POPLA Decisions

Car1980

I wouldn't even say a contract was formed. There can be no consideration - nothing of value was being offered by the operator since no spaces were available.

yarpsnehpets

I agree 100%

No contract formed.

A driver cannot be expected to 'dump their vehicle' (when no marked space is available) in order to seek out the contractual terms - doing so would likely invoke a PCN for 'not parking in a marked bay'.

No parking took place when parking was the service being offered.

The Assessor's comments drive a cart and horses through the recent CMA open letter - who is correct here? Him or the CMA? I know who I'd chose!

Coupon-mad

Do POPLA have no shame?

Knowing that the car was never parked, yet shunting cases like this to court is a complete waste of public money because no judge would agree with POPLA.

M_J_D

Horizon Parking Ltd - Appeal unsuccessful.

Stayed at a Premier Inn for one night on my way to Cornwall for holiday. Free parking for Premier Inn guests. Issued a PCN as my car reg was not submitted to their systems. Arrived late on, after 8pm, didn't pay any attention to signage as paying guest. No typical reception, self check-in. Provided paid invoice for duration and link to Premier Inn Website for hotel in question, which clearly states free parking.

Decision

Unsuccessful

Assessor Name

Anita Burns

Assessor summary of operator case

The parking operator’s case is that the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) has been issued for failing to pay or register for full duration of stay.

Assessor summary of your case

The appellant has provided their grounds of appeal, which I’ve summarised below: • They were a paying guest at the Premier Inn when the Parking Charge Notice (PCN) was issued. • Guests are entitled to free parking for the duration of their stay, as stated on the hotel's website. After reviewing the parking operator’s evidence, the appellant reiterates and expands on their grounds of appeal. In support of their appeal the appellant has also provided their invoice confirming their booking at Premier Inn Bridgwater Gateway and information on the Premier Inn website listing free parking for this site. All of the above has been considered in making my determination.

Assessor supporting rational for decision

The parking operator has provided photographic evidence of the signage in place in the car park, which details the terms and conditions of parking. The signs advise Premier Inn Guests to enter their full vehicle registration into the tablet at reception to validate their duration of stay, while motorists just looking to park must pay the parking tariff. The signage goes on to state a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) of £100 will be issued for failure to pay or register your vehicle for full duration of stay Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) images show that the appellant's vehicle entered the site on 14 May 2026 at 20:11 and exited on 15 May 2026 at 10:07, totalling a stay of 13 hours 55 minutes. The parking operator has provided a system report to show that the appellant did not register their vehicle to validate their parking on the date of the parking event. As such, the PCN was issued for failing to pay or register for full duration of stay. The appellant says they were a paying guest at the Premier Inn when the PCN was issued and guests are entitled to free parking for the duration of their stay, as stated on the hotel's website. I note the appellant's comments and have reviewed the invoice provided which confirms that the appellant was an overnight guest during the time the vehicle was parked at the site, however, while I accept that the appellant was an overnight guest this does not exempt them from complying with the terms and conditions and registering their vehicle to validate their free parking. In reaching my decision, I have considered Annex F of The Private Parking Sector Single Code of Practice (The Code), which sets the standards for parking operators. Annex F introduces the Appeals Charter which explains when parking operators should consider either cancelling a PCN or reducing it to £20. Key to this case is Annex F.3 g), the fee is required to be reduced if the vehicle would have been permitted to park, but the driver failed to enter their registration into a terminal or device. In this case, the parking operator accepted that the appellant was an overnight guest and offered them the opportunity to pay a reduced charge of £15, which was not accepted. The charge has therefore reverted to the full amount. As this relates to the first stage of the appeal process and the parking operator has done what was required, POPLA cannot consider it further. I note the appellant refers to the information on the hotel website and says they did not pay much notice to the signage. I have reviewed this information and while I can see that under Hotel Facilities, free parking is listed, the parking contract is detailed on the signage at the site and not on any third-party website. Drivers are expected to check the parking terms detailed on the signage at the site and make sure they understand them before deciding to stay. From the photos provided, it appears the signs were clear and gave the driver a fair chance to review the rules. While Premier Inn guests are entitled to free parking this is conditional on their vehicle being registered to validate their parking. By parking at the site the motorist has entered into a contract with the parking operator and agreed to pay a PCN if they fail to comply. I have considered all additional comments made by the appellant. Where those comments relate to issues already addressed above, they do not alter my assessment of the evidence or my findings in this appeal. By failing to pay or register for full duration of stay, the terms and conditions of the car park have not been met. I therefore conclude that the parking operator has issued the parking charge correctly, and the appeal is refused.

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118391#Comment_82118391

Yes, fully expected. You should never have tried POPLA re a VRM tablet/screen case because they'd always just say "did you enter your VRM…no…appeal refused - next!"

If you'd posted here we'd have told you to ignore it - not pay and not try POPLA - and concentrate your efforts only on a complaint to Premier Inn.

The issue is with these screens that they are a hidden 'consumer notice' with ominous repercussions if you miss it.

No signs or arrows point to it and obviously all drivers would input their VRM if only the screen had been next to a MASSIVE banner with a warning of £100 PCN. Nobody would deliberately not use it! This is a scam operation IMHO, due to the propensity of this industry to hide these VRM screens on a desk so it looks like a staff tablet and is completely unremarkable to the average tired hotel guest. Goes unnoticed.

In court you'd likely win. Did they include photos of the tablet unit thingy in the POPLA pack?

Please start a thread & show it.

DO NOT PAY THIS UNFAIR INVOICE.

M_J_D

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118489#Comment_82118489

Yep, with hindsight, should've researched this whole private parking con beforehand, oh well :-).

Have not and absolutely wiil not be paying. Glad to read that I'm not alone in thinking this would never stand up in court :-), almost laughable (though not surprsing) that this is allowed.

Thanks, contacted Premier Inn who fobbed me off and told me to appeal. I'll have a read through these forums and start a thread. Pretty sure there were only pictures of signage in the carpark, can't access the evidence on POPLA now, been some months since submitted.

Car1980

Drivers are expected to check the parking terms detailed on the signage at the site and make sure they understand them before deciding to stay

Yeah, all those guests throughout the country that pay £150 to stay in a hotel and then just decide to turn around and go home because they don't understand some waffle on a sign 🤦

guests are entitled to free parking for the duration of their stay

If they're entitled they're entitled. "The word entitled means having a legal right to something". Additional clauses are irrelevant when you've formed a contract with the hotel. They can't offer you free breakfast as part of the contract and then rely on a sign saying you agree to pay £100 to their caterers if you fail to put your room number into a tablet in the morning.

M_J_D

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118560#Comment_82118560

Love it 😁 Matches the tone and type of my appeals, probably went some way to influencing the rejections 😏.

Exactly this. Whatever contract they have with Premier Inn, good for them, irrelevant in my opinion. Guests are entitled to free parking.…I was a guest. I'm not giving you £100 because I didn't put my reg in the funky little tablet hidden in the corner.

See them in court I guess, bring it on 😎

yarpsnehpets

I would either go back to Premier Inn and demand this nonsense is cancelled OR put an absolutely stinking review on their social media.

M_J_D

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82118672#Comment_82118672

Yeah, think both of these might be the immediate tactic 🙂