Am I the first person EVER to get a parking charge for this?

Lee337

Hi guys,

I received a parking charge notice in the post a few weeks ago (to my amazement) from Parkingeye. I had parked in a multi-storey car park next to the entrance to Yeovil hospital in Somerset. As usual, I collected my ticket on my way in, then I went off into the hospital to join my pregnant wife for her appointment. It was 8.25pm, dark and raining, so I returned (1 hour hour 30 minutes later) on my own to get my car and drive round to pick my wife up at the hospital entrance...I paid (exactly £5! with a single £5 note) to get my ticket validated for exit, but when I drove round to the exit barrier, I noticed it was already raised!!! I was not expecting this and was totally confused as to what to do...I quickly looked around for someone but nobody was around except another car behind mine, so I decided to place my validated ticket in the usual ticket slot anyway (in the hope it would activate the barrier again and keep it raised). The ticket wasn't actually swallowed up like usual, but I decided to proceed out anyway (as I didn't want to hold others up), not thinking for one minute that I would be accused later of not paying for my parking!! :eek:

I explained this to Parkingeye and asked them to check the cctv as it will show me not only paying for my parking but trying to put the ticket into the exit machine despite the barriier already being raised! The cowboys refused the appeal!!!! :shocked:

So, if this happens to you, remember to keep that ticket as it's your only proof!! I wish I had simply driven out and kept hold of that ticket now.

I have now appealed again to POPLA and will update this post with the outcome when it arrives. One thing is for sure, I will NOT be giving anymore of my money to a cowboy parking company even if they take me to court.

Fruitcake

No you are not the first person that this has happened to.

It's a shame you didn't come here first for advice, but that cannot now be helped. What did you put in the PoPLA appeal? Not the same as you put in your initial appeal I hope.

Parking Lie will have used ANPR not CCTV and won't have images of the driver paying. The hospital might but don't get your hopes up.

As for just driving out, you may still have got a PCN.

What happened when you complained to the PALS and/or the head of the hospital trust?

Research the government/NHS guidelines for parking that says it should be free according to the Secretary of State for Health.

Don't forget to complain to your MP about this unregulated scam.

Half_way

This:

What happened when you complained to the PALS and/or the head of the hospital trust?

in conjunction with this:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles/nhs-patient-visitor-and-staff-car-parking-principles#fn:6


in particular

Contracted-out car parking

NHS organisations are responsible for the actions of private contractors who run car parks on their behalf.
NHS organisations should act against rogue contractors in line with the relevant codes of practice6where applicable.
Contracts should not be let on any basis that incentivises additional charges, eg ‘income from parking charge notices only’.

The_Deep

PE signs leave much to be desired. Many judges might find them insufficiently clear to form a contract, read this;

h[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]ttps://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5972164[/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Nine times out of ten of these tickets are scams so consider complaining to your MP, it can cause the scammer extra work.

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.

[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2019/8/contents/enacted[/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]

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

Lee337

Thanks for the replies guys! :hello:

Fruitcake wrote: »

What did you put in the PoPLA appeal? Not the same as you put in your initial appeal I hope.

Yes, it was basically the same...which is just the truth! What else should I have done? (Obviously, with hindsight I should've kept that paid for ticket, but I didn't know this was going to happen because I hadn't done anything wrong or illegal. I hadn't risked parking in an unauthorised place, I parked exactly as I am supposed to and paid exactly as I'm supposed to!) :wall:

Fruitcake wrote: »

What happened when you complained to the PALS and/or the head of the hospital trust?

Erm, what is the PALS? And if my appeal fails with POPLA then I will speak with the hospital directly.

Fruitcake wrote: »

Don't forget to complain to your MP about this unregulated scam.

Yes, I will complain to my local MP if the POPLA appeal fails. :wave:

worried_jim

Pals - patient advice liaison service.

https://www.somersetccg.nhs.uk/contact-us/pals/

Half_way

PALs is something you should be dealing with as well as POPLA etc, post what you intend to say to PALs here first

Coupon-mad

Complain to PALS urgently, and if P/Eye agree to cancel next week, then you can agree to withdraw what is a doomed POPLA appeal.

You cannot write the story of what happened & expect to win at POPLA.

Or let it ride, and win in court instead.

Fruitcake

Lee337 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys! :hello:

Yes, it was basically the same...which is just the truth! What else should I have done? (Obviously, with hindsight I should've kept that paid for ticket, but I didn't know this was going to happen because I hadn't done anything wrong or illegal. I hadn't risked parking in an unauthorised place, I parked exactly as I am supposed to and paid exactly as I'm supposed to!) :wall:

Erm, what is the PALS? And if my appeal fails with POPLA then I will speak with the hospital directly.

Yes, I will complain to my local MP if the POPLA appeal fails. :wave:

PoPLA appeals normally include all or some of the following: -

Non PoFA complaint NTK (but not when the driver's identity has been revealed)
Not the landowner
No standing to issue charges
Inadequate signage
Frustration of contract (faulty equipment)

Don't wait for the PoPLA result! Start complaining tomorrow morning.