Successful complaints about private parking tickets - how to get them cancelled!

Double_Whammy

Mmmmm....couldn't find this thread on the first time I searched for it so have posted it on another "new" thread. Note to moderators...Please feel free to delete/edit as appropriate.
Received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) from Parkingeye after overstaying in an Aldi carpark. A quick call to Aldi Customer Service and the PCN was cancelled.

whist

Another success story @ Waitrose Beckenham. Got a ticket for exceeding the time limit, read the tips here to contact the manager BEFORE appealing the ticket. I went to the store and asked to speak to the manager who without argument canceled my ticket and said to make sure I register my car next time.

B789

whist said:

Another success story @ Waitrose Beckenham. Got a ticket for exceeding the time limit, read the tips here to contact the manager BEFORE appealing the ticket. I went to the store and asked to speak to the manager who without argument canceled my ticket and said to make sure I register my car next time.

Do you have it in writing from the manager or did he/she just tell you that they are going to get it cancelled? Double-check by going to the PPC website and go through the motions of paying the PCN to see if lets you. (Obviously without going "all the way")

GroguEatsFrogs

Location: Waterworld Stoke

PPC: 3DParking 

Received a PCN for non payment when the driver had used a machine inside the building to pay but did not get a receipt. On checking the bank account the payment had not gone through. 

Followed the Plan A from the Newbies post here ad emailed them to complain, I did not get a response so called them directly and asked if there was anyone I could speak to about a parking charge. The staff clearly have to deal with this regularly as the person I spoke to was pleasant and accepted that payment had tried to be made so said they could cancel the charge.  

I did pay a £10 admin fee to cover the cost of the parking (as the payment didn't go through) and an admin fee which they said they get charged from 3D Parking but I consider it worth it to get the matter resolved now. They are also going to email me to confirm they have cancelled the charge and I will check it has been done on their website.

Coupon-mad

GroguEatsFrogs said:

Location: Waterworld Stoke

PPC: 3DParking 

Received a PCN for non payment when the driver had used a machine inside the building to pay but did not get a receipt. On checking the bank account the payment had not gone through. 

Followed the Plan A from the Newbies post here ad emailed them to complain, I did not get a response so called them directly and asked if there was anyone I could speak to about a parking charge. The staff clearly have to deal with this regularly as the person I spoke to was pleasant and accepted that payment had tried to be made so said they could cancel the charge.  

I did pay a £10 admin fee to cover the cost of the parking (as the payment didn't go through) and an admin fee which they said they get charged from 3D Parking but I consider it worth it to get the matter resolved now. They are also going to email me to confirm they have cancelled the charge and I will check it has been done on their website.

That's good news. Well done!

nuoretrapparit

I received a £100 PCN for the Whitgift centre in Croydon for a 10-minute overstay on a 5-hour parking ticket. I emailed the facilities manager asking for it to be removed, and she emailed Britannia with me in copy within 15 minutes to tell them to get rid of it. 

For this I actually didn't follow the advice here to write in a belligerent tone and complain - that clearly helps in a lot of situations, but given it's a shopping centre and not a national chain with multiple approval layers and bureaucracy, I figured a nicer approach would get the job done

rollin_wheels

WELCOME BREAK PARKING EYE SUCCESS

Parking Eye wrongfully accused me of staying in a Welcome Break Service Area for well over the 2 hour limit. It was in fact 2 separate visits of only a few minutes each to buy fuel on consecutive days. (Don't worry I'm not stupid enough to pay those prices, I have a company fuel card which means I pay less than Supermarket prices).

I used the advice given here and took the fight straight to Welcome Break.

I complained to Welcome Break's customer service dept who gave me the brush off claiming I had to appeal to PE. WB's website says much the same. In my opinion these are both untrue statements.

I was made very angry by this, why should I appeal, I have nothing to appeal for as I have done nothing wrong, it is their 5h1t system that is in the wrong, they should be offering my an apology!

Not wanting to give in I visited the site again and complained to the site manager who confirmed WB can cancel Parking Eye's charges which to his credit he did.

