Smart Parking Again!

Chappy1990

Hey guys,

I'm new here and seeking advise.

I work for a company on a site that is run by smart parking LTD, town and city parking or whatever they want to call themselves!
I pay £30 to park every month as staff which is set up privately by the land owners, now when I first started at the store as manager I was parking outside the front of the store, I received 2 warnings saying I could not park there and then eventually got a ticket for 'obstructive parking'
I appealed it with smart parking and they have sent me a letter today saying its denied and I must pay. It states in the letter that I was not parked inside the marked bays which isn't true, I wasn't outside of the lines and there aren't any staff marked bays.
The letter has two pictures attached but nothing states about staff parking at all and there are no terms and conditions for staff parking, basically the landowners have told smart parking I was obstructive parking when I wasn't, I was perfectly lined up inside the bay.

Now I've read they keep changing their name, I have no intention to pay but feel I want to play with them and because all of the signs around the park have the word LTD stickered out, I may be able to find a picture of a sign with the the blanked part 'missing'?

What's everyone's advise, I'm ok to ignore the ticket aren't I?

Thanks!

Stroma

Is this England or Wales ? If so did they give you a popla verification code to appeal independently ? As a general bit of advice on the signs, if its not there it can't form a contract with them on that matter. I'm just going on the signs itself, I can't offer advice on what could be on your contract of employment etc

Chappy1990

It's England.
The signs state nothing about staff or permit holder parking and yes they gave me a popla code. They're scammers and always will be and I feel sorry for the people who pay the charges!

There's nothing in my contract of employment as I got moved to this store from another.
They landowners say they will revoke my pass if I park out the front of the store again, think it would be funny to see how many tickets I could get away with haha.
I don't have an issue parking elsewhere, its just my car is out of sight and its been broken into a few years ago, I just don't want anything to happen from this ticket even though I'm continuing to pay the £30 a month.

Stroma

Well just send this to them, we can help with a popla appeal when its rejected. Its a bit ridiculous that they are ticketing the store manager over this, we normally advise people here to complain to people like you about this scam. It looks like not even the managers can escape the scam



Name
Address

Date

Dear Scammers,

In regards to the invoice received with ref number xxxxxx dated xxxxxx, the keeper denies all liability to your company, if you reject this challenge the keeper requires within 35 days a popla verification code for them to appeal independently, per Version 2 of the BPA Code of Practice.

The keeper has nothing further to add, and will not respond to any correspondence from your company unless it contains the popla code. If you wish to find out why the keeper rejects all liability, pay the £27 plus vat to popla to find out

The challenge will be deemed accepted if there is no popla code on any rejection that you supply within the timeframe stipulated above.

Yours Faithfully

Your name (printed)

Coupon-mad

Stroma wrote: »

Well just send this to them...

The OP does have a POPLA code already!

Chappy1990 wrote: »

It's England.
The signs state nothing about staff or permit holder parking and yes they gave me a popla code. They're scammers and always will be and I feel sorry for the people who pay the charges!

There's nothing in my contract of employment as I got moved to this store from another.
They landowners say they will revoke my pass if I park out the front of the store again, think it would be funny to see how many tickets I could get away with haha.
I don't have an issue parking elsewhere, its just my car is out of sight and its been broken into a few years ago, I just don't want anything to happen from this ticket even though I'm continuing to pay the £30 a month.

You have a POPLA code so it's POPLA time!

Post #15 here has a lot of info I could think of for a newbie planning a POPLA appeal:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4657151

HTH and do not send a short but sweet 'normal' appeal. You can show your whole (long) POPLA draft here if you want help to fine-tune it.

Chappy1990

Thanks Stroma, let me make it a little clearer for all.

I work for 'said retail store' this is situated on private land with other retail stores, BHS, toys r us etc. The private land owner has an agreement whereby staff pay £30 a month to receive a staff permit, this simply entitles the staff member to not receive a ticket everyday they're at work. When setting up the £30, it is done so as a standing order, no contract is signed and the only terms and conditions I received were verbal saying 'park behind pizza hut'
I contested this and they said they would revoke my pass, but surely by law they can't give me a ticket when technically I've paid for parking by way of a monthly direct debit? They also take pictures of the offending vehicles and I ill request this as proof I was no where near the bay lines.

I'm not parking my car out the front to be awkward, I'm doing it to stand up for people who get sh*t on all the time by other people and companies throwing their weight around.

Can anyone give me more advise on this please?

Guys_Dad

Chappy1990 wrote: »

Thanks Stroma, let me make it a little clearer for all.

I work for 'said retail store' this is situated on private land with other retail stores, BHS, toys r us etc. The private land owner has an agreement whereby staff pay £30 a month to receive a staff permit, this simply entitles the staff member to not receive a ticket everyday they're at work. When setting up the £30, it is done so as a standing order, no contract is signed and the only terms and conditions I received were verbal saying 'park behind pizza hut'
I contested this and they said they would revoke my pass, but surely by law they can't give me a ticket when technically I've paid for parking by way of a monthly direct debit? They also take pictures of the offending vehicles and I ill request this as proof I was no where near the bay lines.

I'm not parking my car out the front to be awkward, I'm doing it to stand up for people who get sh*t on all the time by other people and companies throwing their weight around.

Can anyone give me more advise on this please?

You can see all the standard POPLA appeal clauses that are generic from the first sticky POPLA APPEALS. You are smart enough to include them in your appeal.

When it comes to your specific points of your case, you need photos of the signs in the area, the bit where you park, the bit where you are supposed to park and your agreement for the deduction from pay (Who does it go to, by the way?)

You should also show that where you are parked is NOT causing any obstruction. (If you are impeding traffic, then you should consider moving the car).

And good point about asking them, under the BPA COP, for photos of your "obstructive parking" that they claim to have

If you want regulars on here to cast their eye over the POPLA appeal, many will be glad to help

Chappy1990

That's the thing, the signs are the same around the whole park. None are different to where I'm 'suppose to be parked' to where I'm 'not suppose to be parked'
The £30 a month goes directly to the land owner I believe.
I have photos of the signs, like I said, no statement of permit holders or staff parking. My car was very much out of the way of traffic, it was parked tight up against the bollards near the walkway so other drivers didn't open their doors onto it.

I think I'll need help drafting the POPLA appeal

Coupon-mad

Chappy1990 wrote: »

I think I'll need help drafting the POPLA appeal

Already given to you in the post I made above.

You will soon see what's needed once you follow and read all the links and start copying and pasting it all into one giant draft challenge. It's not about 'what happened' at all so stop thinking about that side of it and start reading the links in that other thread I showed you!

Stroma

Coupon-mad wrote: »

The OP does have a POPLA code already!

Oops yes can see that now lol

Chappy1990

Thing is I have no idea which rules they have broken?
The ticket says Smart Parking LTD, the letter just says Smart Parking.

If they say I was parked outside of the lines and they don't have photos it's my words against them? What happens if I ignore it?