Parking Charge Notice Help please

cheznal

Hello

I'm hoping someone can help me please. I know that there are lots of help and info posts about, but I'm cold, hungry, tired and knee deep in college coursework and the long paragraphs are just blending into one long sentence.

I arrived home from work to a Parking Charge Notice from ParkingEye for being 24 minutes over the parking time in Home Bargains in Jarrow on 4th May. It's for £85, and whilst I want to throw it to one side and ignore it, I know I need to take the bull by the horns and deal with it - so to speak.

It states that my car was in the car park for 1 hour and 54 minutes. Have receipt to prove just short of £40 spent in the shop, and bank statement to match said receipt from driver of car.

What I am struggling with is wording my appeal. I sound really thick, but some of these templates are using long, legal looking sentences with lots of references to different things, which I can't really understand - not good when you're trying to sound confident and professional.

Could anyone point me in the right direction of a template that is written in the simplest of terms, without having an impact on the appeal?

I am aware that I sound awfully thick, but it has been a long day at work and finding a parking charge notice on my doormat was not what I wanted to find this evening.

Thank you,

Cheznal

Redx

read post #1 of the NEWBIES sticky thread

use the appeal in blue text

it really is that simple for the initial appeal

add a redacted copy of the receipts or bank statements showing proof of patronage too

and complain to the landholder and insist on a cancellation as well

do not admit who was driving and edit post #1 so that only the words THE KEEPER or THE DRIVER are used

cheznal

Thank you, I've copied and pasted the statement into their online appeals box and screenshotted it, along with providing receipts and bank screenshots.

I've also emailed Home Bargains, who I believe own the land.

I've already looked at the signs on Google Maps, which are positioned about 8ft up a post, I'm 5'3" so not sure how they expect people who are not giants to stand and read the small print on these posts!

Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction

Redx

excellent , now edit post #1 so nobody reading it knows who may have been driving

Lamilad

I've already looked at the signs on Google Maps, which are positioned about 8ft up a post, I'm 5'3" so not sure how they expect people who are not giants to stand and read the small print

Good, this is a clear breach of the bpa cop and something you will definitely put in your popla appeal after the inevitable rejection of your initial appeal.

Give home bargains some serious grief about you being in this situation as a result of being a good customer to them. Don't listen to any waffle about 'there's nothing we can do' because you ain't going away til they've cancelled. And your mouse clicking finger is just itching to splatter something all over social media about how home bargains are in bed with parking eye and using their own customers as fodder for these contemptible fraudsters

cheznal

Lamilad wrote: »

Good, this is a clear breach of the bpa cop and something you will definitely put in your popla appeal after the inevitable rejection of your initial appeal.

Give home bargains some serious grief about you being in this situation as a result of being a good customer to them. Don't listen to any waffle about 'there's nothing we can do' because you ain't going away til they've cancelled. And your mouse clicking finger is just itching to splatter something all over social media about how home bargains are in bed with parking eye and using their own customers as fodder for these contemptible fraudsters

That's a great idea, thank you. My first email to Mr Morris of Home Bargains reads:

Dear Mr Morris,


I am contacting you with my dismay at receiving a parking charge (ref 4xxxxxxxxxx, car registration xxxxxxx) for a vehicle that I am a registered keeper of for parking in Home Bargains Car Park in Jarrow, whilst the driver was shopping in your store.


On the day in question, xxx May 2017, a shopping trip was planned to buy items in Home Bargains, however a passenger in the car (a young child) unfortunately took poorly unexpectedly in the car and had to be taken to the hospital across the road to use the toilet to be cleaned up after a sudden bout of vomiting and diahorrea. Once cleaned up and ensured the child was no longer ill, returned to Home Bargains, £36.04 was spent in store (proof provided by receipt and by bank statement attached to this email).


I do not believe that I am, as registered keeper or any driver of my vehicle is liable for this charge, as 'genuine shoppers' of Home Bargains (which apparently the car park is only for use by), and use the store multiple times a month, spending up to £200 per month in there. I do not believe that this charge is proportionate for the 'overstay' of 24 minutes as claimed by 'ParkingEye' working on your behalf to obtain ridiculous amounts of money from your customers. I believe it is wholly unfair that this demand has been issued to me, and will be requesting a breakdown of losses suffered by both Home Bargains and ParkingEye as a result of my vehicle being parked in a 'free' car park and your store used by drivers which is reserved for 'genuine customers'. As the car park was empty due to it being close to closing time at the store, I find it difficult to comprehend that both Home Bargains and ParkingEye have suffered any substantial consequential losses amounting to £85 that I have been invited to pay by ParkingEye. It appears that the only crime that has been committed is that a child unexpectedly threw up in my car and then shoppers spent a little bit too long in your shop!