I have now received a terse letter from PE saying the charge has been cancelled. No word of apology for the stress and worry caused. I am also annoyed that the DVLA sold my data to these shysters when they had no right access it as I had not broken any of their made up rules.

To those that find this post in the future, don't give up, confront Welcome Break as it is they that allow Parking Eye to operate on their sites.

Sunshine91

Successful complaint against Civil Enforcement Ltd (through landowner Thurlestone Golf Club)

 

16 June 2023 – used Thurlestone Golf Club carpark in the evening for a visit to the beach (the golf club has a section of its car park open to the general public). Unable to pay using the machine beyond 9pm, sign stated payment period for parking is 9am – 9pm. Left carpark at 22:05pm, so effectively used 1hr5min of ‘free’ parking time but all in accordance with the terms as we paid for our stay during the payable hours.

26 June – PCN issued for: ‘Payment not made / permit not obtained in accordance with notified terms”

4 July – Submitted appeal as had payment records and presumed it was a clear-cut case

10 July – letter from Civil Enforcement Ltd (CEL) stating the appeal had been rejected on the grounds that: “This ticket was issued for exceeding the parking time paid for.”

11 July – Thanks to this forum, I decided to appeal to the landowner. Sent an email to Thurlestone Golf Club (rather a stinging one I must admit) and had response within 24hrs from the General Manager:

              I have spoken to the car park company, and they have rescinded this PCN. My apologies for the inconvenience.

 

17 July – for belt-and-braces, I sent an email to CEL as below:

Regards the above PCN, I have had correspondence with the Thurlestone Golf Club General Manager who has assured me that the PCN has been rescinded.

The vehicle was parked according to the terms and the payment made covered the chargeable period (up til 9pm).

 

20 July – received a further ‘Response to Appeal’ letter from CEL as below:

The Parking Charge was validly issued due to breach of the terms and conditions set out on signs in the car park. Please note, we have no record of the above PCN being cancelled.

According to our records, the above Parking Charge Notice is outstanding at £60.

 

21 July – sent a copy of the above letter to the General Manager of Thurlestone, who replied:

I will speak with the car park company, but I can definitely confirm that PCN XXXXXXXXX has been cancelled.

 

28 July – received the equivalent of a dog-with-tail-between-legs letter:

              We refer to recent communications with this office in respect of the Parking Charge Notice. We now confirm that this Notice has been cancelled.

RESULT!

Coupon-mad

Nicely done, thanks for posting @Sunshine91

PLEASE (everyone reading this post this Summer) come back here in August to help yourself, as well as all UK drivers/keepers and the DLUHC with their evidence needed to support the draft Impact Assessment.

The DLUHC is specifically going to want evidence about private parking charge levels - £100 is FAR to high to penalise paying patrons at a site that invites the public - and we want the DLUHC to ban outright the fake £70 'admin fees' that would have enhanced the PCN.  

Had you not succeeded, £70 would have been added by CEL one month later to help them fuel & fund a manic 'litigation race'.

Doesn't exactly encourage consumers to pay, at that level, does it?!  Horrific extortion.  Private 'PCN' levels are double that on-street and it's far too high.

We need to change the law and the responses that the DLUHC will be calling for, will only be open for a few weeks (still anticipated in July, so any day now...).

dawn403

Overstayed whilst shopping at Middlebrook Retail park, in Bolton, which is free to park for 6 hours. Parking fine arrived from smart parking, did not accept my appeal or provide POPLA code. Received debt recovery plus letter so complained to Middlebrook Retail park contact us page on their website. Was very polite and explained that I was not aware of the 6 hour limit as I had asked a member of staff in Next where to pay, and was informed it was free, no mention of length of stay. Signs were as usual not obvious.
Received an apologetic reply and assurance that they would cancel the parking charge. 

Have also just written to our local MP about a parking fine for Rodney Street car park in Wigan (euro car parks) for my mother in law. Who was unable to pay due to a broken machine and couldn't work out how to pay by phone or app. They are charging her for 20mins! Will update once I receive a response. That has also gone to debt recovery plus.