Parking Fine While Returning Faulty Goods

Astraman999

Hi,
I returned a faulty item to my local Matalan store. I didn't purchase a parking ticket as only returning a faulty item and not shopping. I was in and out in 13 minutes ( the time and photos on the fine prove that) but I have been issued a fine by Smart Parking. My question is should I try and challenge this with them as I was returning faulty goods, I have my credit card receipt to prove I was refunded, or am I just going to have to pay it.

Browntoa

Faulty goods is of no bearing on it at all

Read the newbies thread at the top of this section

fisherjim

That's a new one!

I was sitting in the car.
I was only waiting.
I never got out of the car.
I didn't turn off the engine.
and now I was returning faulty goods to add to the list of parking excuse myths!

However the charge is ridiculous compared with the transgression and it's not a fine, it's an invoice.

no one here is going to advise you to pay these scammers, however you now need to follow some tried and tested processes to see these Muppets off.

Follow Browntoa's advice read the newbies thread never tell them who was driving, never phone the PPC or scamming debt collectors.

Try seeing if Matalan will get it cancelled also.

Astraman999

Thanks for the replies. I'll start by contacting Matalan today and if they won't cancel I'll start the appeal route.

Just ones question though. Am I wasting my time because I;m not going to argue about signs etc as there are plenty advising you to pay and I'll freely admit i didn't pay because i was returning something faulty and just didn't have £2.00 in change at that time. I didn't shop or browse and was in and out in 13 minutes.

Fruitcake

Astraman999 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I'll start by contacting Matalan today and if they won't cancel I'll start the appeal route.

Just ones question though. Am I wasting my time because I;m not going to argue about signs etc as there are plenty advising you to pay and I'll freely admit i didn't pay because i was returning something faulty and just didn't have £2.00 in change at that time. I didn't shop or browse and was in and out in 13 minutes.

You are wasting your time (and ours) if you don't follow the advice you have been given.

Inadequate signage is one of the most successful appeal points there is. Why on earth would you not want to use it?

Please read the NEWBIES thread then appeal exactly as the advice in that thread tells you to.

Contact the Store Manager, not customer services.

Make sure you don't reveal who was driving. That includes your posts here. We only want to know about The Driver and The Keeper who are two different people as far as anyone is concerned.

The_Deep

Not only signs, locus, contract, timelines, POFA, it is they who have a mountain to climb.

Half_way

Nothing wrong with contacting matalan, however you must go in with the correct approach, and your use of the word 'Fine' shows that you need to read the sticky thread to understand the difference between a PCN and a PCN

Astraman999

Thank you all for your replies. I am trying to follow the advice given on here and have read the newbie sticky but it's a long and sometimes confusing thread so please forgive me if I deviate from the correct path as we are not all experienced in PCN's

The way I understood the sticky was I need to contact the store first and then if they refuse to cancel it I appeal?

So once I have the answer from the store, l''ll come back for more advice.

Redx

that is correct, as long as you dont let the 28 day appeal period "time out"

there is a deadline for appealing any pcn, either 28 days or 21 days, so if matalan or the MA of the retail park dont cancel it promptly, you should appeal it using the correct template from post #1 of the NEWBIES sticky thread

that thread is the best free advice you will get on this topic, so without it you would have no idea whatsoever , in fact you could not actually pay for better advice

so remember, dont let the appeal period "time out", otherwise they will refuse to even consider any appeal

ps:- yes complain to the "store" , but often the "stores" wont or cannot help, so you may need to complain to head office, or to their CEO direct

Coupon-mad

Astraman999 wrote: »

Thank you all for your replies. I am trying to follow the advice given on here and have read the newbie sticky but it's a long and sometimes confusing thread so please forgive me if I deviate from the correct path as we are not all experienced in PCN's

The way I understood the sticky was I need to contact the store first and then if they refuse to cancel it I appeal?

So once I have the answer from the store, l''ll come back for more advice.

Yes, and then you use the template appeal for BPA members, from the NEWBIES thread (yes, the one in blue). I have reduced post #1 of the sticky thread about appeals only last weekend, so it's no longer as 'long' bearing in mind it includes two appeal templates and explains what's what. You don't need further advice, it is all there.

Smart are no easy to beat it is laughable.

Astraman999

Thank you for the advice so far.
I contacted Matalan today and although apologetic about the charge they said they had no power to cancel the notice and in fact were giving Smart parking the boot from their premises from March 5th as they had received so many complaints from customers about them.

I understand I now need to complete the appeal template and send it as an online challenge to Smart Parking, but do I do that now or wait for a period of time.

Sorry for the questions but I dont want to do anything incorrectly