Parking Eye

JCR1987

Hi all,

Just a quick one about Parking Eye.

I parked in a retail park to get something to eat in McDonalds next door, the car park in the retail park I now know is monitored by Parking Eye. The car broke down (flat battery) so i went to get my jump leads from the wife's car. Came back 7 hours later after she'd got back home, jump started my car and went home.

A week later i got the inevitable PCN from Parking Eye for my overstay.

Now, obviously i'm in the 'ignore' camp, but i've seen a few variations on PE tactics where they've gone the whole hog and taken people to court.

How strong is my case? I haven't checked if there is other CCTV in the retail park, but if there is you would clearly see me jump starting my car. Would they accept this?

Umkomaas

Can you tell us how long ago since the 'offence'. This is important - if you still have time to get a POPLA code where an appeal (with help from here and/or Pepipoo - important not to go ahead without this) will give you the best chance of knocking this on the head soonest.

We'll then explain next steps.

JCR1987

The 'offence' was on 1st of June. I received the letter 8th June.

Coupon-mad

Really not sure why you say 'obviously I'm in the ignore camp' when we never advise that any more with AOS members in England/Wales. Ignore is old advice even if you seem to be bang to rights. And with Parking Eye it's even more important to beat them at POPLA appeal stage (which will NOT discuss what happened, but expose what they did wrong instead).

All you need do is a simple challenge written as the registered keeper (not as the driver and not talking about 'what happened'). Read the first couple of pages of threads on the forum, skim-read any PPC threads till you find the usual 'soft challenge' wording for this stage, written in the third person. Every thread asks the same questions and gets the same advice so should take about 15 mins to find a simple challenge example and in doing so you'll have found some advice and links useful to you as well.

JCR1987

Thanks for the advice Coupon-mad. Perhaps I was in error about the 'ignore' comment; I merely don't want to pay a fine for leaving my broken down car in a empty retail park car park.

I will make my simple but valid challenge to Parking Eye.

Coupon-mad

JCR1987 wrote: »

Thanks for the advice Coupon-mad. Perhaps I was in error about the 'ignore' comment; I merely don't want to pay a fine for leaving my broken down car in a empty retail park car park.

I will make my simple but valid challenge to Parking Eye.

Good, make it vague like you see posted by Stroma on various recent threads and/or say that their signs were unclear as you've been to have a look since the driver was there. And come back when you get the rejection letter with POPLA code, having read around the POPLA appeal wording a bit to get the gist.

JCR1987

Ok, have followed your advice about sending a 'soft challenge' letter. Done that and received my Appeal Rejection letter from Parking Eye yesterday, along with POPLA Ref and appeal form. Their rejection paragraph goes as follows:

"We are writing to advise you that your recent appeal has been unsuccessful. This is because you have not provided sufficient evidence to show that you did not break the terms and conditions under the signage. We also note that a number of your queries are of a generic nature, a number of which we have seen before."

So, what's my best course of action now?

Thanks,
JR

Coupon-mad

That's a generic EYE01 rejection letter with a load of generic stuff listed on it! Pot...kettle...black...eh, Parking Eye?!

You now draft a POPLA appeal which has to be differently worded than before. Start by reading the recent decisions by POPLA as reported at the end of the POPLA decisions thread (near the top of the forum). You need to get the hang of what arguments tend to catch the PPCs out...

Then look at other threads on here where people are asking about POPLA appeal wording, there are lots and I have posted a link to some examples of strong POPLA appeals several times (can't put it here now as I am at work).

JCR1987

Ok, i have drafted an appeal response for POPLA - is there anyone on here I can PM to read over it before i submit it?

thanks,
JR

nigelbb

I have responded on PePiPoo