Smart Paking Charge - Asda Stockport

angryannie_2

Hi
I'm a newby on here - and would appreciated any advice please. I am an extremely worried 64 year old, who should not be awake and worrying at 4.00am about extortionate parking fines. I darn't tell my husband he has just been diagnosed with cancer and is going through hell himself.
In July I received a parking fine on my windscreen at the Asda store in Stockport. It was pouring with rain when I arrived and parked up and I just quickly ran straight into the store, forgetting to get my ticket. I wasn't in there very long ( maybe 15 minutes?) and when I came out and put the shopping into the boot, before going to the precinct - It was only then I realised I'd not got a ticket. I went straight to the machine got my ticket but when I came to the front of the car to put it in the window, found the Parking fine on the windscreen. Obviously not very happy (with myself for being so stupid, or the parking fine) - I went back into the store to Customer Services. After me explaining, to him, he asked me for proof of my shopping in store and said leave it with me I will 'deal' with it and so I gave him the bill for my purchases, the parking ticket from the machine and the Parking fine off the window - and thought that was the end of it. I have however, now received a Parking Charge Notice dated 27th August, stating that the 'discount period' has now expired and demanding 70.00 pounds within the next 28 days. I don't even remember what the original fine was - but 70.00 seems extortionate and I'm wondering if I can appeal - the problem is, I have no paperwork, as it was all passed over to Asda Customer Services. Apart from having to pay the damn thing - what can I do, or where do I go from here.

Fruitcake

First of all, don't panic. It is not a fine, it is a speculative invoice from a not very smart parking company. Do not pay, do not ignore, do not reveal who was driving, never, ever 'phone a parking scumpany.


Read the Sticky thread for NEWBIES at the top of the main page here and then appeal using the template in the aforementioned NEWBIES thread. Use the template exactly as it is making sure you do not reveal who was driving.


Make sure you do not miss the appeal deadline. Do not worry if your appeal is rejected, it is quite normal and expected. If that happens you then make a second stage appeal to PoPLA. This system is changing at the moment but you do not need to concern yourself with that at this stage.


Meanwhile, revisit the store taking a bank or credit card statement to prove you were in the shop on the day in question as well as showing that you are a regular customer (assuming that you are.) Ask to speak to a manager and calmly but firmly insist that the store gets this scam ticket cancelled. Do not be fobbed off if the manager tells you they can't get it cancelled. If ASDA employed the scam parking company to drive customers away then they are the principle and not so smart are their agents. Tell them it's too expensive to shop there any more if they do this sort of thing to genuine customers. Fakebook, twitter, and local press are also options to make your feelings known.


It would help the regulars here if you could give the date you parked as well as the date you received the NTK (acronyms all explained in the NEWBIES thread.)
Also, please scan and post a redacted copy of the NTK so the regulars can pick holes in it. You can't post links so you will need to upload the image to a website such as tinypic or photobucket, then post the URL but change http to hxxp and then someone here will change it back so it can be viewed.


Please do not worry yourself about this. You have enough to contend with at the moment without this. Two appeals will see this off. A cancellation by the store is the best option but do the appeal as well as you have already seen that your first attempt was unsuccessful.


Come back here if you need further help.

Guys_Dad

I agree with previous comment, you delegated the task of cancelling the charge to customer services, handing over your evidence.

Did you get the name of the cs rep who agreed to deal with it? Your best bet is to return, demand to speak to manager and state your case. Don't ring or get fobbed off. This is your best way to get it cancelled and is, frankly, the obvious primary route.

Hot_Bring

Guys_Dad wrote: »

I agree with previous comment, you delegated the task of cancelling the charge to customer services, handing over your evidence.

Did you get the name of the cs rep who agreed to deal with it? Your best bet is to return, demand to speak to manager and state your case. Don't ring or get fobbed off. This is your best way to get it cancelled and is, frankly, the obvious primary route.

In addition, don't allow Asda to suggest the car park isn't theirs as they often do. THEY employed Smart Parking and therefore it is THEIR car park. This means THEY can get the charge cancelled.

