Parking Eye "Parking Charge Notice"

Semilanceata

We parked in a city multi-storey car park a couple of weeks back.

Upon exit we tried to pay for the car park with the pay machine, it was one that asks you to enter your numberplate. Entered the Reg no, and it just said "Vehicle not found" or something along those lines, and wouldn't let us pay.
So we just left it.
We didn't come in the correct entrance, figured that might be why the system hadn't picked it up.


Now I've had a "Parking Charge Notice" through the post, demanding £70. (Or reduced to 35 if paid within "14 days", except they've only just sent me the letter, which actually only leaves me a couple of days at that rate -_- )


I'm fine with paying what we were prepared to pay in the first place (the actual cost of parking), but,
If I try to use their appeals process, will they just automatically reject it?

I don't really want to pay them 35 or 70, when the price of parking was about a fiver.

Before anyone says,
I *have* read the newbies thread, I couldn't find anything that relates to this exact situation or how to proceed and that's why I've made this thread, any help will be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Coupon-mad

Oooh, show us a redacted copy of the front and back, if the discounted rate is £35 not £40.  I want to see one if it's 50% discount.  A first.

KeithP

The keeper should appeal using the blue text template easily found in the opening post of the NEWBIES thread.

Send it unchanged - no additions or alterations needed.

It relates exactly to your situation.  

Semilanceata

The template:

"Re PCN number:

I dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle. I deny any liability or contractual agreement and I will be making a complaint about your predatory conduct to your client landowner.

There will be no admissions as to who was driving and no assumptions can be drawn. Since your PCN is a vague template, I require an explanation of the allegation and your evidence. You must include a close up actual photograph of the sign you contend was at the location on the material date as well as your images of the vehicle.

If the allegation concerns a PDT machine, the data supplied in response to this appeal must include the record of payments made - showing partial VRNs - and an explanation of the reason for the PCN, because your Notice does not explain it.

If the allegation involves an alleged overstay of minutes, your evidence must include the actual grace period agreed by the landowner."


The thing is, there WERE signs in the car park stating you have to pay. And they HAVE sent images of the vehicle.
So I don't see how this would help.


There is a number on the letter for customer services. If I phoned and explained the situation and that the machine would not accept payment, would they be likely to just allow me to pay the actual price for parking?

Semilanceata

..........

Coupon-mad

The thing is, there WERE signs in the car park stating you have to pay. And they HAVE sent images of the vehicle.
So I don't see how this would help.

It's a stepping stone to POPLA.  You can write your own appeal if you prefer, and can admit to driving, given that is a POFA Notice and they can hold the keeper liable anyway.  Up to you, makes no difference.

There is a number on the letter for customer services. If I phoned and explained the situation and that the machine would not accept payment, would they be likely to just allow me to pay the actual price for parking?

No.  But it might be interesting to try, but pretend you are actually in the car park (now, whilst on the call) and ask what to do (and have it on loudspeaker - tell them you can't quite hear as it's noisy in the car park - and record it on another phone).  Might be useful to hear and record what they actually say to people asking for help. 

And you can try a complaint to PALS of course, as the NEWBIES thread tells you in the section about 'Successful complaints'.  That is always PLAN A, before any appeal.

Have they still got covered machines (see below) confusing people that the system is out of order?  Can you get photos?

I think this is what we'd call a cash-cow site for ParkingEye.  I see this notorious place has been set up with a 50% discount for quite a few years:

https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/nurse-hammered-350-car-park-15059850

It could be concluded that they catch so many drivers out with this system, that they can 'afford to make the *fine* affordable', so that a higher percentage of people pay to make it go away and don't see it as worth fighting, not they are admitting to fault.  

See also here:

https://legalbeagles.info/forums/forum/legal-forums/motoring-parking/1451545-grafton-street-car-park

"Parking Eye are deliberately misleading 1st time visitors to Grafton St. hospital car park in order to impose fines. I have learned it has been over a year since they changed to a ticketless payment system .

Yet, the obsolete Entry Ticket machines remain in place covered in polythene as though out of order. (I have images taken 11/2/2019)

'Pay on Exit' and 'Have You Paid?'' signs are clearly visible. 
But you would still need a ticket to get in and out!
(Why would you even look at them when the Entry Ticket Machines are clearly out of order?)

I saw people paying at the machines and was totally confused! I asked how they were paying without a ticket?
Clearly regular users, they told me it as a common misconception yet Parking Eye continue to leave the obsolete machines in place and covered over."

Here is a case on pepipoo where the NHS actually paid ParkingEye to refund a PCN:

http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=119964

Try a complaint to PALS, like that person did.

Castle

There's a VRM left showing at the top of the second page under "Parking Charge Information".

D_P_Dance

I *have* read the newbies thread, I couldn't find anything that relates to this exact situation 

Most PCNs are similar to each other, exactitude id unnecessary.

Pe's sogns are pants, read this and complain to your MP.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5972164/parking-eye-signs-oxford-road-reading/p1

PE'S SIGNS ARE PANTS,

Semilanceata

Castle said:

There's a VRM left showing at the top of the second page under "Parking Charge Information".

Haha, nice one. Didn't really check the back because it looked like a generic page.