Updating post from Reddit.
If you told a tradesman to park on the housing estate for free and they ignored this and parked at a hotel and sent an invoice for the parking charge, and are withholding the report you need until you pay it, what would you do?
EDIT: I already paid for the report, just not the parking. So I can't just walk away.
EDIT 2: Their terms do say I have to pay for any parking charges, but before they come they give you a questionnaire and one of the questions is where can they park, and I told them very clearly to park on the estate (this was all via email).
I wouldn’t pay for the parking charge in any situation.
I would give notice for them to provide the report.
If they don’t I’d get another done elsewhere.
Or pay under protest. Take them to to the small claims court and claim the 500£ fee.
Lots of fun to be had.
They are blackmailing you. I'd report them to trading standards for starters and hire another trade to do your needed report..
did you pay on credit card?
No.
The parking charge is obviously nothing to do with you. Even if you hadn't provided a recommendation on where they COULD park, unless you explicitly told them to park on the hotel carpark, it's nothing to do with you.
Remind them of this, and of their contractual obligation to deliver the report you have already paid for.
They might show you some terms and conditions that state you'll be liable for any additional costs. If so, make it clear to them that you are not responsible for the breach of contract they involved themselves with when they parked on private property without the appropriate permissions or payments, which has resulted in this fine.
A parking fee might be an admissible expense - a fine for breach of contract is certainly not.
Then advise them that if you do not receive your report promptly, you will consider them in breach of contract, consider their services void, commission another party to undertake a new report, and seek all costs back using small claims. Then send them a letter before action. Then take them to court using MCOL.
If you paid via credit card, you should be able to do a charge back (if over £100 and under £30,000). Do not give them advanced warning of you doing this specific action, and if taking this approach, don't bother with the letter before action - just charge back. If that fails for any reason, then move on to a letter before action.