Britanna parking charge notice received when no parking ticket was issued!!

Harlequin1

I have been parking in the Waitrose carpark for years and since the day it opened the free parking period has been two hours. Then mid-July I parked there without realising that the free parking period had been reduced to 90 mins.
When I got back to my car 96 mins later the parking attendant was by my car and when I asked him what was the problem, he explained that I was over the 90 mins, but as the change to the free parking time had only recently happened and as he sees me parking there most days, he wouldn't issue a ticket. To be clear, he hadn't issued a ticket and said he wasn't going to.
I thanked him and left.
Then today I received a Parking Charge Notice from Britannia telling me I owe them £70 and that the opportunity to pay a discounted amount has elapsed. Even if I wanted to I couldn't have paid the"discounted" amount as I never received a parking ticket.
I feel really aggrieved by this as I checked the terms and conditions at the car park and it says that "parking charges incurred will in the first instance be notified to the driver by issuing of a parking charge to the vehicle". The fact that no parking charge was issued, and I would be prepared to swear to that, are they in breach of their own terms and conditions? If so do I have grounds not to pay the charge all?
Second question, although there are signs that say the free parking time is 90 mins, there was nothing indicating that the free parking time had in fact been changed/reduced. Therefore, is this unfair and unreasonable?
I would really appreciate some guidance on this matter as I am not used to dealing with this sort of thing.
Thanks

Ralph-y

hi and welcome to the forum ....

have you had a read through the newbies thread ?

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4816822

Britania are part of the BPA mob so you can miss the bits re IPC....

particularly look for the sections re 'grace period'

have you been in to complain to the manager at Waitrose ? ( not customer services)

please read up and come back for more help/info

Ralph:cool:

Harlequin1

Thanks Ralph, you're my first response to my first post!
I will read through the newbie thread.
No I haven't been into the manager at Waitrose - has this helped for other people?

Redx

ALWAYS complain to the landowner or retailer , ALWAYS

a landowner cancellation is always best

I thought Brit were banned from the dvla database for being nortybhoys ?

ask the DVLA who accessed your details , when , and why ?

Harlequin1

Many thanks Redx I will go and see the manager tomorrow

Harlequin1

I met with the Waitrose manager today, and she sent an email whilst I waited to Britannia cancelling the ticket!! I must say I am relieved and grateful for the advice. Thanks again Redx.

I do also feel that my privacy has been violated by Britannia - they had absolutely no right to obtain my data from DVLA when they had not even issued a parking ticket in the first instance. Is this a criminal offence?

Why would Waitrose have anything to do with a company that operates in this way. Surely their reputation is worth more to them? I even feel like shopping elsewhere in future. How much business must they be jeopardising?

Umkomaas

I do also feel that my privacy has been violated by Britannia - they had absolutely no right to obtain my data from DVLA when they had not even issued a parking ticket in the first instance. Is this a criminal offence?

Nope, it's been done to death. As much as you don't like it, and we even more, because we deal with this sh*t every day, they are doing so within the law. If you want to bump your gums about it, then it's your MP you need to petition - he/she is the only one who can get the law changed in your favour.

Why would Waitrose have anything to do with a company that operates in this way. Surely their reputation is worth more to them? I even feel like shopping elsewhere in future. How much business must they be jeopardising?

Then tell them that exactly - do it. Tell them that Aldi will now be seeing your £££s in future, where you can have the pleasure of running ParkingEye's gauntlet, or Sainsburys where you can contend with Horizon, Lidl - it's Athena, Morrisons, PE again, Asda just the same - PE infestation, or there's always Tesco where Highview will be waiting for you. It all stinks in the context of customer service