ParkingEye/POPLA Appeal

AccDavies

Hi all,

Long story short - went to visit ill mother in hospital after she suffered a massive heart attack. I paid for one hour instead of two. The machine in the reception says 'enter reg', so I thought it would then tell you how much you needed to pay (as you can pay on leaving). They make a big noise on their signs about letting you know they use ANPR so I thought, that's how they calculate how long you've been there when you go to pay. I only realised the next day, when my Dad told me, that you have to tell the machine how long you want to pay for.

Said this to ParkingEye, who told me to do one. Appealed to POPLA with pictures of the payment machine, and PE have sent back their 'evidence' - signs saying it's pay to park, pics of my car, that I didn't have my headlights on so it must have been clear enough to see the signs about paying to park (I visitied at 11.30am, idiots), saying the court judged in favour of them with regards to £85 not being extortionate etc. It's like 63 pages long. My point is I'd quite happily pay the extra £2 - I visited my Mum every day for the next week and paid the right amount each time so it's not that I was trying to pull a fast one. It's their !!!!!y machines and ambiguous instructions!

So, do I just reply to POPLA saying what I already said in my appeal? PE's 'evidence' doesn't really address my point in the appeal - that the ambiguous instructions on the machine means I thought they'd tell me how much to pay - it's pretty generic stuff.

Coupon-mad

Why didn't you complain to PALS and get them to cancel it like all other Hospital cases?

I would do that now and offer to withdraw the POPLA appeal if PALS get PE to agree to cancel the PCN altogether, and then it costs you & PE nothing.

DO NOT WAIT, I MEAN GET ON TO THIS ON SATURDAY WITH THE HOPE OF CANCELLATION ON MONDAY IF YOU AGREE TO WITHDRAW THE POPLA APPEAL BEFORE THE DECISION IS MADE, ONLY IF PE CANCEL.

AccDavies

I didn't know that was a possibility! So, reply to POPLA/PE saying I are happy to withdraw if PALS cancel it (as I have 7 days from yesterday to respond), or contact PALS to ask if they can cancel it?

Coupon-mad

Contact PALS straight away, you must have about 5 days now and you've wasted Saturday and PALS won't be open Sunday. That's why I made it clear who to contact NOW.

I never said contact POPLA at this stage, yet, concentrate on NOT doing the comments for 72 hours and going for PALS in a big way.

Please don't come back saying PE won't cancel it as it's at POPLA, that's missing the entire point of what I am saying you must say.

The_Deep

It is the will of Parliament that these scammers be put out of business.

Hopefully that will take place in the near future. The Bill has passed through the HOC without hitch, and goes to the Lords soon. In the meantime involve your MP, the poor dears are buckling under the weight of complaints about these scammers.

This is an entirely unregulated industry which is scamming the public with inflated claims for minor breaches of alleged contracts for alleged parking offences, aided and abetted by a handful of low-rent solicitors. Is has been suggested by an MP that some of these companies may have connections to organised crime.

Parking Eye, CPM, Smart, (especially 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.

Sir Greg Knight's Private Members Bill to curb the excesses, and perhaps close down, some of these companies passed its Third Reading in late November, and, with a fair wind, will become Law next year.

All three readings are available to watch on the internet, (some 6-7 hours), and published in Hansard. MPs have an extremely low opinion of the industry. Many are complaining that they are becoming overwhelmed by complaints from members of the public. Add to their burden, complain in the most robust terms about the scammers.

AccDavies

Thanks both of you. I've drafted this email - any amendments?

Hello,


I am emailing regarding an invoice I received from ParkingEye after an overstay on 21/10/18. I had driven from Plymouth to Barnet General to see my mum (who has type 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a paraumbilical hernia and some kidney issue) who had suffered a heart attack and parked my car outside. As I left, I paid at the machine at reception, entering my car reg as requested, and went home. However, due to the ambiguous instructions on the machine, it was unclear that the machine doesn't prompt you to pay the amount you owe based on when you entered the car park (which is what you'd think entering your car reg was for, like at most other car parks). It was only the next day when my dad informed me that wasn't the case, that I realised what had happened. For the next 6 days I paid accordingly.