As a result of this, my family and I will no longer be shopping at Home Bargains, and I will ensure that my car will not be driven into or parked in a car park reserved only for 'genuine shoppers' of Home Bargains by either myself or drivers of my car, as it is clear that we're not considered 'genuine shoppers'. This is a shame, as we are regular shoppers at Home Bargains, and spend a lot of money in there, however, the risk of being charged £85 for spending a little bit too long in your shop, actually offsets the savings made by driving to and shopping at Home Bargains.


I look forward to hearing from both yourself and ParkingEye with the next 7 days.


Yours sincerely



Mrs xxxxx
Registered Keeper of Car quoted above

I think it reads good. Hopefully it will have an impact.

Thank you again for all your advice. I really do appreciate it

Lamilad

That's a good letter. I look forward to seeing the response you get. Is Mr Morris the store manager or someone higher up?

I'd maybe add something along the lines of

'i feel it is my duty as a concerned citizen to make my community aware of the 'gig' that you and parking eye have got going on in this car park.

The best way to do this i feel would be to post numerous reports on social media and review websites warning people that this car park is a honey trap set up to prey on innocent shoppers who patronise B&M Stores believing them to be a reputable and honest family retailer.

I will also write to the local newspapers and my MP to ensure they are aware of this scam operation and can raise awareness and take necessary action.

I know my MP will be particularly interested given that private parking companies and their nefarious tactics were the subject of parliamentary debate recently.

The link is attached below. I'm sure you'll find it particularly interesting considering that parking eye were condemned by several MPs for their shockingly unscrupulous and predatory behaviour.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5621958

With a general election just around the corner I'm certain my MP would want to tackle an issue like this in the strongest possible terms proving him/herself as bastion of fairness and justice for the good of the community.

Of course, if the PCN is cancelled within the next 5 days there will be no need for me to do any of this..... (and so on)'

cheznal

Thank you Lamilad, I am assuming Mr Morris is the CEO. I will have a dig about for the store manager of Home Bargains and will rejig the email.

I am currently sat reading the back of the letter which I received today, which states 'Protection of Freedoms Act'
You are notified under paragraph 9(2)(b) of schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 that the driver of the motor vehicle is required to pay this parking charge in full. As we do not know the driver's name or current postal address, if you were not the driver at the time, you should tell us the name and current postal address fof the driver and pass this notice to them.

You are warned that if, after 29 days from the date given (which is presumed to be the second working day after the Date Issued), the parking charge has not been paid in full and we do not know both the name and current address of the driver, we have the right to recover any unpaid part of the parking charge from you. This warning is given to you under Paragraph 9 (2)(f) of Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 and is subject to our complying with the applicable conditions under Schedule 4 of the Act.

Should you provide an incorrect address fro service, we will pursue you for any Parking Charge amount that remains unpaid.

Should you identify someone, who denies they were the driver, we will pursue you for any Parking Charge amount that remains unpaid.

I don't even know what this means. Everything just seems so complicated, and I know that they set things out as such to make people (like me) fall for such scams? I do apologise for sounding thick, I am not, however, have no experience with these PCN's or how to sort them out, so it is all like a black hole to me. I have sent the appeal as per the NEWBIE thread and I have sent HBs' the email disputing their loss.

Thank you again, for all your help.

Fruitcake

Did you get confirmation that your appeal had been received? If so, you do nothing until you get their rejection letter with PoPLA code.

If you haven't received confirmation, send the appeal template again. You are still within their made up appeal window.

You also must keep up pressure on HB.

cheznal

Just wanted to pop my head in to update and say a huge thanks to those who post here, especially those who done the NEWBIES thread, and those who have posted on my thread.

I have received a response to my email I sent Home Bargains CEO. They have cancelled the 'parking charge'. I'm so relieved. I did send them above email as per my last post and a copy of receipts/bank statements to prove the store had been used whilst parked in their car park.

Thanks again

Redx

good , now make sure you get the cancellation in writing from PE themselves too, its only cancelled when they write and say so