Horizon parking fine for not buying ticket

mishelk

I drove to Sainsburys in Wandsworth and saw that they were in a big shopping centre with a carpark. I thought this carpark operated like Westfields with free parking for people shopping. I shopped at Sainsburys and left about 31minutes later. As it wasn't a ticketed entrance or exit I didn't realise I was liable for paying for parking. I thought that since it was a short time it would be within the normal range of free parking.

However I was shocked to receive a penalty notice. I went back by foot to the carpark and the drive into the car park does not highlight that this is separate private property and that there will be payment due. I realise now that this is separate private property but there is no gate or ticketed entrance that indicates this is a separate private parking place.

I would like advice on how to proceed and whether to pay now while the fee is £42 and not when it jumps to £70 in two days time. I was in a zip hire car.

Umkomaas

Get to Sainsbury's with your receipts for the day, get the manager (not the fob-off CS desk) and complain, politely but firmly, that as a genuine customer you do not take kindly to being treated in this way by their agent when all you wanted to do was spend money with Sainsbury's.

If you're a regular Sainsbury's customer take back copies of receipts, cc/bank statements to prove such.

You now need to read the NEWBIES FAQ sticky, post #1 which gets you underway in dealing with the whole process. It includes a ready made template appeal to use with Horizon, but before sending that off it's a trip to Sainsbury's first.

Fruitcake

I bet nowhere on the NTK does it dsay the word penalty.

First of all you should edit your post to remove information about who did what. Only ever refer to The Driver and The Keeper, who are two different people.
The Keeper has protections in law that The Driver does not.

Then read the sticky thread for NEWBIES as already advised.
Start with a complaint to the store manager or CEO. (Nobody lower than that).
If that doesn't work then The Keeper should send the appeal template for hire/lease cars as per the edna basher template letter you will find in post 1 of the NEWBIES.

You should also tell the hire/lease company they must not pay this charge under any circumstances and then charge you, but should follow the strict requirements of the PoFA 2012 in order to discharge their liability as keeper.

If/when it is rejected, continue reading the NEWBIES to find out what to do next.

mishelk

So I went to Sainsburys and asked to speak to the manager. I had my bank statement showing purchases made on that day and also had the parking penalty notice ready to show him. He said that since it was my first time he would cancel the penalty. I can't believe it as £42 is a lot of money for me. Afterwards I went and spent that money on Christmas food shopping. Feel so happy. I won't make that mistake again. Big thanks for the advice

Fruitcake

It is still not a penalty.

Also, it is not cancelled until the parking scammers say it is cancelled. Did you get anything in writing from the manager? If not you need to contact them and ask them to confirm in writing they are instructing the PPC to cancel.

Umkomaas

mishelk wrote: »

So I went to Sainsburys and asked to speak to the manager. I had my bank statement showing purchases made on that day and also had the parking penalty notice ready to show him. He said that since it was my first time he would cancel the penalty. I can't believe it as £42 is a lot of money for me. Afterwards I went and spent that money on Christmas food shopping. Feel so happy. I won't make that mistake again. Big thanks for the advice

Brilliant, well done. It's great when advice turns into a very swift result. Have a (now) stress-free Christmas.

MistyZ

mishelk wrote: »

So I went to Sainsburys and asked to speak to the manager. I had my bank statement showing purchases made on that day and also had the parking penalty notice ready to show him. He said that since it was my first time he would cancel the penalty. I can't believe it as £42 is a lot of money for me. Afterwards I went and spent that money on Christmas food shopping. Feel so happy. I won't make that mistake again. Big thanks for the advice

Good to hear! Well done!

If only more people would complain promptly directly to the store or landowner, as appropriate.

In addition to being the quickest, easiest way to getting PCNs cancelled, it's a way of alerting those companies who use PPCs to the fact that customers are not happy with this system.

I'm past thinking that a little telling-off, as in 'since it was my first time' is acceptable in most instances. Way too many people who are clearly conscientious and careful get caught out by the scammers.

Watched a 'fly on the wall' TV programme about those who monitor the M25. Seemed like downright dangerous driving is now so commonplace that obvious offences are shrugged off. Yet this type of behaviour results in death and serious injury every day. Meanwhile, good citizens are being royally sh*fted by PPCs. Madness.

Coupon-mad

Even when you get a second one do the same again, not mentioning the first one.

ALWAYS COMPLAIN TO THE RETAILER ABOUT THEIR SCAM PARKING FIRM.