Lidl Athena Parking return within 2 hours

John464

Sorry to start a new thread but can’t find anything that covers this.

My mate went to Lidl for shopping, but didn’t get all I wanted.  So I went back in the same car, turned into the entrance road, then saw the parking signs and realised there may be a restriction on the same car returning within 2 hours.  So I turned around in the entrance road and parked on the road nearby.  I didn’t get as far as the parking area, and was there less than 2 minutes. But when I looked where I had turned round I saw the car would have passed under the ANPR cameras in the entrance road – their ANPR Cameras get you before you see the parking restriction signs, so the registration number would have been recorded returning and leaving the park in less than 2 hours. (Or if they compare the entry on the first visit with the exit on the second visit it would look like a stay of over 2 hours.)

This appears to be in contravention of the conditions of the Athena parking conditions posted on the boards in the car park.  So can Lidl or Athena charge us for this?

John464

sorry can't seem to edit the message to correct it.  I should have said the same car will have been recorded exiting and returning in less than 2 hours

Redx

If you have a PCN as a keeper , just appeal it using the blue text template from the newbies FAQ sticky thread near the top of the forum, no blabbing about who was driving

If this was a PCN for one long visit but 2 shorter visits were made , it's known as double dipping so add a a paragraph stating that

The driver  (or two separate drivers) made 2 short visits that day

But ideally , you use the first and best option of complaining by email direct to the CEO at Lidl and insisting on the PCN being cancelled , with proof of patronage

All the above can be found in numerous threads on here

Ps, of course they can charge you , it's just an invoice , anyone can issue an invoice against another person in the UK

Fruitcake

Athena may well send a PCN, but having read the sticky thread for NEWBIES you will know what to do. 

Since this was two drivers no breach of Ts and Cs has occurred. If the keeper gets a PCN then they complain to the store manager and CEO, and appeal using the template in blue from post 1 of the NEWBIES, with a one liner saying there were two drivers and no breach occurred.  If payment was made by card, include copies of receipts from both drivers.

A complain should also be made to the DVLA that since there was no breach, the scammers had no business obtaining keeper details. This is therefore a DPA/GDPR breach as well as a KADOE contract breach.

They should also complain to their MP about this unregulated scam.

Normally we advise posters not to identify the driver, but in this case it actually strengthens the keeper's case.

You can edit posts by clicking on the cog-like icon in the top right corner of each post. It becomes invisible after the first edit, but is actually still there. 

Come back here if the keeper gets a PCN but Lidl can't/won't cancel it.

Le_Kirk

Perfect, it is the best example of why the "no return within............." is useless. Normally we say "how do they know it was the same person?"  and you've just given a perfect example of the same car but two different customers.  This needs pointing out to Lidl when you complain as advised above.

beamerguy

A letter to the MD explaining this nonsense and that as a customer, returning to spend more money, it would appear that Lidl has become far too expensive  to use

LIDL UK
Mr Christian Härtnagel	Managing Director
Email	dispute.resolution@lidl.co.uk

John464

Thanks for the replies
Can I ask how long would it take them to get my details from DVLA and contact me?
Would it be recorded delivery or similar to prove they have contacted me?

in_my_wellies

The same situation happened to my mother. She returned with her receipts and spoke to the manager and he was able to cancel the ticket immediately. 

Redx

Athena have 7 months to obtain keeper details from the DVLA, for a small fee

if ATHENA wish to use POFA against a keeper the pcn NTK has to arrive by day 15 following the incident

the keeper then complains to the CEO direct, as keeper , to complain LOUDLY and strongly

a complaint to the local manager MAY produce the cancellation

first class post is normally used, they only have to prove posting it , not delivery

Coupon-mad

So can Lidl or Athena charge us for this?

No-one pays them!  Who cares if they think they can.  If it happens, the CEO of Lidl will cancel it.

Umkomaas

Complaints to Christian Haertnagel MD (not to Customer Services) have never failed in achieving a cancellation. Get emailing!