with the municipality. I have my own parking space at my new house where I have always parked since the move (and therefore do not have to pay for it). I did keep my parking permit in case I have visitors or something like that. Because of this I recently parked outside my own parking space (in Parking Area 2a) for three days in a row and was shocked when after day 3 I suddenly received 3 parking tickets. After calling the municipality they told me the following: - My parking permit was withdrawn because I had moved and had not changed my address with the parking authority (WITH the municipality but NOT with the parking authority) - They 'informed' me about this by sending a registered letter to my new address - I wasn't home so they couldn't deliver the letter. - They said they left a note in my mailbox with information on where I could pick up and view the letter However, I never saw this note and therefore I never knew that there was a letter waiting for me somewhere. So I also did not know that my parking permit had been revoked. So I also did not know that I had to pay per hour for parking in the area. My incomprehension is mainly due to the fact that this information is only sent by letter and that they saw that I did not receive this letter and therefore went ahead with revoking my permit. Literally ALL my correspondence with the municipality goes through the online message box, even the parking fines that I recently received. So I think that I was not/poorly informed and that I therefore received parking fines unjustly, since I was not aware that I no longer had a parking permit. I have already appealed but the appeal was rejected. I would like to appeal that decision but I would like advice on whether this makes sense. It will cost another 50 euros.

Lawyer

Since 2013, it has indeed been the case in the Netherlands that it is the responsibility of the citizen to report his or her change of address to each agency. In your case, although the municipality and the parking organization work closely together, they are separate agencies and you were obliged to communicate your new address to both agencies. I understand that the municipality has chosen to inform you with a letter, which you say you did not receive. However, this can be difficult to prove from a legal point of view. A second objection or appeal against the municipality's decision will entail a new cost. It may be worthwhile if there are strong arguments that have not yet been taken into account in the previous decision-making. However, if your objection and arguments have already been fully investigated and rejected, the chances of a successful second appeal may be limited. You may want to consider whether it is worth the effort and the costs. It may be helpful to seek professional legal advice before proceeding. A lawyer or attorney with experience in these matters may be able to advise you on the best steps to take and your chances of success, based on the specific details of your situation. ---------------- Stichting Rechtswinkel.nl is a national organization with students and volunteers. The above advice is based on limited information and may be incomplete or even incorrect for your situation. Always consult a lawyer or attorney for your further steps. Read disclaimer: https://rechtswinkel.nl/disclaimer I would like to invite you to rate the above answer so that we can learn from your response.