Trying to help an elderly neighbour deal with a G24 PCN

AJ16

I successfully appealed two Euro Car Parks PCNs last year, my elderly neighbour has now had one from G24 from overstaying slightly at a B&M store. There is no large sign at the entrance to the car park as the BPA Code of Conduct requires, I sent an initial response letter to them to say that their signage did not comply, however they have just written back to her with a fairly standard looking letter which doesn't seem to relate specifically to the PCN in question.

It does however it does state that "There are sufficient signs at the entrance to and in prominent locations throughout the car park displaying the terms and conditions." They also say that "it complies with the Independent Parking Committee's Approved Operator Scheme".

Does this mean that the BPA Code does not apply & if so what is this other scheme & is it as usefully detailed re signage as the BPA code?

The only appeal procedure is through IAS and not POPLA so I'm wondering whether to advise my anxious neighbour whether to appeal or not. She wants to pay £50 now and be done with it, and if I take it forward for her I would want to be confident of a successful appeal rather than landing her with increased charges.

Can anyone advise on the best course of action please?

Thanks

Half_way

Get in touch with the B&M and tell them that they must cancel this cahrge.
how long was the overstay?

TW1234

There are two different APO schemes---the BPA and the IPC. It is the IPC tto which G24 are claiming to conform..
Look at the pinned newby thread at the top of these threads, and differentiate between the two courses of response needed.

AJ16

Half_way wrote: »

Get in touch with the B&M and tell them that they must cancel this cahrge.
how long was the overstay?

She overstayed a 3hr limit by 14 minutes.

AJ16

TW1234 wrote: »

There are two different APO schemes---the BPA and the IPC. It is the IPC tto which G24 are claiming to conform..
Look at the pinned newby thread at the top of these threads, and differentiate between the two courses of response needed.

Great, I'll take the legendary Coupon Mad's excellent advice as shown in that thread!

The_Deep

B & M have been known to take a hard nosed attitude towards parking charges, especially if they have a vested interest in the car park.

The PPC are not members of the BPA and PoPLA is not available.

There may be lots of signs, but at what height, what colours, how many size fonts, how big is the smallest print? Is the "Penalty" prominent, or buried in the small print? It all matters as much as the quantity. Read this

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/motorist-wins-18-month-ticket-battle-870812

Coupon-mad

AJ16 wrote: »

Great, I'll take the legendary Coupon Mad's excellent advice as shown in that thread!

Thanks!

But this is going to be cancelled ONLY by complaint, so I would take the offending PCN and your neighbour into the store, stand there and ask for the Store Manager and don't leave until it is cancelled. This is pathetic, 14 minutes is well within a basic grace period to drive in and park, then at the end, to leave. She's highly unlikely to have actually parked over the 3 hours and as she is elderly it would have taken her longer to get around the store and in/out of her car.

G24 will not cancel on appeal and the IAS stage is as useful to people as a chocolate teapot. So instead, complain and if the Local Manager is useless, email the CEO of the retail chain by name.

AJ16

Coupon-mad wrote: »

Thanks!

But this is going to be cancelled ONLY by complaint, so I would take the offending PCN and your neighbour into the store, stand there and ask for the Store Manager and don't leave until it is cancelled. This is pathetic, 14 minutes is well within a basic grace period to drive in and park, then at the end, to leave. She's highly unlikely to have actually parked over the 3 hours and as she is elderly it would have taken her longer to get around the store and in/out of her car.

G24 will not cancel on appeal and the IAS stage is as useful to people as a chocolate teapot. So instead, complain and if the Local Manager is useless, email the CEO of the retail chain by name.

Thanks for the advice CM, I took her there yesterday afternoon and we saw the manager, he was a bit reluctant at first then agreed to take the matter up with G24, but said that he would not do it a second time as my neighbour is now familiar with the car park rules. From what he said he's obviously done this before for others but seemed clueless about the way G24 are operating and how a car park should be run.

I've just read through the ICP code of practice and although it's not nearly so prescriptive as the BPA one, it does say that entrance signage should make it clear that drivers are entering a pay park rather than a free store car park, and that a grace period should be allowed for although it's not quantified. It also says that signs should be lit in hours of darkness and as the 3hr allowance at this car park is applied 24/7 through the ANPR cameras, it's laughable that the signage is unlit.

These parking companies must be making very large sums of money by the way they are allowed to operate, at least with BPA Approved Operator Scheme the POPLA route is available to anyone with the will and determination to fight them, but really legislation needs to be introduced to regulate the 'industry'.

I'll keep the thread up to date with any developments meanwhile I will write to B&M Stores head office to highlight the way G24 are operating in their car park.

AJ16

The_Deep wrote: »

B & M have been known to take a hard nosed attitude towards parking charges, especially if they have a vested interest in the car park.

The PPC are not members of the BPA and PoPLA is not available.

There may be lots of signs, but at what height, what colours, how many size fonts, how big is the smallest print? Is the "Penalty" prominent, or buried in the small print? It all matters as much as the quantity. Read this

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/motorist-wins-18-month-ticket-battle-870812

Interesting so thanks for that. Yes all the things that you mention are important but the IPC code of conduct appears to be advisory in many respects so leaving the operators the option to follow it as it suits them.

AJ16

I'm pleased to report that my neighbour received a letter today from G24 to say that the charge has been cancelled.

Umkomaas

AJ16 wrote: »

I'm pleased to report that my neighbour received a letter today from G24 to say that the charge has been cancelled.

Was this as a result of B&M intervention? Is so, was it manager or HO effected?