As a student at De Montfort University, I find it difficult to cope financially with living in Leicester, as do many students.

This problem is exacerbated by the introduction of parking fines.

Jarrom Street doesn't exactly have a parking problem. Most people who park there are residents, many of whom have paid for the "privilege" of parking outside their own houses and received a resident's permit.

This is all well and good for people permanently residing there, but for a student with a car, the problem is completely different.

I require a car for my job, which I also need to continue to be able to complete my university course. When I moved to Jarrom Street, I was told I'd need to apply for a parking permit, which I duly did.

When asked about my car's insurance (which, for some strange reason, I needed to provide proof of when I applied) I informed the parking office it was insured to my home address, which is obviously necessary, as this is my permanent residence.

This, apparently, didn't meet their criteria, and I had to change my insurance address to my student house, in order to apply for a parking permit. When I rang and asked for a quote, it had been increased by almost £300, on account of the nature of the area, and the fact the house was a student house.

It was apparent that the cost of parking outside my own (admittedly, rented) house was now a ridiculous £325, and an alternative was sought.

I could buy visitors' permits for myself and my visitors, and apply them in 48-hour intervals. Each visitor's permit costs £2, which was still insanely expensive, but must cheaper than the alternative of changing my insurance address.

However, not only do the visitors' permits only apply on certain sides of the road, but they have completely different time restrictions.

On the city council website, it states that parking is unrestricted on a Sunday, so imagine my amazement when I woke up on Sunday morning to find a ticket on my car.

Upon appeal, I was told that that side of the road requires a visitor's permit 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But where is this stated? The sign says "Visitors' permit holders only, but surely if the official document states that parking is unrestricted, isn't that the case?

I understand the need to keep cars out of the city centre. However, why is it that parking attendants are so eager to punish students? If the attendant in question had knocked on my door, or waited 15 minutes, he could have asked me to move my car to the other side of the road, which is allowed!

Who is actually benefiting from the new parking regulations? It surely isn't the residents, and especially not the students.

Lee Briggs, Leicester.