Private Parking Charge- overstaying in Supermarket car park during Covid-19 lockdown/social distance

kh904

Hi all,
I hope you are keeping safe & well.
My 66 year old father received a private parking charge notice (from Euro Car Parks) for overstaying at a M&S Food store by 30 min (1 hour free parking, stayed 1.5 hours).
This was due to the social distancing measures in place meaning customers queuing up and waiting just to be ushered into the store! Not really realistic to wait in the queue, do the shopping and queue to pay, pack the shopping in the car and leave in 60 minutes!
Anyway, the ticket was appeal with Euro Car Parks and no surprise that have just rejected the appeal.

Is it worth appealing with POPLA? What do you think the chances of winning the appeal?The 50% discount would be lost if appealled but I can't help think this is an genuine reason to fight the charge due to exceptional circumstances.
I'm sure there must be many other shoppers facing similar situations?

Many thanks

Coupon-mad

Is it worth appealing with POPLA? 

Yes/no, not yet!
As per the NEWBIES thread advice as to 'PLAN A' against these scams, what happened when he/you complained to M&S and got them to cancel it, as they can?

POPLA is NOT done until that is tried.  POPLA codes last 30+ days.

What do you think the chances of winning the appeal?The 50% discount would be lost if appealled but I can't help think this is an genuine reason to fight the charge due to exceptional circumstances.

You do realise these PCNs are ALWAYS  scam and are never to be paid, and that the retailers can cancel them?  Never mind exceptional circs, we do hope your family wouldn't actually PAY a private parking charge, ever?

POPLA chances are mixed but no-one here pays ECP even if they lose.

kh904

My father hasn't tried to complain to M&S.
I would guess it would be too late for M&S to do anything and get ECP to cancel the ticket now?
It was only appealled with ECP (which they rejected), so POPLA was going to be the next step

Coupon-mad

I would guess it would be too late for M&S to do anything and get ECP to cancel the ticket now?

You guess wrong.

Even though the SUCCESSFUL COMPLAINTS thread, the first link in the NEWBIES thread, says it is never too late and people have had these cancelled months and years later?  I just got someone who contacted me, to email and complain to a retail park about 2016 PCNs last month, and they fell over themselves to apologise and cancel them!

POPLA is NOT the next step and you missed PLAN A.  Rectify that!

Redx

Nope , the next step is complaining about it to m and s , that is the priority , it's their fault for introducing new queues without altering the parking rules to accommodate it , popla won't care about it

The popla appeal goes in around day 30 following the rejection , not before

He is only slightly older than me , my indignant reaction would have been to complain asap to m and s , not appealing to Ecp (was this m and s in Prestwich ?) , So don't tell me it's an age thing , it isn't

So his priority is the strong complaint to m and s , he must be insistent , complain strongly , they MUST cancel

D_P_Dance

The mind boggles at the stupidity of these companies.  Can you imagine what a judge would say if they tried court.  Perhaps the Daily Mail would be interested in publishing this, they love bashing these parasites.

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 in some cases, cancellation.

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 enacted

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

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

 

kh904

Redx said:

Nope , the next step is complaining about it to m and s , that is the priority , it's their fault for introducing new queues without altering the parking rules to accommodate it , popla won't care about it

The popla appeal goes in around day 30 following the rejection , not before

He is only slightly older than me , my indignant reaction would have been to complain asap to m and s , not appealing to Ecp (was this m and s in Prestwich ?) , So don't tell me it's an age thing , it isn't

So his priority is the strong complaint to m and s , he must be insistent , complain strongly , they MUST cancel

Hi Redx,
No it was M&S in SE London.
I would guess my father should contact the local M&S to argue it or contact main head office?
Is it best to send them an e-mail (for recorded proof to say they will cancel it)? Don't really want to argue it in person, they agree it should be cancelled but there is no proof and they don't bother cancelling!

Ralph-y

Email .... local shop manager .... not customer services ... and or head office CEO

I do not know why you are worrying about this all most all of the supermarkets cancel when asked..... was it a stand alone M&S or a retail/mini M&S

Ralph

Coupon-mad

You will get proof because you can check by logging (VRN plus PCN numbers) into ParkingEye's system to view the status of the PCN, a few days after the M&S Manager promises to cancel it. 

Always works, but if not, then complain to M&S Head Office about the Manager failing to cancel an unfair PCN even though you know M&S can cancel these and that you KNOW that they have a ParkingEye User Manual with an email to send cancellations to.  All stores do.

Redx

kh904 said:

Redx said:

Nope , the next step is complaining about it to m and s , that is the priority , it's their fault for introducing new queues without altering the parking rules to accommodate it , popla won't care about it

The popla appeal goes in around day 30 following the rejection , not before

He is only slightly older than me , my indignant reaction would have been to complain asap to m and s , not appealing to Ecp (was this m and s in Prestwich ?) , So don't tell me it's an age thing , it isn't

So his priority is the strong complaint to m and s , he must be insistent , complain strongly , they MUST cancel

Hi Redx,
No it was M&S in SE London.
I would guess my father should contact the local M&S to argue it or contact main head office?
Is it best to send them an e-mail (for recorded proof to say they will cancel it)? Don't really want to argue it in person, they agree it should be cancelled but there is no proof and they don't bother cancelling!

Any and all avenue's available is the answer , phone , email , whatever , take it seriously and he makes very strong complaints , preferably in writing (no such thing as recorded)

It's not a case of if or but , get it done !!!! Preferably with a quick call plus emailed complaint , local first , CEO next

Ps , this is ECP but the principles are similar to the parking eye ones above , if you don't ask , you don't get

It should have been obvious that he complains to m and s

It should be obvious to them that covid measures increase time on site

FrankCannon

M&S head office were particularly unhelpful with this case earlier in the year ......

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6100791/sensible-questioning-or-costly-barrack-room-lawyering-which