The BPA Don't Read Emails

taffy056

Yeah ASDA know it's a scam, and they profit from it most likely, and then try to fob people off as if they stupid, the same can be said for most supermarket car parks, Tesco even admits to it by saying they pass profits to charity!

These retailers often say it's not us but the landowner, complete pants if you ask me, so a company that pays probably pays 7 figures to lease land have no say on what happens on it is either lying or utterly naive, I know which one I beleive.

trisontana

I have now received another email from ASDA, and (surprise, surprise) they do own the car-parks:-

Thanks for your response to my colleague.

I'm sorry there seems to have been some confusion here.

We do own our car parks of course, however they are monitored by the company Town and City Parking, so if you have any queries with a fine you have you would need to take it up with them.

With regards to the signage in the car parks, we are currently in the process of updating all signage which seems to be taking some time. However please be aware we are taking care of this and you should see these signs changed soon.

Coupon-mad

trisontana wrote: »

I have now received another email from ASDA, and (surprise, surprise) they do own the car-parks:-

Thanks for your response to my colleague.

I'm sorry there seems to have been some confusion here.

We do own our car parks of course, however they are monitored by the company Town and City Parking, so if you have any queries with a fine you have you would need to take it up with them.

With regards to the signage in the car parks, we are currently in the process of updating all signage which seems to be taking some time. However please be aware we are taking care of this and you should see these signs changed soon.

Email them back and say summat like 'you seem to be also confused about the fact that your agents, T&C have no authority to 'fine' anyone.' Give them the Watchdog link!

Also ask them if they are aware whether their agents are paying VAT on these fake parking 'tickets' as well - give them the VCS Tax evasion link!

Conclude by saying you would appreciate an explanation of why they are allowing an unregulated industry to intimidate and threaten Asda customers? Give them the T&C letter-chain link!

trisontana

Well, well, well. I Have now heard back from the BPA and they have found against Town and City for using the word "penalty" on their signs. Accordingly the "appropriate disciplinary action has been taken". What that "action" is they say is confidential, but knowing the BPA it probably amounts a slap on the wrist with a limp celery stick. At least they have been given a deadline for changing their signs. Mind you that might be something stupid, like a whole year.

Coblcris

I believe there is a 'points system' of sorts.

taffy056

And they buy the celery from ASDA buy one get one free

HO87

trisontana wrote: »

Well, well, well. I Have now heard back from the BPA and they have found against Town and City for using the word "penalty" on their signs. Accordingly the "appropriate disciplinary action has been taken". What that "action" is they say is confidential, but knowing the BPA it probably amounts a slap on the wrist with a limp celery stick. At least they have been given a deadline for changing their signs. Mind you that might be something stupid, like a whole year.

As has happened (and the BPA has admitted to) in other cases I suspect that T&C will be granted a dispensatory period during which they can amend their signs. As the BPA is not disclosing the detail of their decision then might I suggest that any and all such breaches are reported as they are seen. We might then "smoke out" the guts of the ruling.

trisontana

I have now followed up the above with another complaint to the BPA about Town and City. This time it's about the wording on their ticket envelopes which bear the words:-

"Warning it is an offence for any person other than the driver to remove this notice".

The substance of my complaint is that the wording is implying that the PPC ticket is some sort of legal document and that by removing it would be a breach of statute law. This is a clear breach of BPA guidelines which prohibits any action which could deceive motorists in to believing that PPC tickets have the same legal status as those from councils or the police.

trisontana

I am pleased to say that in at least one ASDA car-park (Retford Nottinghamshire) all the signage has now been amended with stickers changing "Civil Penalty Charge"" to "Parking Charge Notice". This was after I was assured by somebody from T&C that it "wasn't possible" to do that, and that they would have to wait for brand-new signs to be installed. So it looks as though the complaint I made to the BPA has had the desired effect.

esmerobbo

Well done for keeping the pressure on. So the illegal unenforceable "Penalty Charge" is simply an unenforceable "Parking Charge" now!