ParkingEye - overstaying in LIDL carpark

D_P_Dance

90 minutes sounds fair.

So does two hours.

hullensien

@Le_Kirk - i was going more down the discrimination line - they have cancelled a similar PCN with a longer stay so why not mine

@D_P_Dance - it wasn’t in my constituency unfortunately

D_P_Dance

The location is immaterial, you complain to YOUR MP

patient_dream

maisie_cat said:

patient_dream said:

As said above .... Lidl have a problem, they don't connect to the fact that customers spend money instore and the cowboy parking companies they employ keep all the scam money ???

Is the CEO of Lidl that stupid ??

Actually getting the balance right between annoying customers because they cannot park and allowing a bit of freedom but not allowing people to take the pee is difficult and 90 minutes sounds fair.

90 mins maybe ok in off peak times when there are plenty of car spaces and that makes the 90 mins somewhat futile and just another money grabbing wheeze ?

In peak time when workers leave their employer for the day, it should be a min of 2 hours because when Lidl and Aldi get busy, big queues build up at check out.

In this case, Lidl fail to take this into account

Coupon-mad

Thing is, unless there is money in it for the parking firm the Supermarkets won't get a parking firm at all.

Many consumers suspect that ANPR firms bamboozle the suits at the top supermarkets with a wad of online graphs, pie charts and 'rich data' about 'footfall' and have far too much influence over the free parking time set.

It should be Lidl and other supermarkets dictating it and saying "we don't want our customers penalised so we want 2 hours free parking, please".

But it never will be, because the supermarkets are used to getting this bullyboy service free of charge

Unless they pay a parking firm an honest rate as a contractor and tell them NOT to issue PCNs except if unavoidable, they are going to be misled about the actual fair free stay period.

A PPC wants to issue as many PCNs as possible.  And the supermarkets swallow it hook, line and sinker because it's 'free'.

hullensien

So I followed Plan A after I had initiated plan B

Complained - not appealed - to LIDL customer mainly focussing on my brand loyalty, and anger at being charged £90 for an 18 second overstay and that £5 per second was very steep at any stretch of the imagination- i stressed they had the right to cancel as landowner

the response:

Re: Parking Charge Notice Thanks for getting in touch. I was very sorry to learn that you received a parking charge. I appreciate this must be frustrating for you. In order to ensure our customers are able to park without waiting for a space we have Car Park Management in place with time restrictions on length of stay. You can appeal the parking charge you have received. This appeal would need to be placed in writing by yourself. Doing so allows you to retain your right to formally appeal any decisions made. Details of the appeals procedure can be found on the reverse of the Parking Charge Notice you received. When raising your appeal please include the following information:     Parking Charge Notice Number     Vehicle Registration Number To further support your appeal please attach / enclose any of the applicable following documents:     Lidl store receipt or proof of shopping with us     Disabled badge holder evidence     Further documentation which may support your case The Car Park Management Company will then conduct your appeal and communicate the outcome to you directly in writing. We hope that your appeal is brought to a speedy conclusion. Thank you for contacting us.

