The owner of a property at Imperial Court in Falmouth is up in arms after being issued with a ticket for using his own parking space.

Rob Leggett says he has been issued with a court summons to pay £130 for the ticket, which he is contesting with Armtrac Security Services, the company responsible for parking at the apartment building.

Mr Leggett, who lives in Perranporth and uses the Imperial Court apartment as a “bolthole” and holiday let, was stopping by to change a light bulb when he was ticketed.

He said: “I was parked in Imperial Court, Falmouth in my own parking slot, and put my permit on the dash board only to find it in the foot well on my return, but a penalty charge notice had been issued in the meantime.

“I contacted Armtrac informing them that I own the apartment and parking slot with the naive expectation that they would void the ticket. No such luck, they wouldn't hear of it.”

The manager of Armtrac, who declined to be named, said the company was only complying with the wishes of the building’s management committee, who have said that the onus is on the driver to display a valid permit.

He said: “Mr Leggett might be a permit holder, but if he doesn’t have it on display he gets ticketed, it’s the same for everyone.”

Mr Leggett says he appealed his case to POPLA, the independent body for resolving private parking decisions, with no success.

He said: “I contacted the Imperial Court management committee, and they wouldn’t support me at all, they insisted it should be paid.

“I know of a couple of people who have paid, but why should I? I am going to dispute it on principal.

“Imperial Court don’t pay Armtrac, they pay them nothing, but they have an incentive to catch whoever they can.”

The manager of Armtrac said the POPLA had found in its favour and he was confident that when the case goes to county court the judge will take that into account.

He said: “Mr Leggett was in breach of the car park conditions, which he accepted when he parked in the space.”

“There are large signs when you enter the car park, the conditions are very clear.”

The Imperial Court management committee was unavailable for comment.