A Croydon man faces losing his beloved Ferrari sports car - over a parking ticket row.

Dean Davis, from Halstead Close, had his 1992 red 348TS clamped after a parking control company spotted that there was no resident's permit in the window.

The company clamped the car last week but Mr Davis is refusing to pay the charges - which now stand at £465 - because he claims he owns the parking space.

Mr Davis said the freehold for his flat included the space and that he is waiting for a new permit after the last one was damaged. He also claims the parking company are aware of this and that they are deliberately targeting his expensive car.

The 37-year-old said: "The clamping company is making me look like a complete idiot. A week of my life has been ruined because I have been trying to sort out this mess, it is just so frustrating."

He added: "I have a permit but it was water damaged and I have been applying for a new one. My fiancee showed them the permit last Tuesday when they clamped me but they refused to accept it.

"What is so ridiculous about this is that the company told me they recognised my car and saw that I didn't have a permit and clamped me. If they recognised the car then why did they bother?"

Mario Ireland, operations manager at Parking Control Services, said: "The signs on the site clearly state that a valid permit should be displayed in the window and all residents were informed of the changes when they came into play last year.

"All attendents take digital photos of the windscreens and this man did not have a valid permit in the car."

The company said they usually tow a vehicle away if a fine is not paid but have left the Ferrari where it is until Mr Davis explores the possibility of legal action.

But if the fine is not paid within 28 days Mr Ireland said the car would be auctioned off with some of the proceeds going back to the owner.

Mr Davis added: "I will not be giving up."

  • What do you think? Post your comments below.