Pensioners in a sheltered housing complex say they are “living a nightmare” after being issued with repeated fines for parking outside their own homes.

At least eight residents living in Golding Homes’ bungalows and flats off Northumberland Road in Shepway, Maidstone, have received parking tickets, some on multiple occasions.

This week, Carol Smith received her third ticket in six weeks.

She said: “We are in a living nightmare. There are a lot of elderly people here, some with disabilities.

“We shouldn’t be receiving these tickets. We have a right to park here. This is very distressing for everyone.”

The problem arose because outsiders had begun parking in the area around Golding Homes’ Hardwick Care Home.

Six weeks ago, the housing association engaged a professional parking company to police the parking to exclude intruders.

It was never intended that residents would be caught in the enforcement, but the tenants say that a system to register their vehicle registration number with the parking company UK Car Park Management Ltd has not been working - and as a result, they’ve been getting demands for a £100 fine (reduced to £60 if paid quickly).

Since KentOnline got in touch with the housing company, the fines have been cancelled, and all enforcement has been paused.

This came after weeks of phone calls and chasing from the residents.

Mrs Smith, 60, said: “Each time I’ve had to phone Golding Homes and battle with them to have the fine lifted. Each time, they have said, 'Don’t worry, we’ll get that sorted out so that your vehicle is excluded', only for another fine to arrive.

“I don’t want to have to keep fighting them, and besides, there are residents here who don’t have the internet and would find it very difficult to contest the fines.”

Linda Batten agreed. A resident for 15 years, Mrs Batten has severe arthritis and several other ailments and drives a mobility vehicle. She has had two fines.

She said: “I tried to register to be excluded, but the site keeps switching off before you finish.”

Sue White, 72, only moved in on April 28, but she has already had two tickets.

She said: “One was at 9.33am on a Sunday. Imagine that!”

The ladies are also worried about visitors getting fined.

Mrs Batten said: “Lots of people need visits from carers, nurses, or relatives checking on them. Are they all to be fined?”

There is a number for genuine visitors to ring on arrival to register with the parking company, but not everyone realises that, and the residents have not been issued guest permits.

Lennox Richardson is a dutiful son, whose 82-year-old mother and 80-year-old stepfather live in the complex.

He said: “I’m here two or three times a week to take them to hospital appointments and the like.

“Now, each time I feel like it’s a lottery. Will I get a ticket while I’m here?”

Mr Richardson acknowledges that there was a need for some parking control.

He said: “People were parking here and then walking off - some to homes in Westmoreland Road.

“But there should have been a proper system set up to exclude residents’ vehicles and their genuine visitors before the enforcement was brought into force.

“It doesn’t help that no one has had a letter to explain the new scheme.”

Mrs Smith said: “We’re getting no help from Golding Homes at all. They are just ignoring the problem.

“But we are worried about the charges escalating and accumulating.”

Genette Pinwill, the assistant director of tenancy at Golding Homes, said: “To address customer concerns about parking around Hardwick House, we enlisted CPM (UK Car Park Management) to enforce this area.

“We understand some customers experienced difficulties registering for a permit and were issued fines before this was resolved.

“Once we became aware of this, we paused parking enforcement so that no more tickets could be issued.

“We’re writing to our customers to reassure them that the parking enforcement remains paused, and we’ll be working with them to register their vehicles.

“We’ll also make sure that any fines are cancelled.

“Anyone with a carer or other regular visitor can also register them for a permit, which we can help with.

“We’re very sorry for any distress that’s been caused, but we are working hard to put this right.”