Kettering Hospital car parking fine 'error'
Motorists parking at a Northamptonshire hospital have been wrongly chased for fines by a private debt collector.
Kettering General Hospital said about 120 people were sent a letter demanding about £70, despite the fact each had already paid a £15 fine.
APCOA, the company that runs the car park, investigated after motorists called BBC Northampton about the problem.
APCOA manager Rob Shaw blamed an administrative error and apologised.
Veronica Cunningham, from Weldon, said she had been sent a letter from a debt agency demanding £75, despite the £15 fine she had paid at the hospital.
The station was then inundated by callers.
Mrs Cunningham said: "My cousin in Desborough said that she had had a similar letter and I realised something was going on.
"It was too much of a coincidence. To find that 120 people have been affected is unbelievable."
APCOA and a spokesperson for the hospital have apologised and pledged to refund the money.
The hospital's chief operating officer Karen Bastin said: "We have investigated this matter with our private car parking company APCOA and discovered that an administrative error has caused problems for some people who have already paid car parking fines.
"Because unfortunately these payments were not processed these people have now been contacted by a debt collection agency."
APCOA manager Rob Shaw added: "I would like to apologise on behalf of APCOA for this unfortunate error and any distress this may have caused."
Any motorists who believe they have been affected by the error at the hospital can contact APCOA on 01895 454277.