Smart parking / LBC / Advice

Raychwl

Hi all,

Apologies in advance, I know that you hate constant new threads and I probably will deserve some eye rolls.

I followed the newbies thread and I’ve read some other threads relating to my situation (incoming excuse) but, I have terrible anxiety and it’s all frying my head a little bit.. a lot.

I parked in a Smart parking car park last September, I paid and displayed and left with an hour to spare on my ticket. 2 weeks later I get my notice. I think well HA I still have my ticket for proof. Dumbly email them the proof and say I’ve done nothing wrong (while owning up to being the driver). The machine didn’t print out the first 2 letters of my Reg on the ticket. It was then I started googling and realised I’m a t*t.

I followed advice on here, I ignored all the letters, all the DRP, Zenith and Gladstone letters. I now have a Letter Before Claim letter and have missed the majority of the 30 days because I’ve been away. I also missed the chance to appeal to POPLA (my bad). Im not going through the best time at the moment and feel so sick that I honestly just want to pay £185. Even though it would feel silly to do so at this stage.

I know you all get many cries for help, but I have the worst luck and would probably end up in court just wailing to myself.

Any helpful words or eye rolls would be appreciated!

Redx

email a SAR to the DPO at SMART to get all the paperwork, pictures and data about you and your vehicle

send gladrags a letter or email to put the case on hold whilct you seek debt management advice plus you have sent a SAR to the claimant, plus its de minimis

then sit back and await the next instalment in your saga

bear in mind this is de minimis (look it up) and read what POPLA recently said about incorrect VRM details or faulty machines

Raychwl

Thank you!

I’ve emailed the DPO at Smart with a SAR with a good template I found on one of the threads. I’m just doing the email now for Gladstone’s with your advice, do you think I should mention the £85 extra they cheekily added on for “time spent”? And sorry I did look into de minimus, am I mentioning this now also?

ParkingBandit

I've had something very similar... I booked parking via justpark and entered one letter incorrectly (with smart parking too)

They're constantly sending letters and threatening court... and bring it on

We both will have our cases thrown out (with the right prep) as the court will consider these de minimus

Snitch210

I’ve received a ticket today from smart parking even after putting 1 hour on my vehicle. They have me on anpr entering the car park and leaving the car park in 1hr 30 mins but I spent at least 30 minutes finding a space trying there online system to register parking ( which wouldn’t work) and also getting my child in and out off my car. Should I appeal it ?

Snitch210

Anybody reading this btw it was fantasy island car park in ingoldmells. They charge soon as you enter the car park

waamo

Snitch210 wrote: »

Anybody reading this btw it was fantasy island car park in ingoldmells. They charge soon as you enter the car park

You need to do two things. The first is to read the thread at the top of this board that tells Newbies to read it first.

After you have done that you need to start your own thread for bespoke advice. Answering lots of people in one thread just leads to confusion.

The_Deep

Read the

https://parking-prankster.blogspot.com/2014/03/waiting-for-space-is-not-parking.htmlse

https://parking-prankster.blogspot.com/2014/04/transcript-donated-approved-judgment.html

I think they might struggle if they took this to court, Read what Pete Wishart MP said recently in the House of commons about Smart Parking

"I am sick and tired of receiving emails from people complaining about the behaviour of parking companies, telling me that they will never again visit Perth city centre because of the negative experience they had when they had the misfortune to end up in a car park operated by one of these companies. I have received more complaints about one car park in the city of Perth than about any other issue. That car park is operated by the lone ranger of the parking cowboys: the hated and appalling Smart Parking—I see that many other Members are unfortunate enough to have Smart Parking operating in their constituencies. It has reached the stage where one member of my staff now spends a good part of each day just helping my constituents and visitors to my constituency to navigate the appeals process.
…
The BPA does not have the ability to regulate these companies and has shown no sign whatsoever that it is trying to get on top of some of the sharper practices. The BPA gives a veneer of legitimacy to some of the more outlandish rogue operators by including them in their membership, allowing them to continue to operate. The Bill will oblige operators such as Smart Parking to amend their practices." .

Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams so consider complaining to your MP.

Parliament is well aware of the MO of these private parking companies, many of whom are former clampers, and on 15th March 2019 a Bill was enacted to curb the excesses of these shysters. Codes of Practice are being drawn up, an independent appeals service will be set up, and access to the DVLA's date base more rigorously policed, persistent offenders denied access to the DVLA database and unable to operate.

Hopefully life will become impossible for the worst of these scammers, but until this is done you should still complain to your MP, citing the new legislation.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted

Just as the clampers were finally closed down, so hopefully will many of these Private Parking Companies.

Still want to pay?

Coupon-mad

Why are we having posts about Smart? No need for ANY posts, no queries can exist surely. You could not ask for an easier one to beat.

They are simple to beat by using the templates, because they don't use the POFA.

There really is nothing to add, no need for queries, this is as simple as anything - as long as people do NOT do what the OP did and admit to driving, of course.

Save our typing fingers and just follow what the NEWBIES thread says, then copy any other Smart POPLA appeal (one that talks about the POFA) and it's 100% winnable.

The_Deep

Why are we having posts about Smart? No need for ANY posts, no queries can exist surely. You could not ask for an easier one to beat.


You and I know that, but many of our clients think that these are fines, that they will rack up huge costs if the lose, and bailiffs will come round and confiscate the cat.

Have you not read what Pete Wishert said in the House about them?