Now ParkingEye are coming after me for £100 for an overstay of 62 minutes which is outrageous. Paying to park is one thing, but at a time when people are rushing to see seriously ill relatives, the machines should be 100% clear and easy to understand. Me stopping to read the small print after a 4 hour drive through the night and a 2 hour visit to my mum's bedside, just isn't plausible or acceptable, especially since the machine seems like it should prompt you to pay the correct amount based on entering your car reg.


I have appealed to ParkingEye who rejected it and have now appealed to POPLA. What I'd like, if possible, is for you to cancel this parking charge notice and I will therefore withdraw my appeal to POPLA, if ParkingEye agree to cancel it. I have until 18/01/19 to respond to POPLA so would appreciate any help with this as soon as possible.


Thank you,

Miss XXXX


PS Mrs XXXX is on the mend after having a triple bypass at St Barts. She received excellent care at both hospitals but particularly at Barnet, not just for her heart but with sorting out her diabetes medication as well. Everyone from the hygiene team to the consultants were fantastic and I cannot sing their praises highly enough for saving my mum's life but also treating her with care and dignity.

MistyZ

I would be more demanding. Something like:

'In light of the extremely stressful circumstances in which we parked the car, I must insist that you instruct Parking Eye to cancel this very unfair charge. People experiencing considerable anxiety when hastening to see a close relative whose life is hanging in the balance cannot be expected to follow unclear parking instructions. And yet we tried, even then. We parked the car in good faith.

I should point out that, as you may know, Parking Eye has 6 years in which to decide whether or not to take this matter to court if the POPLA appeal fails. That could mean 6 years of harassment and distress for refusing to pay an utterly unfair charge. Please do not allow that to happen.'

Etc. etc. if you feel you need to tell them what they should damn well know already at even greater length. (And yes, I would use the pronoun 'we' all the way through to protect the driver's identity if it hasn't already been given away).

Coupon-mad

and I will therefore withdraw my appeal to POPLA, if ParkingEye agree to cancel it.

I would put that in bold or it will be lost on them.

AccDavies

Hello,

I am emailing regarding an invoice I received from ParkingEye after an overstay on 21/10/18. I had driven from Plymouth to Barnet General to see my mum (who has type 2 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, a paraumbilical hernia and some kidney issue) who had suffered a heart attack and parked my car outside. As I left, I paid at the machine at reception, entering my car reg as requested, and went home. However, due to the ambiguous instructions on the machine, it was unclear that the machine doesn't prompt you to pay the amount you owe based on when you entered the car park (which is what you'd think entering your car reg was for, like at most other car parks). It was only the next day when my dad informed me that wasn't the case, that I realised what had happened. For the next 6 days I paid accordingly.


Now ParkingEye are coming after me for £100 for an overstay of 62 minutes which is outrageous as it should only cost an extra £2. In light of the extremely stressful circumstances in which I parked the car (driving for four hours through the night from Plymouth and not knowing just how ill my mum was - my dad had mentioned the words 'heart failure'), I must insist that you instruct Parking Eye to cancel this very unfair charge. People experiencing considerable anxiety when hastening to see a close relative whose life is hanging in the balance cannot be expected to follow unclear parking instructions. It is just not plausible or acceptable that at the worst of times, people need to stop and decipher ambiguous instructions when it is literally the last thing on their mind. I parked in good faith, even at a time like this, so it isn't even as if I was trying to avoid paying to park. It is all down to machine asking for the car reg and then displaying £2 as standard, rather than prompting the right amount as calculated by the machine and the ANPR which is used to see what time you entered the car park.

I should point out that, as you may know, Parking Eye has 6 years in which to decide whether or not to take this matter to court if the POPLA appeal fails. That could mean 6 years of harassment and distress for refusing to pay an utterly unfair charge. Please do not allow that to happen.

If you instruct ParkingEye to cancel this parking charge notice and they agree, then I will withdraw my appeal to POPLA.

Thank you,

Miss XXXX


PS Mrs XXXX is on the mend after having a triple bypass at St Barts. She received excellent care at both hospitals but particularly at Barnet, not just for her heart but with sorting out her diabetes medication as well. Everyone from the hygiene team to the consultants were fantastic and I cannot sing their praises highly enough for saving my mum's life but also treating her with care and dignity.



Is that better?

Coupon-mad

Yes, send it right now.

AccDavies

Brilliant, thank you guys. I sent it yesterday and will let you know if and when I get a response.