Here's the CEO's details that might help :

Email[EMAIL="andy.clarke@asda.co.uk"]andy.clarke@asda.co.uk[/EMAIL]Telephone0113 243 5435Switchboard0113 243 5435

The_Deep

You should not be losing any sleep over an invoice, (it is not a fine), from a firm of ex-clampers who are trying to con you out of money to which they have no entitlement.


The first thing you must do is write bad things on Asda's Facebook page, (they hate that), then next write a very strong letter to Head Office, naming names.


Also, appeal to the PPC, and when they refuse, appeal to Popla, that will cost them money.


Despite its name, this company is not so smart, and is very easily beaten.

angryannie_2

Thank you to everybody - this very sleepyhead is taking herself over to Asda this morning to see if I can appeal to the Manager and resolve this. If not, I will be back because I will need help understanding the appeal process fully, etc. I will keep you posted.
The date of this happened was 22nd July.

Ralph-y

Remember you want to see the manager not the customer service staff.....

Be polite ... be strong

good luck

Ralph:cool:

angryannie_2

Hello, I'm back - not sure how satisfactory the visit was !!
I was told there was no manager available on site to speak to me.
I did, however, speak to a Customer Service Team Leader (who would only give me her name, no staff number etc) she initially told me that the car park is nothing to do with Asda, is actually Council owned and that Asda only rent, and that I would have to ring Smart and explain the situation.
I argued that I believe that Asda contract these people and should take some liability for the extortionate charges, but she said again, it is actually the Council - nothing to do with them.
I was getting upset at this stage and explained that all my paperwork, receipts etc and 'evidence' was passed to the Asda customer service person on the day, but that I didn't get a name or receipt off him., so I have nothing for back up.
Eventually, she assured me that she will make phone call to Smart Parking to 'pay' the fine for me (but wouldn't do that whilst I was there) - as a jesture of goodwill and that it is not the norm., and that she will ring me when she has done this.
She put her name only on the PCN and that is all - I have scribbled date and note of what she agreed to do. Should I be pleased with this result - I still don't feel comfortable that what she said will be done and it is the end of it.
Do I still need to complete an appeal to Smart Parking???

trisontana

If the car park was owned by the council then they would not be using Smart. I have heard this story several times before and it took several emails to Asda head office for them to finally admit that it's them who employ Smart and not the council. So move your complaint further up the food-chain and get head office involved.

I bet if you look on the signs you will see something like "Smart Parking monitor this car-park on behalf of Asda". No mention of the council at all.

angryannie_2

Additionally - I have just checked my bank account and it is showing that the day of the transaction with ASDA was actually TWO days after the Contravention date shown on the PCN ?? ie. day of purchase was 24th July and the PCN states the date as 22nd July. Does this invalidate the notice or could it be the bank processing just being two days later?
I have to say that the Customer Service Team Leader has just phoned me back to confirm that she has 'dealt with the matter - Asda will paying the charge and that should be the end of the matter. If I receive any other letters from Smart - to take them into her.

Fruitcake

angryannie wrote: »

Additionally - I have just checked my bank account and it is showing that the day of the transaction with ASDA was actually TWO days after the Contravention date shown on the PCN ?? ie. day of purchase was 24th July and the PCN states the date as 22nd July. Does this invalidate the notice or could it be the bank processing just being two days later?
I have to say that the Customer Service Team Leader has just phoned me back to confirm that she has 'dealt with the matter - Asda will paying the charge and that should be the end of the matter. If I receive any other letters from Smart - to take them into her.

The incorrect dates on a ticket is usually a scam to try and get the driver/keeper to contact them and reveal who was driving. Don't fall for it.


Start making notes as to what happened and when, who you spoke to and when, and what they said they would do in case you need to refer to this later.
It is not over until "not so smart" tell you it is over so you still need to appeal within the appeal deadline just in case ASDA fail to play ball.


The CS person sounds clueless. ASDA will not pay the PCN, they should just instruct "not so smart" to cancel it.