Parking Eye at Morrisons

ensignia

So, here's the deal: I visited Morrisons in Camden in March this year at around 9.30am, and then again at around 2pm, and then again at 5.15pm, each time using the car park.

I received one of those "fines" from Parking Eye in the post, and duly ignored it as I incorrectly assumed this was the correct course of action. I received another letter which I also ignored, but then at the beginning of June I got a court claim letter from some court in Northampton.

I know I should have done my research and not ignored the letters, but we're beyond that point now.

My best chance of getting it overturned is Morrisons contacting PE directly and telling them to cancel it. I emailed the Camden store manager, property dept and CEO of Morrisons telling them of my plight, and including my statement which shows how often I visit Morrisons (sometimes 3 times a day:rotfl:).

I've acknowleged the claim online, but what steps can I take now to avoid getting a judgment against me if Morrisons can't help?

To make matters worse I used my dad's car that day as mine was getting serviced, and he's the one the claim has gone against. He's not happy

Any advice? I'm thinking I'll badger Morrisons some more, but if nothing comes of it I think I'll just fork out £160 for an easy life.

trubster

Have a long read of the Parking Prankster's guide to beating parking eye in court.

You will need to file a defense before your 28 days from service is up.

you want an easy life? Can I have the £160 instead No? Too late, you read my post, thats a contract pal

ensignia

Blimey, that was quick!

I did read the Parking Prankster guides, but as I said the claim is in my dad's name so he'll be the one having to turn up in court and I don't want him to go through that. If you can get me out of paying the £160 I'll gladly PayPal you a generous 'donation'...

Redx

he will only have to turn up in court if it gets as far as court, just because papers are issued it doesnt automatically follow that an appearance in court follows , as there will be all sorts of paper trails and maybe arbitration to consider in the paperwork before a court date is set

fr all you know you may find you can push it towards ADR using popla

in the meantime I would contact the CEO of morrisons , details are linked in the NEWBIES sticky thread at the top of the forum

ensignia

I have today received an email from the CEO of Morrisons which says that the Customer Service team are looking at it, so fingers crossed!

Coupon-mad

Most cases never go to a hearing.

Often when a retailer tells PE to drop the claim, PE send a stupid letter pretending it's all your fault for ignoring them (sob!) and that somehow you 'owe' them £50 or £75 (depending on what side of bed they got out of) to cancel the claim to cover their 'costs'. If that happens, rattle Morrisons cage again. Do they really want customers 'fined' for two visits in one day?! Do they REALLY think it's fair for such a customer to have to pay a monster like PE £50 - or even 50p?

Anyway I hope you realise your Dad also HAS to submit at least a skeleton defence to avoid getting a default judgment against him while Morrisons faff about?

ensignia

Just a quick little update for anyone who's interested...

Coupon-mad was right as usual; PE sent a "without prejudice" letter asking for £60 to cover their costs. I have contacted Morissons again, and asked to be copied in on the communications this time.

Is there anything else I need to do in the meantime? I acknowledged the claim, but am yet to submit a defense.

Coupon-mad

You have to submit a basic defence then. The WP offer discussion is 'outside of the court process' and does not stop PE's claim. Like I said above: 'Anyway I hope you realise your Dad also HAS to submit at least a skeleton defence to avoid getting a default judgment against him while Morrisons faff about?'

I'm thinking I'll badger Morrisons some more, but if nothing comes of it I think I'll just fork out £160 for an easy life.

Surely not for a double visit error by their ANPR system? Hope you are badgering Morrisons not just forwarding letters - they won't know if you object to paying £60 unless you tell them in no uncertain terms! They might be stupid enough to think 'oh that's alright then, PE have reduced it to £60.'

Errrrm no, not reasonable to any average man in the street. Tell Morrisons and PE what you think about this - did you know you can email PE to argue the toss, insist it was a double visit and they have no cause of action but tell them you have submitted a defence anyway (and obviously do so):

[EMAIL="enforcement@parkingeye.co.uk"]enforcement@parkingeye.co.uk[/EMAIL]

You can find example defences in post#5 of the NEWBIES thread including a basic one from Parking Prankster which you could add a point to that the driver visited twice so the ANPR records were wrong in only taking account of the first visit and last exit. There are also links to cases won by defendants which includes at lease two PE cases won by posters, on the basis of a double visit/ANPR not taking account of the fact the vehicle left and returned. Of course they were won - easy cases to argue really seeing as PE don't have a continuous feed of CCTV evidence and do miss some car reg numbers (explained in a blog by the Prankster a while back)!

Keep rattling those cages, PE and Morrisons, by email every day if needed for a week or so, until they drop it. Be annoying, be in their face every day, emailing and insisting (set up a Hotmail or gmail account in the name of the person named on the court papers and use it only to defeat this scam). Follow it up with emails to both PE and Morrisons CEO (or named Management team member) every morning and keep finishing it with 'has the spurious claim been discontinued yet? This is utter harassment and a waste of my time. I work in a professional capacity and so does my adviser who has helped me with this issue - and in wasted hours alone, our costs far exceed Parking Eye's pathetic £60 admin fee rubbish so let's call it quits before I consider counter suing all parties for my own losses.' etc. etc.

BE REALLY ASSERTIVE, INCLUDING IN YOUR EMAILS TO MORRISONS. THERE'S NO WORSE SITUATION THAN BEING SUED BY THEIR MONEY-GRABBING AGENTS FOR SHOPPING TWICE A DAY AT THEIR STORE! MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THIS IS NOT ON, NOT OK, AND THEY ARE LIABLE FOR THE HARASSMENT.

PE do drop cases sometimes when people reject their kind offer of £60(!) and insist that the claim is wrong and keep complaining to the retailer - often PE fold in your circumstances, once you've complained more...and more.

No-one should think about paying £160 or even £60 to stop this flawed claim.

ensignia

Thanks Coupon-mad, you're a life saver.

And it was actually 3 times I visited on that one day!

Coupon-mad

Go for it - new email addy set up in Dad's name and make this week the one where you are a thorn in both their sides and get it completely cancelled. Have an eye on your defence deadline too (28 days after service of the court papers). Have you seen this thread, why not compare notes and see who gets their case cancelled first and by whom?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5002814

And if it doesn't get cancelled you are both at the same stage to discuss defence points and what you've researched to win in court.