ASDA AND SMART PARKING (AKA TCP)- ASDA can cancel PCN's

MyRubyRed

Ive been advised by another MSN member to start this as a separate thread. Apologies if this is wrong and for the long background
Yesterday I received a PCN from Smart Parking for allegedly overstaying the free parking period in my local Asda Car Park. The images provided in the notice show my car entering the car park at 07:31 and leaving again at 16:50.
What the images failed to display was my exit AM and my arrival PM. Something I do every day.
I visit the store on route to work with my hubby for paper and cigarettes and I go back when I finish to shop for groceries.
On average I spend £150 there.
When I got the PCN I tried to call Smart Parking - Offices closed but I was so annoyed I called the Asda Store and Asda HQ
Long story cut short - went in there tonight and Asda Customer Service rep was able to access the SP system and issue a PCN cancellation notice. How can that be if Asda has no connection to Smart Parking

peter_the_piper

I would be more than tempted to take a complaint to the BPA, trading standards etc. They must not be allowed to get away with the first in, last out software, its not a glitch, its a feature there by design.

Coupon-mad

MyRubyRed wrote: »

Yesterday I received a PCN from Smart Parking for allegedly overstaying the free parking period in my local Asda Car Park. The images provided in the notice show my car entering the car park at 07:31 and leaving again at 16:50.
What the images failed to display was my exit AM and my arrival PM. Something I do every day.
I visit the store on route to work with my hubby for paper and cigarettes and I go back when I finish to shop for groceries.
On average I spend £150 there.
When I got the PCN I tried to call Smart Parking - Offices closed but I was so annoyed I called the Asda Store and Asda HQ

Long story cut short - went in there tonight and Asda Customer Service rep was able to access the SP system and issue a PCN cancellation notice. How can that be if Asda has no connection to Smart Parking?

Much better to have this in a new thread for all to see on here tonight!

Smart Parking are Asda's agent in their car parks, as we know. And Asda Store Managers can cancel these scams (even if you hadn't visited twice, you would never ever actually be advised here to pay these fake tickets!). Current advice is to appeal and win at POPLA, once you get the first postal 'ticket' - and to COMPLAIN, so you have played this right and sorted it out at the first attempt.

Asda have to have access to send a cancellation notice for customers who complain - but the biggest question is WHY do these Supermarkets think that's an acceptable way to treat their paying customers in the first place?! It beggars belief to have to grovel to CS staff to cancel an impersonation of a parking ticket, so that you don't get debt collector letters and intimidation! What next, a fake fine for taking too long to pack your bags, or treading on a crack in the flooring while in the queue?

Anyway we know Supermarkets can cancel these and we are encouraging complaints like yours. I will add your swift success to this thread now:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4766249

Asda is well known for the two-visits scam, which IMHO seems more prevalent with Smart than with any other PPC. Asda Head Office know it's a problem and yet the big Supermarkets persist in allowing these protection racketeers on site.

You can find loads of newspaper articles if you Google 'fined Asda for visiting store twice'. You can and should complain to Trading Standards in writing via your local Council (do not try to phone TS or you will get redirected to a central [STRIKE]help[/STRIKE] fob-off line). Also complain to your MP and local paper if you wish to fightback, and to the CEO of Asda in writing.

:mad: