Private parking fine Northern Ireland

suki1964

I parked in what I assumed to be an Asda car park I parked in the first bays facing a brick wall. The only signs I saw we're for Asda saying 3 hours parking max

When I returned I had a penalty notice on the car, for not paying and displaying

I asked the parking attendant where did it say pay and display, and he pointed to a machine which I never saw as it was stuck in a hedge. He also helpfully pointed out the car park had been pay and display the past three years. I was in a strange town so like I'd have known lol

Do I pay?

To make matters worse it was actually two cars, mine and the one a friend was driving back for me having just picked it up from a dealership

Stroma

As you are in Northern Ireland, the way to deal with private parking companies is to completely ignore them if you are registered keeper of the vehicle. Inform your friend of the same thing.

Who are the scammers by the way ?

Coupon-mad

suki1964 wrote: »

I parked in what I assumed to be an Asda car park I parked in the first bays facing a brick wall. The only signs I saw we're for Asda saying 3 hours parking max

When I returned I had a penalty notice on the car, for not paying and displaying

I asked the parking attendant where did it say pay and display, and he pointed to a machine which I never saw as it was stuck in a hedge. He also helpfully pointed out the car park had been pay and display the past three years. I was in a strange town so like I'd have known lol

Do I pay?

To make matters worse it was actually two cars, mine and the one a friend was driving back for me having just picked it up from a dealership.

Do you pay? CERTAINLY NOT if it's a private parking charge (it's NOT a fine).

The advice about PPCs in NI is summed up here:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=76640

So as long as you are the registered keeper of the car you MUST ignore it.

But:

- are you the registered keeper of both cars? If so that's OK as you will just get the letters to ignore and laugh at!

- who issued the fake PCN, is it definitely not a real 'Penalty Charge' from a Council or the Roads Service?

suki1964

Thank you guys.

That's what I thought then I got a bit worried because its NI so thought I'd check

Daughter is registered keep of one car co when I take it up to her will tell her not to worry

The company is smart parking ltd in Perth

Stroma

Smart parking are useless scammers, there is no way this will go further than junk mail. They will not make a claim in any court.

Coupon-mad

Stroma wrote: »

Smart parking are useless scammers, there is no way this will go further than junk mail. They will not make a claim in any court.

Seconded, read any threads about Smart Parking (aka Town and City Parking, Google and read any recent forum posts!). 'Atilla' posts on here and here's his thread on pepipoo; he knows a lot about Smart and their little scam in Asda car parks:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=75552

Very easy to ignore this scam and just collect all the letters to get a full set (no prize though as the scam is soooo common!).