Disputing a Lidl Parking Ticket - SURPRISE OUTCOME

juliebunny

We have totally taken on board all the advice on here, I promise you! You guys have been fab and I did sit OH down last night and we watched the videos, went through the standard letters and read all your posts.

As someone above suggested, Coupon-mad, brilliant post thank you - we are going to try and deal with this through Lidl. Actually, OH says he's going to pay their Head Office a visit as it's only down the road from us.....that should be interesting. I've bet him that he won't get past reception but he's pretty persistent!

juliebunny

Update from Lidls head officey type place North London.......OH has managed to get to speak with some suited bod in Lidls office - area something or other - who had said he will make sure the parking 'invoice' is cancelled. He agreed that the cameras were erroneous in their conclusions that we had spent 6.5 hours in the car park. He reckons that the money they raise from parking goes to charity :cool:- I'm sure the signs also say this - gonna (walk round) and have a look this weekend. I would love to see proof of that. Sound like a load of old tosh to me.

Anyway, just to let you all know he said he was glad he hadn't responded to ATHENA in any way.....oh go on, be all smug you lot!! :T

He gave the suited bod a lecture on how this is harrassment for vulnerable people and how it's ridiculous to have parking enforcement at this location at all. Suited bod said it's necessary in London locations rah rah but he wasn't familiar with our store....(funny that for area something or other...)

He also told him that he is familiar with the series of letters that Athena send out (thanks to the sticky threads) :j and will be forwarding any more for the suits' attention (now he knows where 'he lives'!) to show him whether a) he has stuck by his word to call the pit bulls off and b) whether Athena do what they are told if he has done this anyway - since it's revenue reduction for them.

OH is happy with this alleged assurance - I'm extremely sceptical. Will update you either if we get anything else or if it goes quiet....

trisontana

That's very interesting about them saying they donate any "profits" to charity. Contract law states only the actual material loss suffered can be claimed for. Anything above that would be considered an unfair penalty. This is because one private citizen cannot "punish" another private citizen. So that penalty would be considered as a punishment.

So by making a profit, then they are admitting they they are claiming a sum which is way above the actual material loss suffered by them.

juliebunny

Just wanted to share with you peeps that OH got a letter from Athena this week starting 'dear valued LIDL customer' and going on to say that the parking 'ticket' had been cancelled.

To say I'm amazed would be a serious understatement. Seems they have been instructed by top bod at Lidl to back off. Since the photos clearly showed the car entering the car park both times, it was obviously an error on their part and this should not be taken to encourage anyone to contact the PCN company - we DID NOT at any point.

I think this case is exceptional but it does show that you need to go to the landowner, and go to the top. Go in person, if you have the balls and can get someone to see you. Or do what the people on here say, ignore it and get on with your life - not possible for everyone, esp the vulnerable but there you go.

OH and myself have both been impressed with the forums on here and have found your advice and support invaluable. We are both shocked and disgusted at what goes on. Have taken to avoiding any sort of car parks with cameras, keeping ALL parking tickets from pay and display car parks, and walking/cycling where possible!!

We are disgusted that this sort of thing goes on. Have written to my MP - for all the fat good that will do - Eleanor Laing Epping forest whose secretary sent me a one line reply saying basiscally - do you live in her borough - rude c*w I've written her a massive complaint back about the tone of her email - and to Watchdog to make sure they keep on this one.

halibut2209

Excellent result. I must say, it's been a pleasure reading your well-written, thoughtful, and polite posts

kwaks

Epping Forest you say? Well when you have had your fill of PPC waste paper, nip over to Pepipoo and bone up on the mistakes make by your council, not the most diligent at following the parking enforcement rules.

Hadeon

Very well done juliebunny, good result.
Keep spreading the word & hopefully bu**ers like this will be out of business sooner rather than later.

DaveF327

juliebunny wrote: »

the Manager of our local LIDL is really fed up with the parking company and they are getting loads of complaints and losing loads of customers because of the parking company.

It's taken a long time for the penny to finally drop with landowners and store managers.

We need many more to wake up, smell the coffee and terminate their ridiculous and mostly unnecessary contracts with PPCs.

trisontana

DaveF327 wrote: »

It's taken a long time for the penny to finally drop with landowners and store managers.

We need many more to wake up, smell the coffee and terminate their ridiculous and mostly unnecessary contracts with PPCs.

Exactly! The PPCs have conned retail park and store owners into signing up to a "solution" to a non-existent "problem".

Oopsadaisy

Athena have had a rocket up their ar53 from lidl and have cancelled one ticket....to shut the op up and get lidl off their back.

Today they will still issue hundreds more tickets in [lidl] carparks.