Wish I'd come here first......

Elmer_BeFuddled

Recently (June) pulled into the Lido car park in Cheltenham at 10:15 next to Cheltenham General Hospital for my 10:30 appointment in the Oncology unit.

Read the sign (just about!) from parking eye so phoned them up. After 10 mins of pushing buttons and listening about their marvelous app 3 times I hung up and said to my beloved "You phone as I've got 5 minutes to get to my appointment now".

Went into Oncology, had my lengthy consultation with Oncologist, gave a blood test and walked out. Bumped into beloved on walking out, got in car and left.
Beloved says "Tried 3 times at 20 minutes plus a call after listening about their marvelous app 3 times a call. 1st call said reg of car was wrong. 2nd call said card number wrong. 3rd call said security number on card was wrong, each call cut me off, so I gave up".
Anyway drove off (I don't drive btw, but car is in my name). Few days later I get a letter through the post to tell me I'd won a prize of giving parking eye £60 or £100. My choice.
I waited until the death and took the £60 option but in hindsight I really wish I'd discovered this sub forum on MSE first before paying up, even if I had to pay up.

Lessons learnt:-
Check here first
Cover number plate(s) next time!

Fruitcake

There is nothing you can do once you have paid the scamvoice. Expensive lesson learned.

What happened when you complained to the landowner?

Have you complained to your MP yet about this unregulated scam?

Please come back to this forum in a week or two as the new mandatory parking code of practice will be available for public comment. We need as many people as possible to do this.

beamerguy

Shame, that is why PE are known as cowboys. Bonnie and Clyde were tame compared with them

DoaM

Was there any other payment method available? If not then this would be a classic case of "frustration of contract" - the consumer tried to pay but the company's payment mechanism failed.

Elmer_BeFuddled

DoaM said:

Was there any other payment method available? If not then this would be a classic case of "frustration of contract" - the consumer tried to pay but the company's payment mechanism failed.

There was a coin machine but because of covid, and my health issues (severely impacted immune system levels), I've stopped carrying cash for now. In fact I've a £10 note I've had for 5 months somewhere in the bedroom!

Elmer_BeFuddled

Fruitcake said:

Have you complained to your MP yet about this unregulated scam?

Is there a sort of generic letter template on here I can use?

Ralph-y

just tell him /her  your story ...

Ralph

Fruitcake

There are no templates for complaints to MPs. As above, tell your story. Covid, high risk, payment system not fit for purpose, no concessions to avoid risk of infection due to contaminated cash/pay machines, unregulated scam (MP's own words in open parliament).

Do complain to the landowner as well.

Coupon-mad

You don't seem to realise that ParkingEye WILL consider a complaint/appeal after paying...especially if you do not use a template!  They are a rare PPC that does consider appeals after paying, particularly when on Hospital land where people are vulnerable.

Email:

info@parkingeye.co.uk

and copy in the NHS Trust complaints Department and PALS (Google it)

With the PCN number xxxxxx/xxxxxx in the sibject line, obvs.

Tell them what happened, attach proof of your oncology appointment and say how disappointed you are that the NHS Trust allows people to be penalised and ignores the NHS Car Parking Principles that are meant to protect people who have to attend oncology appointments and the like.

Finish by saying you only paid under protest to avoid paying £100 (which is extortionate) and you require ParkingEye to refer this complaint/appeal to the NHS Trust and consider refunding you, and can take the tariff off the £60 in order to resolve the matter.  And can your VRM please be added to an exempt list as you believe these appointments are regular enough that you meet the need to have free parking and should be on the exempt list.

Umkomaas

You could add a further point to your letter that you thought that you might have been dealing with a much more predatory PPC than PE - in the shape of UKPC who have a dreadful reputation for targeting cancer patients at hospitals. 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2709056/NHS-hospitals-patients-hit-cowboy-parking-wardens.html