Excel Parking

mamaden

Don't know if this is the right place but I am fuming.
On 25th February I had the misfortune to be in Wembly in the evening.
My 7 year old daughter was with me and on the way through I stopped off and got her some MacDonalds in the retail park.
We ate the McDonalds and as we walked back to the car she threw up everywhere.Her clothes were covered in sick so was my shoes. It was like a scene from the Exorcist but without the head spin.
Anyway, I took her back into McDonalds and they allowed me to use the bathroom to clean her up. She was very upset and when we came back out a member of the staff gave her some water to drink and a toy to play with.
I had a change of clothes for her in the car so I asked the staff if I got the clothes could I change her in their toilets, they said yes that was fine, so I took her back to the car, sorted out her clothes and back we went into McDonalds. After a change of clothes she seemed to be a lot settled so I got her another drink of water and myself a coffee before we went on our merry way back to Surrey.
I thanked the staff for being so nice and helpful and off we went.
Today I have come home to a nice fat £60 parking fine for being in the car park for just under 2 hours along with 2 nice photos of my car, 1 entering the car park and one leaving. If I don't pay the fine within 14 days or if I appeal the fine goes up to £100:eek:
If I want to call them it's a premium rate number at 50p per minute. I do not recall seeing any signs on entering the car park (Theres no barrier you just drive in and out) and at no time at all did the McDonalds staff tell me that I would get a ticket for being there so long. I am livid. I want to appeal but feel I have no grounds and I can't afford the fine to go up to £100
The car park was quite empty (now I know why) there was maybe about 7 cars and about 100 spaces.
I will never go there again and I am going to write a letter to McDonalds. I know it's not there fault but when I asked to use the toilet again they could have at least warned me about the restrictions.
Anyway thats my rant over. Sorry its so long but you all be careful when you park in the retail park in Wembley cos if you wanted to walk round all the shops and stop in McDonalds it will cost you £60 - £100

C_Ronaldo

register at pepipoo.com and see what they recommend, id write a letter saying that your daughter was sick and you had to clean her up

Little_John

So it is the responsibility of the burger flippers at mcdonands to watch what time cars enter the carpark and inform every person that enters their resturant that there is a 2 hours maximum stay in the retail park car park?

Writing to mcd's total waste of time.

Put your appeal in to the opperators of the carpaark or whoever it tells you to appeal to on the ticket. once you submit an appeal any increases to the fine are frozen and don't get increased they cant automatically increase the fine becasue you appeal.

If the maximm stay is 2 hours and the times they have you entering and leaving are less than 2 hours then they can't fine you on those grounds anyway as they have no proof you were in the carpark for over 2 hours. If you bought anything keep hold of the recipts to prove you were actually shopping and not parking there to go to the stadium or arena as that is why they have these restrictions.

Good look but it is your reponsibilty to ensure you use any facilities within the opperators terms and conditions. the carparks tend to have any restrictions on boards attached to lamp posts.

hollydays

Have a look at the voluntary code of practice for private car park enforcement,which is on the DVLA site . To be safe,in the meantime I would go to mAcdonalds and ask the Manager if he would keep a note of the names of staff involved.This industry is unfortunately not regulated,neither are there exact rules as to signage (which you can be sure WAS there,just not visible enough).Presumably the photos show your times of entering and leaving,but this wasnt your issue.Its likely the private Landlords who own the site have set this up,not any of the retailers there.

geo555

Some important things to do.

Don't bother appealing to Excel.

Don't admit it was you driving.
Write a letter saying that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle and was NOT the driver at the time, therefore I am not liable for this request for payment.
You can add, that if they provide clear photographic evidence of the driver, you will endevor to identify them and pass on their details, provided they pay an administration fee of £100 by return.

As other posters have said, Pepipoo is the ideal place to check out good information on private parking tickets.

mamaden

Thank you all for your replies.
Firstly no it isn't the burger staffs job to watch customers cars but they could see how long I was taking so they could have maybe just let me know.
I definatly didn't see any signs on entering the car park but I will look next time I am up there.
The Pepipoo site looks excellent but I am at work at the moment so I will definatly look into it when I return home.
The £100 admin request sounds good, after looking at the Pepipoo site I might give that a go.
Thank you all
Den x

laurajayne

Ok my experience wasn't with Excel but it may help...

Last September I was discharged out of hospital after an op, and my father picked me up. I asked him to take me to the town so I could get some supplies (was emergency op), such as paracetamol, and some more pjs to make myself comfy.

He parked int he privately owned carpark and helped me out of the car etc and was walking me round the shops (op was on bottom of back, so couldn't walk fast/unsteady on my feet). He suddenly realised he'd forgotten to pay and display...15 minutes after we'd left the car, as he was so distracted with me. He left me on a bench and rushed back, unfortunatly he was too late, and we'd already been issued a ticket.

He wrote to the people and council and appealed against it, telling them that he didn't mean to dodge the money, and he'd actually bought a ticket on the way to the car, he was distracted cos of me (and enclosed a copy of my discharge form and my cool bracelet lol)...they wrote back and let him off. (the fines were frozen until the appeal had gone through).

Possiblely if you explain why, they could let you off. Apparently there's something in law that can help - I'll get me dad to come on (copper lol) and let you know

Good Luck!