Double-edged success from complaint

beamerguy

Quite a story ?

With everything you have said and considering you could involve the hotel in any action (which they should be made aware of), Smart would stupid to take this further.

You need to forget about the low level staff and go straight to the CEO who is

Mr Peter Gowers Chief Executive

Email peter.gowers@travelodge.co.uk

Words like "totally disrespectful" towards customers come to mind

luverlyjubbly

Bardot wrote: »

If the car parking at a hotel is provided or managed by a third party provider and you decide to use this car parking you will enter into an agreement with the third party provider and not Travelodge. Information on the third party provider is displayed at the car parks and on the pay and display tickets. We strongly advise that you read the third party provider’s terms as displayed at the car park before parking your car.

Weasel words I would suggest. How are you supposed to know whether the car-park is third-party owned or managed any more than the swimming pool is? Why should you need to care when using one of THEIR advertised FREE services?

Imagine they charged you for electricity when you check out then simply say it is in the small print and you have actually entered into contract with a third-party energy company because there is a notice on the door amongst all the other signs you don't read? I suspect such a policy would cause a national outcry however appears to be perfectly acceptable for parking...

If the land is not owned by this hotel, why do they not make it clear (false adverstising)?
If the land is owned by the hotel but "managed" by a third party then the tail is wagging the dog - why does the hotel put customers in such a position with a third party they appear to have no influence over?
I'd like to see someone senior from the hotel in front of a judge to explain why they think they can absolve themselves of any responsibility whilst inviting customers to use free facilities they have appear to have no control over.

beamerguy

luverlyjubbly wrote: »

Weasel words I would suggest.

Smart Parking actually knows the meaning of scam, theft and fraud

https://www.afr.com/technology/smart-parking-keeps-investors-in-the-dark-over-uk-boss-shock-exit-20180520-h10aq2

Scamming is in the DNA of Smart Parking

Bardot

beamerguy wrote: »

Quite a story ?

With everything you have said and considering you could involve the hotel in any action (which they should be made aware of), Smart would stupid to take this further.

You need to forget about the low level staff and go straight to the CEO who is

Mr Peter Gowers Chief Executive

Words like "totally disrespectful" towards customers come to mind

I did write to him, but he did not even acknowledge receipt, just delegated to somebody in Customer Service. I intend to persist. Thanks for the encouragement.

Bardot

luverlyjubbly wrote: »

Weasel words I would suggest. How are you supposed to know whether the car-park is third-party owned or managed any more than the swimming pool is? Why should you need to care when using one of THEIR advertised FREE services?

Imagine they charged you for electricity when you check out then simply say it is in the small print and you have actually entered into contract with a third-party energy company because there is a notice on the door amongst all the other signs you don't read? I suspect such a policy would cause a national outcry however appears to be perfectly acceptable for parking...

If the land is not owned by this hotel, why do they not make it clear (false adverstising)?
If the land is owned by the hotel but "managed" by a third party then the tail is wagging the dog - why does the hotel put customers in such a position with a third party they appear to have no influence over?
I'd like to see someone senior from the hotel in front of a judge to explain why they think they can absolve themselves of any responsibility whilst inviting customers to use free facilities they have appear to have no control over.

My feelings exactly! Thank you!

beamerguy

Bardot wrote: »

I did write to him, but he did not even acknowledge receipt, just delegated to somebody in Customer Service. I intend to persist. Thanks for the encouragement.

It's very likely he never saw your letter.

Mark it "For the Personal attention of ....."
PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

See what they do then, ignorance can only mean total exposure of him via the media and social media .... he will wake up

No disrespect to the OP, Travelodge is a third class hotel group. The last time I used them, the bedroom door was hanging off .... never again

Umkomaas

As a back-stop, Smart isn't likely to go any further with this, so you can tackle this in whichever way you wish, with confidence, pretty certain it's as far as it will go.

http://www.parkingappeals.info/companydata/Smart_Parking.html

Fruitcake

Personally I wouldn't pay a bunch of scammers in the hope that someone else paid me back.

When you contact the CEO again, tell them what our MPs think of this scam.

''Rip-offs from car park Cowboys must stop''; unfair treatment; signage deliberately confusing to ensure a PCN is issued; ''years of abuse by rogue parking companies''; bloodsuckers; ''the current system of regulation is hopeless, like putting Dracula in charge of the blood-bank''; extortionate fines; rogue operators; ''sense of injustice''; unfair charges and notices; wilfully misleading; signage is a deliberate act to deceive or mislead; ''confusing signs are often deliberate, to trap innocent drivers''; unreasonable; a curse; harassing; operating in a disgusting way; appeals service is no guarantee of a fair hearing; loathed; outrageous scam; dodgy practice; outrageous abuse; unscrupulous practices; ''the British Parking Association is as much use as a multi-storey car park in the Gobi desert''; and finally, by way of unanimous conclusion: ''we need to crack down on these rogue companies. They are an absolute disgrace to this country. Ordinary motorists and ordinary residents should not have to put up with this''.

These are the exact words used by our MPs, so you should quote them to Travelodge management/CEO.

Also complain to your MP and the MP where the hotel is located, and ask them to contact Sir Greg Knight MP if he wants further information about this scam.

Bardot

The_Deep wrote: »

If they pay the PCN they may well decide that having the PPC on site is not cost effective.

... Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, and others have already been named and shamed in the House of Commons as have Gladstones Solicitors, and BW Legal, (these two law firms take hundreds of these cases to court each week, hospital car parks and residential complex tickets have been especially mentioned. They lose most of them, and have been reported to the regulatory authority by an M.P. for unprofessional conduct

The problem has become so widespread that MPs have agreed to enact a Bill to regulate these scammers. It has even been suggested that some of these companies have links with organised crime.

Watch the video of the Second Reading and committee stage in the House of Commons recently. MPs have a very low opinion of this industry.

and complain in the most robust terms to your MP. With a fair wind they will be out of business by in the not too distant future..

Thank you! Listening to the video was music to my ears. Hope the bill becomes an act soon.

Bardot

beamerguy wrote: »

Smart Parking actually knows the meaning of scam, theft and fraud

Scamming is in the DNA of Smart Parking

They are not there to enforce fair rules and make no bones about revealing their priorities:

"The company also said its issuance of breach notices (from which it generates a large portion of revenue) would be below expectations by between 20 per cent and 25 per cent in the fourth quarter due to poor weather, which meant fewer people were using its sites."