Smart parking : parking charge notice

Diane_Crabb

Hi
I received a parking fine from smart parking in mid September for £55. I had bought a ticket but my husband mistakenly put a 0 instead of a O . i appealed or so i thought... i didn't receive an email back of a reference number. I have now received a dept collection letter from DRP working on behalf of Smart parking to now get £155. i rang both companies who say they cant help. They said they sent a letter in Oct I never received it
I don't know what to do do I break and pay or wait!!!! Please help me

Redx

complain to the BPA and give them copies of all paperwork

show them a timeline and proof of appeal which should have got either a rejection or a popla code

ignore DRP , they are powerless

and complain to the landholder and demand a cancellation too

the NEWBIES sticky thread explains all this , please read it

and read this about those toothless sc@mmers DRP

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5035663

keep hold of the paid for ticket for 7 years , plus the paperwork on this case, so it gets past the 6 year statute for small claims

Coupon-mad

Obviously no-one here pays Smart Parking and the situation you have described is a rip-off.

Diane_Crabb

Thanks for that. Does it make a difference if I wasn't driving.
I didn't receive any popla numbers or anything that makes me wonder whether they received my appeal. I'd there a letter template to send to the CEO of Catalan.

fisherjim

"i rang both companies who say they cant help".

What they really mean is they won't help as that would not be very lucrative.

Never ever ring a PPC and don't contact a stupid debt recover company, both are scammers after your cash, and are trained to catch you out, there is no audit trail from a telephone conversation.

Follow the advice on here and don't pay these aggressive lowlifes anything.

Umkomaas

I'd there a letter template to send to the CEO of Catalan

Nope. You need to put into your own words how disgusted you are that a customer of theirs is being hounded for £155 simply because an O was put in place of a 0. This is £155 that could be spent in his store rather than lining the pockets of a fat-cat parking company.

Send in copies of receipts for the day (or bank/cc statement) to prove patronage.

I've never heard of Catalan, do you mean Matalan? If so add to the complaint that you are a member of their membership scheme - give them details of your membership card (or photocopy it).

Coupon-mad

Diane_Crabb wrote: »

Thanks for that. Does it make a difference if I wasn't driving.

Yes - you will know that from reading the NEWBIES thread. It is vital NOT to say who was driving. You can't be held liable by Smart Parking because they don't use POFA wording in their PCNs.

Hence why you are the appellant, NOT the driver!