Smart Parking - no response to appeal

jass2k

Hello,

I was issued a fine by Smart Parking for simply entering and leaving a car park in The Rendevous, Margate.  We were visting for couple days.

I never parked my car there.  I simply drove in, I saw that they charge for disabled parking, then I drove out.

I have appealed their charge explainging that I never parked and asked for more evidence from them.

In three days, I will reach the 14 day appeals time.  They have not replied back to me.  I have not had a response from them at all.

My family is saying just pay the fine as they don't want the fine to increase and the hassle of any bailiffs turning up.

I called the rendesvous in margate, which turned out to be a restaurant, the person who I spoke to said I need to speak to the turner centre who in turn have no idea about who operates the car park.

If anyone can suggest something, please let me know.

thanks

jas

BOWFER

Do you have proof of the appeal, was it on email?
I'd be sending them a chaser email to that one, reminding them the time limit is coming up and asking for a decision.

AdrianC

There is a restaurant in Margate called "The Rendezvous"...
https://g.page/rendezvousmargate

But there is also a car park at the Turner Centre, a short distance away from that restaurant, on a stretch of road called "The Rendezvous"
https://goo.gl/maps/P1W6gD6BigSCV55FA

It is clearly the latter. Ignore the restaurant.

As of July, the Turner car park is clearly signed as you turn off the road as free parking for blue badge holders, with pay and display in other spaces, in another part of the site.
https://goo.gl/maps/GYzD7DcL8iAhR1qC9

jass2k

BOWFER said:

Do you have proof of the appeal, was it on email?
I'd be sending them a chaser email to that one, reminding them the time limit is coming up and asking for a decision.

I sent the appeal online on their website. No reference was given after I submitted it nor did I recieve any email back from them of acknowledgement of the submission of the appeal. 

jass2k

AdrianC said:

There is a restaurant in Margate called "The Rendezvous"...

But there is also a car park at the Turner Centre, a short distance away from that restaurant, on a stretch of road called "The Rendezvous"


It is clearly the latter. Ignore the restaurant.

As of July, the Turner car park is clearly signed as you turn off the road as free parking for blue badge holders, with pay and display in other spaces, in another part of the site.

I called the Turner Centre and spoke to a lady who didn't know anything about parking apart from the fact that they only have limited parking for their facility which is like eight spaces. 

I didn't park the car at all. Just went turned around and came back out.  As there were other cars there it took me around 11 mins to turn the car around and leave. 

They have sent me a photo of the back of the car entering and leaving the car park.

not sure if this is normal for them to think that once a car enters the car park they should be charger straight away. 

Ps I had to remove the links in your post to submit this. 

Ectophile

Are the photos time-stamped?  If they are then it should be reasonably obvious if you parked or not.

jass2k

Ectophile said:

Are the photos time-stamped?  If they are then it should be reasonably obvious if you parked or not.

Yes they are time stamped. However I did not park. I have asked them for more evidence to show where I was parked. There is none because I never parked there. 

AdrianC

jass2k said:

I didn't park the car at all. Just went turned around and came back out.  As there were other cars there it took me around 11 mins to turn the car around and leave. 

<raises eyebrows>

There's your problem, right there. You were on site for more than 10 minutes. They don't charge immediately - they give a grace period, one long enough to allow an in-look-out.

It is simply not credible to say that it took you that long to simply turn the car round.

jass2k

AdrianC said:

jass2k said:

I didn't park the car at all. Just went turned around and came back out.  As there were other cars there it took me around 11 mins to turn the car around and leave. 

<raises eyebrows>

There's your problem, right there. You were on site for more than 10 minutes. They don't charge immediately - they give a grace period, one long enough to allow an in-look-out.

It is simply not credible to say that it took you that long to simply turn the car round.

Hmmmmm

i wasn't aware of this grace period time limit. 

Thank you for your reply. I will just pay it and get rid of it. 

Thanks

scrappy_returns

jass2k said:

AdrianC said:

jass2k said:

I didn't park the car at all. Just went turned around and came back out.  As there were other cars there it took me around 11 mins to turn the car around and leave. 

<raises eyebrows>

There's your problem, right there. You were on site for more than 10 minutes. They don't charge immediately - they give a grace period, one long enough to allow an in-look-out.

It is simply not credible to say that it took you that long to simply turn the car round.

Hmmmmm

i wasn't aware of this grace period time limit. 

Thank you for your reply. I will just pay it and get rid of it. 

Thanks

That is not the answer. They haven't earned your money. They don't deserve your money. Im surprised no one has said try the parking forum and read the sticky threads.

jass2k

 NOTE TO MODS - Can this be moved to the appropriate thread please.


Thank you for your reply.  I maybe have posted this in the wrong section by mistake.

If the general rule of thumb is, Rules are Rules, then I am 54 seconds over the 10mins grace period. Entry Time is 13:43:25 and Exit time is 13:54:19. That is 10 mins and 54 sec (I think I have got that right)

Smart Parking have not replied back to my appeal.  They have not even sent me an acknowledgement that they have recieved my appeal.  I managed to find the BPA website, to which I have complained about their lack of response.

Tomorrow will be 14 days and I don't want this £60 fine to grow to £100.  Especially if they say "rules and rules" and my appeal is rejected.

I will have a read of the othe threads in my break.

thanks