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Excel Parking Charge Notice (Iceland)

Hi, I am sorry to say I have received another letter from a company acting on behalf of the landlord.  I can see in the bottom left they have warned of transfer of liability.  Also, they appear to be well within the dates permitted to serve the notice.  Two things, I do not know the driver, and secondly, the ANPR is absolutely woeful, it must have been dark because you cannot see anything whatsoever, bar the number plate which although I have redacted it, is very clear.

Is there anything I can do?  I think I need to appeal by tomorrow.  I appreciate your help, and I've attached a photo of the letter received.
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Comments

  • nosferatu1001
    nosferatu1001 Posts: 12,961 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    If they meet POFA then there is no worry about knowiung the driver - they can chase you as keeper anyway
    So why is a shop allowing 0 minutes?!
  • Redx
    Redx Posts: 38,084 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 February 2021 at 9:43AM
    Plan A is your best option , read the Newbies FAQ sticky thread

    Anpr photos are not passport quality , the idea is to grab that VRM data , no matter what the time of day , so it's either your vehicle , or it's not , misreads can and do occur

    POFA compliance would make it your problem if they complied with POFA , regardless of who was driving

    Hence plan A if you want it to go away , because appealing will probably be rejected , one or both , appeals rarely succeed

    The IPC CoP mentions grace periods etc but that won't help for over 40 minutes on site
  • D_P_Dance
    D_P_Dance Posts: 11,592 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Please read the newbies and complain to your MP.
    You never know how far you can go until you go too far.
  • Is this one of those car parks where you buy a ticket and get the parking refunded against a purchase in the store?

    Nolite te bast--des carborundorum.
  • Snakes_Belly
    Snakes_Belly Posts: 3,725 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 24 February 2021 at 10:15AM
    Is this one of those car parks where you buy a ticket and get the parking refunded against a purchase in the store?
    The tariff is refundable on purchase. Has the driver still got the receipt from Iceland or the transaction on the bank or credit card statement? 

    It's round the back of Iceland. Haven't studied the signage yet but it appears to be in grey which is unusual for Excel. It does have their logo.

    Maybe people were queuing to enter the store. It would be during lockdown and they may have only been letting so many in the store at once. 

    Nolite te bast--des carborundorum.
  • Snakes_Belly
    Snakes_Belly Posts: 3,725 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 24 February 2021 at 10:49AM
    https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5795597,-0.3330012,3a,75y,301.33h,100.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sFTVapXkrfKpJLkpj3-zzMg!2e0!7i1

    Entry signage is grey and could be easily missed especially at night. I think that Excel will struggle to say that a contract is formed by this entry sign. It could easily be missed. Also if you can find a bank statement with a transaction or a receipt there is no loss because the tariff is refundable at the till. 

    Try Plan A first though as it will save you a lot of time and will avoid court action.   

    I don't know whether that yellow marked off area is for loading the delivery vans in which case it could block the sign near the entrance to the store.  It would be dark at the time of the contravention and the signs are grey.  


    Nolite te bast--des carborundorum.
  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 44,041 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    The PoFA warning is not of the required standard. Please compare it word for word with PoFA para 9(2)(f). Learn the difference between 'issued' and 'given' because if you are to rely on 'no keeper liability' as one of your defence points, you may have to explain it in detail to a Judge, there aren't many who are fully au fait with the details of PoFA from what we've seen. 
    secondly, the ANPR is absolutely woeful, it must have been dark because you cannot see anything whatsoever, bar the number plate which although I have redacted it, is very clear.
    To the contrary, I would say that the ANPR has done exactly what it said on the tin when Excel purchased it. NPR = number plate recognition. It has done that perfectly. It is not 'vehicle recognition', nor is it 'facial recognition', that's why you see precious little of anything else when ANPR photos are taken in the dark - and 'in the dark' is the clue for you to turn your attention away from the cameras and to the signs. 

    If it was dark at the time of entering the car park, were the signs around the car park individually illuminated?  Do you have your own photos of them, taken in similar light conditions, without the use of flash, so you have images for your evidence as near as possible to how they and their details might have been visible to the driver on the day?
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    #Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
  • Fruitcake
    Fruitcake Posts: 59,524 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 24 February 2021 at 2:10PM
    If they meet POFA then there is no worry about knowiung the driver - they can chase you as keeper anyway
    So why is a shop allowing 0 minutes?!

    Normally we see an allowed parking period of zero when the shop etcetera is shut, meaning there is no permitted parking except during shop opening times.

    This may not be the case here, but we need the OP to explain what the driver was doing there, and whether Iceland was open at the time.


    I married my cousin. I had to...
    I don't have a sister. :D
    All my screwdrivers are cordless.
    "You're Safety Is My Primary Concern Dear" - Laks
  • Snakes_Belly
    Snakes_Belly Posts: 3,725 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 24 February 2021 at 2:23PM
    Fruitcake said:
    If they meet POFA then there is no worry about knowiung the driver - they can chase you as keeper anyway
    So why is a shop allowing 0 minutes?!

    Normally we see an allowed parking period of zero when the shop etcetera is shut, meaning there is no permitted parking except during shop opening times.

    This may not be the case here, but we need the OP to explain what the driver was doing there, and whether Iceland was open at the time.


    There is a barrier at the entrance. 

    The store would be open at the time the driver left the car park. The length of time does correspond with the amount of time generally spent in Iceland. Would have been dark and possibly snowing.

    Nolite te bast--des carborundorum.
  • Umkomaas
    Umkomaas Posts: 44,041 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Would have been dark
    Click, click, snap snap!
    Please note, we are not a legal advice forum. I personally don't get involved in critiquing court case Defences/Witness Statements, so unable to help on that front. Please don't ask. .

    I provide only my personal opinion, it is not a legal opinion, it is simply a personal one. I am not a lawyer.

    Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; show him how to catch fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.

    #Private Parking Firms - Killing the High Street
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