Parking Charge Notice

Violet_Flame

Hi
Am hoping someone can help me.
I parked in a Lidl car park today. Signs said free parking for up to 2 hours. I parked at 09.15, walked up to local hospital for a blood test, walked back and went into Lidl to do my shopping. I have my receipt which states I paid at 09.54.
I then walked back to my car and found I'd received a Parking Charge, from a company who are a member of the BPA, for £90, which will be reduced to £50 if I pay within 14 days.
I went back into the store, where the man who served me agreed that I should challenge the charge. I explained to him that I'd been to the hospital as well as shopping in Lidl and he pointed out that the charge ticket was issued at 09.17 and I'd paid for my shopping at 09.54, so I shouldn't have a problem challenging it.
When I returned to my car, I read the sign in detail. Although I knew I was entitled to 2 hours' free parking, I wondered how I could be fined. The sign stated that I shouldn't leave the car park (or words to that effect).
I obviously did leave the car park, but as I was entitled to 2 hours free parking and I was out of the car park for roughly 15 minutes before doing my shopping, this seems ridiculous. Most people I know park in our local supermarket car parks and also go into town or up to the hospital within the 2 hours.
I've looked at the info on MSE and it does say something about if contesting the charge, to say something about the amount I'm being charged being disproportionate to how much they are out of pocket for me being there (again, words to that effect!).
I'm seriously cheesed off as the parking attendant followed me from another car park in order to do this. I'd gone to a retail park along the road first with the intention of buying a sports bag. When I parked, I realised I hadn't brought the money intended for this, so pulled out. As I checked my bag for the money again, I noticed a man sitting in a van with small writing on it saying 'Patrol Car' or similar. I guessed he was a parking attendant and thought no more of it.
I proceeded to Lidl, parked and left the car park on foot to walk to the hospital. As I left the car park, I saw him drive in. I realised then that from where he was sitting in the retail car park, he could see along the road to Lidl car park and had watched me.
This didn't worry me as I knew I had 2 hours free parking - more than enough to get my blood test and shopping done.
He blatantly followed me, ticketed me immediately and left.
I know full well that now I've seen the sign I'm in the wrong. However, I'm always reading that most parking charges can be successfully challenged, so I've decided to stand up for myself for once - and probably not have a leg to stand on!!
I'd be so grateful for any advice - thanks in advance.

Redx

all you need to do is 2 things

1) realise you have not been fined , a private company cannot fine you so it wont even have that legal term on there , so its actually an invoice and should be treated as such

2) read and follow the NEWBIES sticky thread near the top of this forum (about 3 down from the green banner)

any "entitlement" to park is while you are a patron of the shop ONLY , not so you can go elsewhere and leave your car for hours free of charge !

anyway

you wait for the NTK and then appeal in the usual manner , using the template appeal in the NEWBIES thread

if in doubt about anything relevant, keep reading that newbies thread, bearing in mind its also relevant for thousands of other private car parks too, hospitals , supermarkets, restaurants , airports etc

you do have a leg to stand on, although its about legalities and not what happened on the day

ie:- if you ate a mars bar in lidl, you do not expect to be taken to jail for a year and have your hand mutilated as punishment , but should pay the cost of the chocolate bar and any restitution only

Violet_Flame

Thanks so much for this info. Although I didn't leave my car there for hours!
He issued the ticket 2 minutes after I parked as he saw me walk out of the car park!
I parked at 9.15, ticket issued at 9.17, I returned to Lidl at 9.30 and paid for my shopping at 9.54.
Completely hold my hands up to the fact that I 'left the premises' - but didn't realise you couldn't do this until I read the board. Just thought, like most people that you could stay for up to 2 hours, but should be using the shops there as well.
Hopefully I'll have some luck. £90 to park in a free car park for less than 40 minutes certainly is more than they need to be charging when I did my shopping there anyway!!

Coupon-mad

You don't need to 'hope' for 'luck'. Read the NEWBIES thread and win the appeal.

probably not have a leg to stand on!!

You are wrong. Read the NEWBIES thread - if you lose this now you'd have to try VERY hard because the appeals are already written for you here. Wait for the NTK and then appeal (reasons why you wait are explained fully in the sticky thread).

Marktheshark

You need to forget what you did very quickly indeed, none of the "circumstances" are of the slightest importance now.

This now becomes technical and you have to play the game carefully or it gets expensive.

Firstly await what is know as the NTK via post :
Then appeal to the parking company and get a certificate of postage that :
The Driver was ticketed whilst shopping in store; DO NOT SAY WHO WAS DRIVING
The Driver was a genuine customer of the store "photocopy receipt attached"
That the charge is not a genuine pre estimate of loss as the car park is free, so no initial loss existed as the driver was using the car park to shop at the store.

Request they send a popla code with their automated rejection
We are not lying, just presenting the facts that support your case.

Then come back when you get the rejection letter from the parking company.
Do not do anything until they send the Notice to Keeper, as mistakes in these notices help your case.

Forget the hospital visit and anything else. just do stick to what I say.

Anyone not liking this advice can troll on !

The_Deep

Welcome to the world of the PPC, where disobedience must be punished and terms and conditions followed to the letter.