Response from Tesco CEO re Highview parking 'fine'

douknowwhoiam

Hi Guys
Sorry in advance for long post but felt compelled having read many of your posts,to let you know the way Tescos head office are treating this fiasco. I sent letter of complaint to Philip Clarke CEO Tesco as communication with Highview getting me nowhere. I was shocked to receive this response from Tesco

Subject: Email to Philip Clarke
From: xxxxxxxxxxx
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 10:49:13 +0100

Dear xxxxxxxxx

Thank you for contacting us about the parking charge you received at our St Stephens store. I am sorry that this matter has caused you upset.
We have introduced a time limit on this car park following feedback from our customers. They told us that they found it difficult to find a space during busy periods due to people parking at the store all day. So, to ensure availability of space throughout the day we decided to implement the time limit. This has created a noticeable difference in the level of cars which now use the car park.
Our car park operator is entitled to request information from the DVLA as stated in Regulation 27 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing) Regulations 2002. In these cases, the DVLA will usually disclose information on the condition that it relates
to and will be used only in connection with a parking contravention on private property.
I am sorry you remain unhappy that you have received the parking charge, to ensure customers are aware of the time limit in our car parks, signs are placed at various locations. Please be assured that our car park operator has signed a Code of Practice for
Private Car Parking Enforcement with the DVLA, which is available to view on the DVLA website .
As detailed in the correspondence from Highview, you are entitled to appeal against the charge to POPLA, please go to their website
and follow the instructions. Your POPLA reference number is: xxxxxxxxxx.
Thank you for taking the time to contact our Chief Executive's Office.
Kind regards

Eleanor Hay

Customer Service Executive

:eek:Shocked I replied back stating that I would no longer be a loyal customer of Tesco and was astonished that Tesco allow customers to be intimidated like this just for shopping.Their response was as follows

To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Dear xxxxxxxx

Thank you for your further email.

I am very sorry that you remain dissatisfied regarding this matter. Unfortunately however, there is nothing further that I can add to my previous comments, and I must advise that our position on this issue remains unchanged. Regrettably, Philip is unable to deal with customer complaints personally, and it is the role of myself and colleagues in this office to respond on his behalf. Whilst this is the case, please be assured that your views have been noted, and that Philip is made aware of all customer contact to his office, as well as the resolution.

Thank you once again for bringing this matter to the attention of our Chief Executive's Office.

Kind regards

Eleanor Hay
Customer Service Executive

'Tesco every little helps' I guess that includes all these fake fines lining their coffers:mad:

Stroma

Why not write back ask them for their registered address so you can issue a small claim against them for harassment by their agents, inform them that they are jointly and severally liable under the protection of harassment act 1997.

Guys_Dad

And check that they have planning consent from the council to implement a parking time limit.

I would just love it if they don't have consent and they are then asked if they intend to pay back everyone who has been charged illegally!

atilla

And just what is this code of practice Highview have signed with the DVLA?

Coupon-mad

And what happened when you challenged the fake PCN, are you at POPLA stage yet?

And what happened when you complained to the Store Manager in person (not the CS desk jobsworth frump lady)?

And how come you got a different result to others, are you not a clubcard holder, no receipts from recent weeks or the day in question?

See these successes, try ringing Customer Services (you will get another person who will NOT know the story so DO NOT TELL THEM you have already had a knock back, complain as if it's a new complaint!):

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4694547

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4733552

If at first you don't succeed, try another staff member, another slant on your story, another assertive (or more gentle!) approach! It'll win in the end I reckon. Or you'll win at POPLA anyway if you didn't let the appeal deadline slip.

albaredz

They introduced time limits because of "people parking at the store all day"? How do they know that? Call me stupid but I thought that supermarkets like Tesco were busy because lots of people shop there at peak times.

no1catman

I note that so far, the OP hasn't said he didn't overstay!

Guys_Dad

no1catman wrote: »

I note that so far, the OP hasn't said he didn't overstay!

He probably did but does the punishment fit the crime, so to speak? They used to hang people who stole bread in the old days until reason took a grip.

And on that, compare what punishment your shoplifters get with what your PPC is trying to hit your over stayers with.

no1catman

I don't know which one the OP went to but the Tesco car parks I've been to, have been plainly marked with the penalties involved with overstaying.
Perhaps, it's meant to make you stop and think 'sh** I can't hang about'.
Moreover, of course shoplifting is a criminal matter, and even a caution can have repercussions later in life e.g. some job applications will ask about convictions and cautions.

There may be extenuating circumstances to hold someone up, e.g. delayed at Direct desk, then the Opticians took longer, and after problems at the till - took some time for the Duty Manager to sort out!!
But usually 3 hours is plenty.

But there again, there's a few places, where visitors try to use them as a free car-park when visiting the area - not shopping - which is taking the p*** - 'book 'em Dano'.

Hovite_2

Nobody is condoning people breaking the "T&C's" on purpose BUT companies such as Tesco should not employ unlawful practices to deal with it. Currently they do. You openly state you work for Tesco and it was telling that you called the invoice a "penalty" when private companies such as Tesco have no legal authority to issue a "penalty".

spacey2012

The Planning consent and business rates avoidance is a sharp knife to PPC's, I urge all to take up this fight.
I have had one PPC thrown out of a retail park and several others are overdue a response from the council to the Local government Ombudsman about allowing business rates avoidance and flouting planning rules and regulations.

Local councils are deliberately and knowingly allowing these companies to flout rules applied with a sledge hammer to everyone else.
Car parks that charge incur business rates as a business, these supermarkets are flouting the law by allowing these agents to come in and issue charge notices to motorists and to add insult they charge hundreds of pounds for "agreeing to park" to the terms then charging to park.
Local councils try to fob you off that they are fines for breaking car park rules.
No they are not they are "parking charges" it says very clear on the invoice what it is.
Please join in, pick a car park infested by a PPC and start writing letters, force the council in to a corner with the PPC then let the dogs loose on both, the council will sacrifice the PPC to save itself.

Cure the disease that is the fake parking ticket scammers by killing the host.
"FREE" CAR PARKS.