Champion complainer sees red over parking ticket

By Bob Smyth
A TRAFFIC WARDEN met his match when he slapped a ticket on a car that had been stolen and smashed up — because the furious owner was a Scots businessman who is the UK’s top complainer.
Stuart McCandlish knew exactly how to hit back at the £80 fine as he’s boss of howtocomplain.com an Internet site that offers tips on getting redress for shoddy goods and services.
The junior Victor Meldrew had reason to practise what he preaches when his car was found by police a day after being stolen from outside his London home.
Penalty notice
Despite it being vandalised and dumped, a warden from Lambeth Council had slapped a penalty notice on the Peugeot 306. 
Stuart (32) moaned, “I couldn’t believe it. The car had been parked on the pavement, the bodywork was dented and scraped, a window smashed and the dashboard was vandalised with wires hanging out.
“And yet the warden slapped a fine on it!
“Don’t parking attendants have any obligation to report suspected crime to the police or can they carry on oblivious to anything other than their revenue?
“It’s taken six weeks to repair the car and I finally got it back a few days ago.”
Stuart’s website has a huge database on consumers’ rights.
He said, “One way to get out of a parking ticket is to prove the car was stolen. We always advise people to send a calmly-worded letter of complaint, as I’ve done. 

Stuart logs on to his website howtocomplain.com

“ I’ve explained things to the council and expect the fine to be cancelled. If not, I know how to take the matter further!”
Stuart’s family is from Edinburgh, but he denies that being a Hibs fan gave him his grounding in moaning.
He said, “I first got a taste for it when I was involved in a lengthy dispute over insurance for a stolen mobile phone. My dad Bruce likes to make his point as well.”
Stuart left a lucrative job as a City financial analyst and he and Bruce invested £50,000 to set up the free advice service six months ago.
With support from consumer groups and former director general of the Office of Fair Trading, John Bridgeman, they give advice and chase up gripes for those who contact them. 
They hope to make money by selling information on complaints to help companies improve their customer service.
Stuart said, “We’ve already had around 2000 complaints. Favourite subjects are noisy neighbours, holidays and trains.”
Lambeth Council said their wardens encounter a lot of bashed-up cars and may not have realised Stuart’s was stolen. They will waive the fine if he gives them a crime reference number.

The Sunday Post, 9th September 2001