Asda (again) parking ticket

bookmanwales

Ok here goes. I went to my local Asda, never got ticket as 2 nearest machines were not working. Did shopping (spent £80)

Got to car Parking ticket for not displaying ticket. As parking is free with purchases over £2 went back to customer services told them machine was not working. They said machines were all working ? and it was not their car park ?

Refused to rescind ticket whereon I returned my shopping to them said it was a rip off... lol bloody big queue at customer services as they scanned all my items back in..

Just as they finished doing that another woman came in and said the same 2 machines not working and they gave her same story.

I tried to get her details as witness but she was fuming and dashed off (having just spent £150 in there)

So now is my word against theirs.. Any ideas ?
Also what is easiest way to get pics onto here ? I have confusing pics of pay and display and Asda denial of who owns the car park ?

Stroma

Yes I have some ideas, asda is telling their staff to lie, it's not the customer service people fault as they are just doing their job. But you should go back and demand to see the store manager, not an assistant but the head honcho. When you get to see them show your receipt and the fake ticket.

Tell him/her you know they own the car park as you've checked the land registry (even if you haven't) and you will not be fobbed off by blatant lies. Tell him/her that you hold them responsible for the actions of THEIR agents, and you are going to complain to the press, asda head office and you will no longer shop there.

If you do your weekly shop first, fill a trolley of your shopping, don't pay for it just wait for for the manager if he refuses to get this cancelled just walk out and leave the trolley of food there.

As for appealing to smart, that is an option I suggest you do, show them a copy of your receipt, if they refuse demand a popla verification code to appeal independently.

hoohoo

Also, since this was ASDA, was it Town and City Parking/Smart Parking issuing the ticket? If so, then you will definitely win at appeal as they have got all confused at the moment as to who they actually are. (Search some of the other threads for 'Town and City' for the full story).

Make sure you get photographs of their signs while they are still incorrect.

Coupon-mad

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/59543201#Comment_59543201

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4560681

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4534485

See the points on those threads about how to complain at Asda and who to complain to - not the person on the CS desk!! And NOT to take 'we don't own the car park' (= a total LIE) as an answer when we KNOW that Smart Parking are Asda's agents in their car parks. This is Asda's fault. Put on your black jacket (see those links!) and try again!

In the meantime, wait for the Notice to Keeper to arrive from the scammers and then see here on what to do:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/60982489#Comment_60982489


HTH

bookmanwales

Yes I have photo's.. Their pay and display sign at entrance to car park is right next to a bigger sign about Joyriders (used to be a problem there) says anpr is there to monitor joyriders not parking.

Sign says Asda car park "managed" by town & country parking (ltd blacked out) on their behalf but ticket issued by smart parking ltd. So who would contract to park be with ?
As I satisfied conditions for parking i.e spent more than £2 then surely there is no "damages or losses" for them to chase ?

Coupon-mad

No there are no losses - this is all a scam; just Google them or search the forum for other threads. And if you want to read about the Town & City/Smart Parking name change issue, these are the links for you:

Temporary wrist-slapping by the DVLA:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4422129

Atilla's pepipoo thread:

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

Complain at Asda to the Store Manager first, like in the links I posted before. And plan your challenge to the Notice to Keeper (the first letter in the post) if Asda are stupid enough not to cancel it to keep your custom.

fb1969

bookmanwales wrote: »

whereon i returned my shopping to them said it was a rip off... Lol bloody big queue at customer services as they scanned all my items back in..

:T:T Good on you for doing that

bookmanwales

They do seem to have a name crisis.
They have 3 different names at companies house which have ALL been changed during July and Dec 2012
Smart Parking (UK) Ltd Co No SC413479 changed from Town & Country
Town & Country Parking Ltd Co No SC438115 No previous names ?
Smart Parking Ltd Co No SC138255 previous name Town & country but before that was Smart Parking Ltd

All are registered to same address.
There is something a bit iffy here.. way would any company keep swapping 3 companies names around to different co numbers ?

And thanks all for replies

Coupon-mad

That's why they got banned temporarily as you will see from those links. Atilla's thread has the most info I think.

bookmanwales

Why did I put Town & Country on my posts ? Obviously Town & City Must be them posh country magazines I have been reading ...lol

bookmanwales

Done a bit more research and photography.

None of the pay and display signs mention Smart Parking Ltd This is breach of the Company (Trade Disclosure) Regulations 2008.
The address they give for Town & City parking is also incorrect (according to their own website which lists a different one)

Signs are not "Clear and easily visible" One on entrance to car park is overshadowed by larger better coloured "joyriding sign" plus it is on exit from a roundabout and right next to a pedestrian crossing (where would your eyes be) and the main one by main door of Asda is partially obscured by Asda flower displays, at least it has been this week.

Have now reported all these faults to the Trading Standards.

For anyone interested in who owns the car park (sure it is prob same in other Asdas ) They are owned by McLagan Investments Ltd.. a subsidiary of Walmart and registered to the same Asda head office address in Leeds and have same directors as Asda.