PCN from Lidl/Athena

wickmesh

Dear fellow MSEs:

Newbie alert! I've lurked for many years (and made use of the fantastic advice here - Thank You) but this is the first time of posting in a long time, and I am asking for direct help - Please!

Facts:
- I received today (9/10/14) a PCN from Athena relating to a relatively local Lidl store.
- I am the registered keeper of the vehicle shown in the ANPR photos.
- The details on the PCN relating to the vehicle and my address all seem to be "correct".
- If the timing of the ANPR is correct, the vehicle to which I am the registered keeper allegedly overstayed the 90 minute time limit in the car park by 10 minutes and 50 seconds.
- The date of the alleged infringement is 4/10/14 (Saturday).
- Probably irrelevant, but I know that particular store can be very busy on a Saturday, taking a long time to negotiate the store, get through the checkout and even to fight through traffic in the car park to leave.
- The PCN is dated 7/10/14.
- Current Lidl receipts state "Let us know your Lidl surprise". (This was not the sort of surprise I had in mind.)

So far I have:
- Spent the last few hours reading posts on this forum, and trying to understand the situation. (THANK YOU for all the excellent advice and the effort that has gone into posting it here.)
- Sought out my recent till receipts from Lidl - 5 receipts totalling £125 odd since the beginning of September.
- Sent an email to Lidl customer services expressing my feelings about how they are treating a loyal customer (with scans of the receipts attached and "as a loyal customer who frequents you store often and dismayed and angry to be treated in this manner" etc).
- Written this post.

Please can you help me with:
- I understand that I do not have to pay a penny of this £45/£90 charge?
- My next step is to appeal to Athena, correct? (Even before Lidl respond?)
- Should I email or write a physical letter to Athena? Should I go short (blast it won't let me post the link) or long (ditto)?
- Should I take the letter plus my handful of receipts and confront the store manager? (Next time I go shopping? I don't feel like making a special journey just to do this.)
- The Popla annual report suggests roughly half the appeals are successful (54% of appeals 12MT March 2013, 12MT 45% March 2014). Does the same possibility of sucess exist on this board, or does it fare better?

I'll probably think of more, but that will do for now.

Kind Regards
Wickmesh

wickmesh

Aha - this is how I can post the possible responses! This is the possible short one, while the long one is as per the "sticky" post in the topic.

The first action here is what I've already done.

Half_way wrote: »

(edited - snip)
complain to Lidl, state that they are charging an unjust penalty charge and you will not be paying a penny of it, also mention that the letter that you have received form their agents is incredibly threatening and that they (lidl) must tell their agents to stop sending these letters immediately. also state that as Athena are agents acting for lidl, lidl are responsible for the actions of their agents.

To athena ( via e-mail if possible to save on costs)
Re parking charge notice XXXX You have no valid reason to charge this amount ( or any amount for that matter) You are not a statory authority, in fact you are not an authority at all.
Your charge is entirely without merit, and as such I am now ordering you to send me confirmation that you have cancelled this charge as well as a full apology and assurances that you will not do this again.
If you do not agree to the above then you must send me a POPLA verification code so that this matter may be challenged independently.
Please note that I will be logging any time spent on constructing and submitting a POPLA challenge, as well as keeping a record of any costs incurred as a result which I will be holding yourselves and Lidl liable for.
If you do not comply with the above then I may consider taking action against you and lidl for the harrasment and worry that your threatening letter has caused.

Oh, there was another one. Can anyone supply contact details for Lidl's MD please, should they become necessary?

Thanks
Wickmesh

wickmesh

wickmesh wrote: »

Oh, there was another one. Can anyone supply contact details for Lidl's MD please, should they become necessary?

Ignore that request, more reading has just found what I need for this... :T

Coupon-mad

When you get to POPLA stage, draft an appeal based on others used recently. You will win!

Ettenna

I got mine cancelled by emailing the CEO Ronny.Gottschlich@lidl.co.uk

Dear Sir,

I am writing to complain about the use of threatening letters issued by the company, Athena ANPR Ltd that you use to manage the car park at your xx store.

On 8th September 2014 my vehicle was parked outside your store. According to the letter that I received from them on the 10th 2014 I exceeded the maximum time allowed by 22 minutes. The letter I received from them demanded that I pay an extortionate £90.00.

Although I paid cash in store & do not have the receipt, you will find upon review of your CCTV evidence that I did in fact make a purchase from Lidl xx store on the x September 2014. Although I did stay in your car park for 22 minutes over the stated maximum time in a nearly empty car park, I am disgusted Lidl feels it is appropriate to employ a parking management company that sends out this type of letter, just to harass and frighten your loyal customers. I do not live in the area but visit Lidl in my home town regularly but do not feel that I can visit your refurbished xx store for fear of further harassment.

I would therefore appreciate it if you would contact Athena ANPR Ltd to ensure that the invoice is cancelled.

Regards

wickmesh

ThankYou Ettena, I'm going to give Customer Services another working day to do something about it. If they can't be bothered, then that's more ammo to aim at the CEO... Roll on Tuesday morning!

Coupon-mad - should I wait for Lidl to respond, or do the appeal to Athena in parallel? (I've seen your 8th Oct updated template, that's the best one to use I guess.)

Coupon-mad

Do the appeal in parallel. And you can use the latest changed version. I have tweaked it again today to make it shorter so it fits online into most appeal submission boxes, I hope.

wickmesh

Thank You - email just sent to Athena. I didn't want to even visit their website, I am so disgusted by all this (and I added a bit of a rant too so it probably would not have fitted their online form anyway).

I attached a scan of the relevant receipt, stating "the driver" was shopping at the time

Umkomaas

wickmesh wrote: »

Thank You - email just sent to Athena. I didn't want to even visit their website, I am so disgusted by all this (and I added a bit of a rant too so it probably would not have fitted their online form anyway).

I attached a scan of the relevant receipt, stating "the driver" was shopping at the time

Just make sure their appeals process allows for email appeals. Some PPCs ignore emails if their appeals procedure is only in letter form or via their website. You don't want to inadvertently time-out on this, giving you another issue to then deal with.

The_Deep

Have you complained here?

https://www.facebook.com/lidluk

wickmesh

Umkommas - Thanks for checking but the fake PCN does say appeals can be made by email.

The Deep - If it comes to it yes I will, but with Lidl I'm going Customer Services, then MD, then if needed go public. Friends see what you put on Facebook, and I'd rather some of them didn't see this.