Free Parking...with validation

3xcookedchips

Hello, the driver parked in my local GP surgery car park which has 2 hour free parking as long as you validate inside the surgery.

Of course the driver forgot, and the keeper received in the post a NTK with a reason:

Your vehicle was not authorised to park.

They are demading £85 within 28 days, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days.

My take is the driver was authorised as they were legitimately parked while attending the surgery. I dont believe forgetting to validate is grounds for payment.

What should be my next steps to avoid the payment demands?

Thanks

KeithP

Four things:

1) you need to edit your post to remove any clues to the identity of the driver.
The word 'I' has no place when describing events on the day, so perhaps your first sentence should look something like:

Hello, the driver parked in my local GP surgery car park which has 2 hour free parking as long as you validate inside the surgery.

Please review and adjust the rest of your post similarly.


2) You need to read the NEWBIES FAQ sticky thread to better understand the situation you are now caught up in.


3) You need to read The NHS patient, visitor and staff car parking principles.


4) you should complain to the surgery about the actions of their agents.


Who is the parking company?

The_Deep

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and another company have already been named and shamed, as has Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each year). They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

Hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned.

The problem has become so rampant that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. Watch the video of the Second Reading in the HofC recently.

http://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/2f0384f2-eba5-4fff-ab07-cf24b6a22918?in=12:49:41

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by Christmas.

3xcookedchips

Euro Car Parks is the PCN

KeithP

Hmmm... sorry, but still more editing needed.

Perhaps your second sentence should be adjusted to look something like:

Of course the driver forgot, and the keeper received in the post a NTK with a reason:

You need to make it clear that the driver and the keeper could be two different people.

Coupon-mad

Complain to the Clinic Manager, immediately. Get them to cancel it with one email.

3xcookedchips

Has anyone been through this where the surgery/practice manager has seen to it the ticket is cancelled.

They even say on surgery website they don't get involved in parking disputes - which Im not sure how they can absolve themselves of responsibility for their sub-contractors given what the NHS guidelines say in the link above.

I have read the Newbies thread but couldn't find anything on free parking as long as validated.

Quentin

The faq makes it clear you won't find your exact circs

Just follow the advice there on how to appeal and use the template

Raise your complaint at the surgery with the practice manager, not first line receptionist

3xcookedchips

Have emailed the practice manager.

I am due to meet my MP on another matter, so if I dont get anywhere with the practice will follow up with him also.

many thanks

Coupon-mad

Has anyone been through this where the surgery/practice manager has seen to it the ticket is cancelled.

Loads of times on this forum, yes. I recall some with ParkingEye infesting a Brighton surgery site, where the Practice Manager was unhelpful until really pushed by angry patients. REALLY PUSH!

Umkomaas

Here's an epic to read.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5583307/parking-eye-help

Finally cancelled, but the 'bigger picture' stuff, in terms of involving the ICO, has not been reported back. Almost 300 inputs from regulars, but as often is the case, provision by way of an update about the ultimate outcome, as would be polite, is not reciprocated.