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SmartParking fine- how to appeal

Hi Im hoping somebody could help please. I have received a parking find from smartparking. My partner pulled in to the car park on boxing Day at 5:40 to answer the phone , he didn't think there would be a problem due to it being boxing day and the Pioneer foodhall closed until we received the letter today. I am the keeper of the vehicle. We looked at the signs and it does state it runs 24 hours a day but nothing about 365 days a year or anything. Just wondered if I had a leg to stand on in any way or if somebody could help with what to do going forward . I have read to request the contract between them and the private land owner but other than that I'm clueless. Thanks in Advance. Kelly

Comments

  • Redx
    Redx Posts: 38,084 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    as you are the RK, you should read and follow the advice for BPA members in the newbies faq sticky thread, post #1 , its the 3rd thread down from the top of this forum

    appeal as keeper with the blue text template , no additions or subtractions , no stories , no blabbing about who was driving


    the fact of it being a bank holiday is irrelevant , its private land and the driver should not have stopped there , they should have stayed on the public road that they pay taxes for
  • Coupon-mad
    Coupon-mad Posts: 150,832 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    We need no Smart Parking threads, as the NEWBIES thread template works, as long as the person does NOT tick 'driver' when appealing and doesn't use the awful version written by MSE in their article.

    This is easy, there are no questions left. But do come back and tell us when they cancel!
    PRIVATE 'PCN'? DON'T PAY BUT DON'T IGNORE IT (except N.Ireland).
    CLICK at the top or bottom of any page where it says:
    Home»Motoring»Parking Tickets Fines & Parking - read the NEWBIES THREAD
  • The_Deep
    The_Deep Posts: 16,830 Forumite
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Read what Pete Wishart MP said recently in the House of commons about Smart Parking.[/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]"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."
    [/FONT]

    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif] It is not a fine, it is an invoice from an ex-clamper to compensate them for the alleged harm they suffered when you did what you did. We call it a scam. Pay them not a penny unless a judge so orders it. [/FONT]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif]
    [FONT=Times New Roman, serif][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]Nine times out of ten these tickets are scams, so consider complaining to your MP, it can cause the scammer extra costs and work, and has been known to get the charge cancelled.

    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]
    [/FONT]

    [/FONT]
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
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