Smart Parking - Alleged overstay fine

scar1_2 · 23 July 2017 at 11:20PM

Good evening.

On Friday 21st of July I received my FIRST letter from debt collecting company 'Debt Recovery Plus' advising that an alleged overstay occured at White City - Car Park in Trafford Manchester.

Whilst this could be correct (as I visited 3 shops at the retail park and spent approx £4k in a furniture shop) my dispute is that I have not received any parking ticket in the post of otherwise. The first corresepondence received has been this letter from the debt collecting agency.

The outstanding amount they want me to pay is £160. I have tried to dispute on POPLA, however the ticket reference is showing as invalid, likely to be expired now.

Is there anything I can do given the age of this ticket and stage I am at. Whilst I am gutted about this my main concern is that I really have not received anything other than this letter from the debt collectors.

Is this a ploy from them to maximise their revenues? I'll be raising a compliant with the retailers at the location also as surely they have to be aware of what is being asked of their customers.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks
scar1

Coupon-mad · 23 July 2017 at 11:26PM

What a surprise, ''Smart parking in: 'first letter is from DRPlus' scam'' (again).

How many times have we seen this? Complaints need to be directed again and again to the BPA and DVLA because it sees Smart's NTKs are (allegedly) either never being printed or are landing in the bin, instead of being posted.

Is this a ploy from them to maximise their revenues?

Seems that way - common sense would say, it is FAR too common to be a coincidence now.

I visited 3 shops at the retail park and spent approx £4k in a furniture shop)

complain in writing (email, but without naming the driver!!) to:

- that retailer where you spent a 4 figure sum

- the site managing agent for the retail park

- Smart

- the BPA

- the DVLA

- your MP

- local Trading Standards (NOT the CAB, only TS)

emails for the DVLA and BPA are:

david.dunford@dvla.gsi.gov.uk

aos@britishparking.co.uk

When I say do not name the driver, I mean it. Write saying 'we shopped' and 'the driver did this' or 'the car was parked'...

scar1_2 · 23 July 2017 at 11:55PM

Thanks - I'll get on this in the morning! Just for clarity, do you mean state. Do you simply mean refer to the driver in the 3rd person.
i.e The driver parked the car whilst we visited shops x y z....

Coupon-mad · 24 July 2017 at 12:04AM

Yes, that's perfect.

Redx · 24 July 2017 at 12:05AM

correct

assume that the owner , the registered keeper , the keeper and the driver are 4 different people , and you are either the keeper or a third party narrating any "story"

its not an english exam , so no "me , myself and I"

never dob the driver in , never infer who it might be , assume I was the driver is you like

scar1_2 · 12 August 2017 at 10:20AM

Thanks for your advice, though I would circle back round to let you know the outcome.

I sent correspondence to all of the contacts suggested, the team that really helped were the BPA and Smart Parking seem to listen to them.

After I sent my email to BPA, they contacted Smart Parking and I got a letter from Smart Parking to stay we will reissue the PCN and start the provers from scratch. Meaning no more letters from debt collectors.

BPA also advised spoke with the Land owner and said if I could prove purchase on that day they would cancel the PCN.

With evidence of the passenger making a purchase that day Smart Parking sent me a letter cancelling the PCN.

This went from £160 fine with debt collectors to 4 weeks later PCN cancelled. Thanks coupon-mad and BPA, could not have done this on my own.

Coupon-mad · 12 August 2017 at 1:30PM

Great stuff. Thanks for updating.

Every time a PPC 'forgets' to send a PCN, a complaint should include the BPA and DVLA (although I hear the usual David Dunford email might be now bouncing).

Smart Parking - Alleged overstay fine

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