Yours sincerely, For and on behalf of Lidl Great Britain Limited I responded  - I asked why it was necessary to supply disabled badge evidence as ANPR did not monitor such contraventions and where they discriminating against me because I wasn’t disabled the response: Re: Parking Charge Notice Thank you for your recent email and for taking the time to contact our CEO. I have been asked to respond on his behalf. I appreciate this is a very upsetting matter and I am so sorry that you were unhappy with our previous response. We are unable to make an appeal on your behalf. This is because all appeals need to be placed in writing directly by the appellant. Doing so allows you to retain your right to formally appeal any decisions made by the car park management company. A reminder that details of the appeals procedure can be found on the reverse of the Parking Charge Notice you received. Thank you again for contacting us. Yours sincerely, For and on behalf of Lidl Great Britain Limited I responded again - told them I was disgusted with their contemptuous behaviour, reminded them it was an appeal, not a complaint, and to consult the parkingEye operator manual for the cancellation procedure The response: Re: Parking Charge Notice Thank you for request to be contacted by our CEO. Unfortunately our CEO doesn't response directly to any of our customer's. However, as part of the Customer Service Management Team I have been asked to reply on his behalf. As we have advised previously we are unable to appeal or cancel any parking charged and this needs to be done through our car park management company. They oversee all our car parks now and deal with all parking enquiries/appeals/cancellations on our behalf. We hope that your appeal is brought to a speedy conclusion. Thank you for contacting us. Yours sincerely, For and on behalf of Lidl Great Britain Limited I responded again, re-iterated all previous points. I added that I was aware they had instructed Athena to cancel an overstay of 12 minutes at the Eastleigh LIDL. I ask them why I was being discriminated against. I also asked them to make sure the CEO dealt with this as he was included in the circulation The response: Re: Parking Charge Notice Thank you for your recent email. I appreciate this is a very upsetting matter and I am so sorry that you were unhappy with our previous response. As previously advised, we cannot cancel car parking charges. This is because all appeals need to be placed in writing directly by the appellant. Doing so allows you to retain your right to formally appeal any decisions made by the car park management company. As you have now appealed the ticket with the car parking company directly they will deal with this. I have your registered your comments as a complaint. Thank you again for contacting us. Yours sincerely, For and on behalf of Lidl Great Britain Limited Ive not “named names” but all 4 emails from a different author I appear to be banging my head against a brick wall any suggestions on the next step? thanks

Coupon-mad

I'd reply and ask if they've lost the User Manual, the standard ParkingEye one that other major retail clients including Aldi, Asda and Morrisons have, that provides a dedicated email address that enables the Store Managers and Head office staff at those supermarkets to cancel every time a genuine customer is stung by ParkingEye?

Or did they actually sign a contract that offers less protection to Lidl customers than those rival retailers enjoy, and if so, why did they think it a good idea to sign a contract that has no customer cancellation clause?

Would they rather people shop at Morrisons, Aldi or Asda?

What did they think was good about a contract that looks like it's free?  Did no-one at Head officer stop to think maybe if something seems too good to be true, it probably is?

It is these supposedly 'free' parking contracts using ANPR that lose them business because parking firms are then incentivised to issue as many PCNs as possible to customers or they make no money.

Did no-one stop to wonder about the damage to custom and the fact there is zero incentive for the parking firm to cancel ANY on appeal?

Did no-one smell a rat when the 'ANPR rich data' blather that these firms churn out to look impressive, presumably came out with figures that may have suggested (as ANPR firms often do) that 'footfall will be greater at x, y and z stores, if you squeeze the free parking time to less than it was'.   Did no-one even think what possible reason could really lie behind an ANPR firm wanting to operate for free and encourage less free parking time?

The word of mouth and online social media and similar posting damage from victim customers is at far higher cost.  Word will soon spread that Lidl have signed a contract with no protection for genuine patrons and will no longer assist customers against their contractor parking firm.  Instead, it is apparent that Lidl are content (because they actually believe this contract is 'free') to let the tail wag the dog, at huge cost to them and their ex customers.

By the way you cannot have a PCN for being a minute or two over, that's not possible.

Le_Kirk

Dear Lidl, shame you have now lost the opportunity to keep me (not to mention my friends and family) as loyal customers.  Other supermarkets are available. Good-bye!

Redx

And remind them that they are jointly and severally liable for the actions of their contractors which could be brought up in court in a counter claim for breaching the Equality Act 2010. , That they should seek proper legal advice because it's clear that they are not aware of their legal responsibilities

tboo

So Lidl is aware of your appeal, they stated you need to show your shopping receipt.

Did you give PE a copy of the receipt?

If so, they would cancel now surely? Unless she only spent a nominal amount, considering she admits to going walkabout after.

Is the car registered to you or your partner?