UKPC at Travelodge Car Park

Flopsy86

I got a windscreen PCN from UKPC while parked at a Travelodge Hotel car park about a month ago, I immediately did some research on PPCs and came across this forum and all of its great advice.

The Travelodge I stayed at provides parking permits to all their customers that have cars, you just have to display it on your vehicle while parked there.
However through some unknown cause my parking permit had fallen off the dashboard and I got a PCN later that day.
I did then tell the hotel reception staff about the fact I was given a PCN but they didn't seem to want to get involved and said I'd have to appeal it.

There are clear signs in the car park, I did take my own picture of the signage before leaving the Travelodge, the pictures that the PPC have taken also includes a picture of the signage.
The car park is shared with a block of flats and an Aldi. The block of flats have to use numbered spaces whereas the un-numbered spaces are for use by Aldi and Travelodge customers.
Aldi customers have to get a ticket from a pay and display machine and get up to 1 hour free parking provided they display a ticket, there is no option for them to pay for parking after this I believe. If they exceed the hour then they are liable to getting a PCN.

I believe the car park is not camera controlled and is enforced by parking enforcers who issues the tickets.

I have complained to Travelodge already and they are very slow to respond, I sent details of the PCN to their customer services and their response has been less than helpful. They have suggested that I contact the hotel I stayed at, who have already made it clear that they won't help me.

I followed the advice on here and waited for my Ntk which has now arrived. I am now about to put my first appeal in to UKPC via their appeals website which has a 2000 character limit so I have to use a shortened template.

I have read the NEWBIES thread at the top of the forum but found some conflicting info in my case.
The thread states that you should appeal on the basis that you are the registered keeper and not the driver of the vehicle.
Because I have been a customer of Travelodge, I could submit a receipt of my stay with my appeal but this would also have my name on the booking and would that then identify me as the driver?

It may seem like a silly question but I just want to clear this up before I send my first appeal.

While this is my first post on here, I appreciate all the vast information on this forum already available to me. I have lurked on many areas of the MSE forums, but only just had the need to create an account now to create this post.

ezerscrooge

Just appeal as the Registered Keeper. UKPC are unlikely to take any notice of the fact you were a genuine customer of Travel Lodge (and hopefully ex-customer given the disgraceful way they've treated you).

Just make sure you have the key points - No GPEOL, No Authority, Unclear Signage.

Matters not a jot what really happened - you'll be appealing using contract law. All you need is your POPLA code then come back and grab a winnig POPLA appeal.

UKPC are soooo easy to beat.

The_Slithy_Tove

Flopsy86 wrote: »

I have complained to Travelodge already and they are very slow to respond, I sent details of the PCN to their customer services and their response has been less than helpful. They have suggested that I contact the hotel I stayed at, who have already made it clear that they won't help me.

Make sure you give them a good slating on TripAdvisor.

The_Deep

A very tersely worded zero star review on TripAdvisor is in order I think. That will teach them a thing or two about customer care.

ezerscrooge

And let the Daily Mail know as well - they are running a campaign to sort these PPC out. Travelodge - rooms £25, parking £100.

parking@dailymail.co.uk

Guys_Dad

Have you got a picture of the signs?

Flopsy86

Wow, didn't expect so many replies this quick. Thanks for the quick responses.

I'll include proof of my stay with Travelodge in my appeal as an enclosed document.

This will be the last time I stay with Travelodge so I will be an ex-customer, I did stay at Premier Inn a few months prior to them and they were far more superior despite being more pricey and best of all, they didn't use a PPC to patrol their car park. They had a private car park with a barrier which is much better.

I realise that it doesn't matter what happened and it'll be all legal jargon in this appeals process, just wanted to put a story to an event.

Thanks for your replies.

The_Slithy_Tove wrote: »

Make sure you give them a good slating on TripAdvisor.

Already done that! :beer:

Flopsy86

Guys_Dad wrote: »

Have you got a picture of the signs?

yes I do. I have one which I took myself and the PPC have taken a photo of it aswell and included it in their 6 photos taken of the incident. I could post both.

Guys_Dad

Flopsy86 wrote: »

yes I do. I have one which I took myself and the PPC have taken a photo of it aswell and included it in their 6 photos taken of the incident. I could post both.

post it up on tinypics or similar, but use a broken link (say hxxp rather than http)

Flopsy86

hxxp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y246/ms_seb/DSCF0106.jpg

I cannot use the photos that the PPC have taken, while I can view them on a website on entering my reg details, I cannot save the images (right click is disabled).
I could use print screen though but the picture on the page is already small, a bit sneaky really as it makes the sign unreadable. You can't click for an enlarged picture either.

Another thing I could submit with my appeal is a picture of the permit which travelodge has given me, would that actually help anything though?

EDIT: I should also add that there is another sign below that one saying in large font "First hour is free only if ticket is displayed UKPC"

iltisman

Just out of curiosity is it a legal requirment to have the correct number plates on when off the public highway.