Urban Exchange, Ancoats, Manchester Parking Fine

adocolic

Hi,

I am after some help.

I parked my car at the Urban Exchange, Ancoats in Manchester. The parking is allowed for 2 hours. However, it states after 1 hour you need to get a validation code from a shop.

In fact this is what is says:

Car Parking Validation Station:

Step 1:
Simply park, then shop for up to 2 hours. You'll need to know your registration number.

Step 2:
Visit one of our stores to receive a free parking voucher from the checkout.

Step 3: Before you go, validate your free parking voucher at one of the car parking machines.

Easy to read, easy to follow?

Well, not if you read the small print - which is very hard to see with the bold letters above:

This car park is for the exclusive use of Urban Exchange customers whilst shopping oat this site only. * Parking vouchers are issued at the discretion of the store to Urban Exchange customers only.

I looked around few of the shops - entered the Aldi store to make my purchase for what I came for in the first place. It was around one hour mark. I came to the till paid for the items and asked for my validation ticket just in case.

Well, this is where things started to go wrong:

The cashier looked at my goods and said I am not going to give you a validation ticket for this! This was in front of another 10 shoppers which kind of really put me to shame. The bill came to just under £8.00!

The parking around the corner is only £1 for 2 hours! So, one would think £8 is more than enough to cover 1 hours parking. Depsite the fact the sign does not say you have to make a purchase.

Anyway to cut the long story short - I got annoyed and waned to speak to the manager, who first said, I need a full shopping basket for an hour, then the area manager also said the same, after almost an hour of discussion - it was concluded that I don't need to make a purchase but it's at the discretion of the manager. While the manger was stood next to me I asked the cashier what he thought would be a valid spent for an hours shopping. He said 'full shopping basket'. This kind made the managers face go red and told his to stay out of it.

Following this I spoke to aldi via facebook, phone and now plan to contact the Director.

The bottom line - not a single person could give me an answer to what you need to do in order to get a parking validation ticket.

These are the answers I have had:

1. Full shopping basket (so if you thinking of buying one experience item and wondering around the Aldi shop. Please note this will not qualify you will need multiple of the same item to have a full shopping basket). Also, they could not clarify what classes as a full shopping basket - inline with the rim of the basket, over the rim of the basket or just under the rim.
2. You don't need to spend anything - but we need to know you have been on the site for an hour. Have does the cashier know in the split second that I have not been on the site for an hour? The answer is he or she doesn't. But my view is that if you are dressed in the suit, and a laptop bag then - the chances are you will be refused the validation ticket. You look like a business person who is probably having a meeting near by. Not the fact you are on your lunch break, wondering around shops, and come for some everyday essentials so you don't have to do it in the rush hour. 3

I have asked for written confirmation of the rules but this has not come forward. So, at the moment if you are parking in the area then you will have to play a game! Good luck!

This makes you wonder 'How is the customer supposed to know'

One week later I got the find from Highview Parking Limited

I appealed sending them the proof of purchase..

A week or so later they rejected the appeal on the grounds the ticket was not validated as clearly stated by their sign!

I need to now appeal to POPLA - can anyone suggest a good reason for appeal template?

I need to win this not because of money but for the sake of principle and for many other customers who have also been treated in the same way. While in the shop they had another 3 people come forward with the same problem!

If they want more money - that is fine! But make sure it's written on the sign! We live in the 21st century and should not be blackmailed like this.

Umkomaas

I need to now appeal to POPLA - can anyone suggest a good reason for appeal template?

All detailed in the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #3 - ‘SECOND STAGE APPEAL - POPLA OR IAS’. But POPLA won’t be the remotest bit interested in the long story.

Highview don’t use PoFA to hold the keeper liable, so your appeal to POPLA will be straightforward and gain you a cancellation - as long as you did not reveal the driver’s identification in your initial appeal.

Your local press will be interested in what constitutes sufficient of a basketful to be lucky enough to be given a parking validation ticket and the fact that Aldi seems to have no common standard, yet spotty till operators feel able to apply their own interpretations.

qwerty1181

My advice, dont admit it was you in the car, say it wasn't you, and as they have no proof if who the driver is, and they use ANPR, theres no onus on you to provide information as to who was driving. I think I admitted by sending my Aldi receipt, therefore i couldn't dispute the law which states they MUST send you the notice within 14 days if they use ANPR and dont know the identity of the driver.

The POPLA appeal on the basis that the Aldi manager wouldn't validate me, got me nowehere, Ive just had mine back today, and their reply was as below in relation to the dispute with Aldi -

Appeal wording from POPLA specific to Aldi:
The appellant has provided evidence of an ALDI receipt. As such, it is clear that he was a genuine customer of the store. I understand that the appellant has said that he asked for a voucher at the checkout and was refused. However, this is a dispute with the appellant and the store. POPLA cannot become in third party disputes. The requirement was to redeem a voucher from the store if parking in excess of the one hour period. The appellant has parked in excess of the one hour period and has not redeemed a voucher. As such, he has failed to adhere to the terms of the site. Accordingly, this appeal is refused.

Quentin

@adocolic


Throughout here you are advised not to reveal who was driving


You need to edit your post to remove details of who was driving


The ppcs monitor here and can use your posts against you


++++ Ignore the advice from mclinton that POPLA is a waste of time:

mclinton wrote: »

........The POPLA appeal wont get you nowehere,............

You will see many posts reporting success at POPLA stage

Quentin

@ mclinton


Don't hijack someone else's thread


You need to start your own after first reading up on this in the Newbies FAQ thread (you are now in the debt collectors stage)


If you end up with court action come back at that time for advice on how to defend

Tigsteroonie

Umkomaas wrote: »

Your local press will be interested in what constitutes sufficient of a basketful to be lucky enough to be given a parking validation ticket and the fact that Aldi seems to have no common standard, yet spotty till operators feel able to apply their own interpretations.

Quentin wrote: »

The ppcs monitor here and can use your posts against you

I bet they wouldn't take kindly to a press article either. Gosh darn it, I was looking forward to another "grumpy face" story in the Manchester Evening News (complete with mandatory typos) :rotfl:

qwerty1181

Hi, intention wasnt to hijack, just sharing whats happened with my POPLA trying to use the 'Aldi wouldnt issue me a validation' which is the same situation adoholic is in.

Will delete info now

Quentin

mclinton wrote: »

.....Any help greatfully received...
.

You did seem to be posting for help over your pcn!!

qwerty1181

Ive deleted that and edited it to remove info that may infer me as driver, would be grateful if you did the same, as Ill still try that angle in further correspondence.
I'm relatively new to posting, and the protocols, so a 'any help gratefully received' was owing to the fact I thought with it being the same car park/ same circumstance, it would be relevant.
Thanks

Umkomaas

Ive deleted that and edited it to remove info that may infer me as driver,

Why bother when you’ve just about done it again!

Delete that, and I’ll remove this one.

qwerty1181

*may - God youre a sassy lot on here!

Umkomaas wrote: »

Why bother when you’ve just about done it again!

Delete that, and I’ll remove this one.