Parking Eye - Going Round In Circles

MrDilligaf

Hi,
I recently had to use my local hospital having had a fall. I parked up at the bottom end of the car park and went to use the machine to obtain a ticket. The machine located there had an "Out of Order" sign attached to it.

I didn't look for a further machine (it's only a small car park but possible another machine at the entrance) and proceeded to limp into the hospital. 1 hr and 22 mins later I emerge on crutches and make my way back to the car.

2 weeks later I got a letter from Parking Eye about being parked without a ticket. I went online and submitted an appeal pretty much stating the above, and also attached pictures of the x-ray and paperwork I was given on leaving the hospital.

I got no "automated response" email back as you usually do when submitting an online form so gave it a few days and tried to chase it up. I had no luck in trying to talk to a human... so I submitted a query on the website again.

Last week I get 2 letters. One is a copy of the original one I was sent saying I'd parked without a ticket etc. The second was a letter thanking me for my correspondence. Parking tariffs apply etc... and if I want to make a payment then call / visit the info given or if I'm appealing they need valid evidence.

I've already submitted this to them!

So again I'm stuck in a loop trying to find a human at the end of the phone to go over this!

Has anyone got a contact number other than 0330 555 4444 which is the payment number.

TIA

bargepole

Their landline is 01772 450970.


But you're making the mistake of thinking they are a reasonable company.


All they want is your money.

wiogs

Have you read the newbies thread on this subject and followed the advice there?

If not do so - do not try to "reason" with PE - waste of time money and effort.

MrDilligaf

Thank you... I'm just reading the newbies thread. Guess I should have started there first, already submitted THREE online forms to them now!

I will try that land line number now and let you know how I get on. Thank you!

Umkomaas

Do NOT phone them, you will get no satisfaction from them - a complete waste of time, and there is no audit trail with phone calls (unless you record them) if this all goes wrong - PE are the most litigious parking company in the UK.

Whilst you may not like what I'm about to say, it is, in fact true. Your health condition at the time of your parking event has almost no relevance in dealing with this parking charge. It must be dealt with on technical and legal points. But don't panic.........!

If you go to the NEWBIES FAQ sticky near the top of the forum index, one page back from here (use the Forum Jump button to get there) you will find all the information you need, including a ready-prepared initial appeal. Use that as the firm base of your appeal, but you might want to tag on at the end of it the circumstances you encountered on the day, but please don't make that the main basis of your appeal.

In addition to all the above, and in parallel you must raise a complaint with the hospital. PE are their agent and the hospital is responsible for the actions of their agent. The hospital have the authority to order PE to drop this charge. So a good couple of fronts to fight this one for you now.

MrDilligaf

PE say that the matter is with the appeals department... so I think someone is now looking at it. That's a start.

I have also submitted a request to the Hospital too!

Thanks all

wiogs

PaulTurner wrote: »

PE say that the matter is with the appeals department... so I think someone is now looking at it. That's a start.

I have also submitted a request to the Hospital too!

Thanks all

I doubt that very much.
The appeal will doubtless be rejected.

Follow the advice in the newbies thread and you will be fine.

Coupon-mad

Surely after 3 appeals they've sent you a POPLA code? This is easy peasy to win, you know!

ezerscrooge

"trying to find a human at the end of the phone"

Sorry this is PE - you'll find no human there.

MrDilligaf

Got my letter back from PE this morning. Needless to say they are not going to overturn it. I know have a POPLA code so I'll go down that route.

I emailed the hospital and they said:

Thank you for contacting the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS). We received your email on 10 November 2014. We are sorry to learn that you have received a parking penalty charge (PCN). However, we would like to assure you that you have followed the correct process by appealing against your parking charge notice directly with ParkingEye. Unfortunately, we are unable to intervene on your behalf in respect of the notices that have been issued.

We would like to assure you that Parking Eye is able to check the system to retrieve any information that has been recorded on each individual machine on site, and can carry out diagnostic checks on all payment machines to establish if they are running correctly. Your comments have been passed to the Car Parking Management Team. If require any further assistance please write to the Car Parking Manager at Queen’s Hospital or alternative email carparking@burtonft.nhs.uk.

Umkomaas

Mealy mouthed response from a hospital dogged with controversy since they appointed PE.

Time to draft your POPLA appeal (NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #3). PE won't contest it given recent form.