Parking Charge notice for a Free Baby and Mummy space

Adam2050

Oswestry Sainsburys Euro Car Park has issued a parking fine/invoice of the usual £70 reduced to £40 within the usual quick scheme motives.

The 'wife' has been parking there for years and during covid apparently the rules got even further lapsed (To which no one needed to pay apparently).
The parking spaces are free for 2 hours, shes 20 seconds shy of this time, as shown by the photos. (Only mother and child ones)
Unfortunately we believe she forgot to enter her car registration into the system. But parked in the correct 'FREE' bays.
How would I attack this ticket if I have a leg to stand on at all.
As there is no chain of purchase either from the store or from the machines present, is there any precedent to fight this.
Thanks for your time.
Apologise if I have lapsed any suggestions from the *newbie* threads.

Coupon-mad

Try Plan A in the NEWBIES thread first and let us know how you get on.

Adam2050

Twitter massive have ignored it; I've emailed all I can to see if I don't have to go rushing to instore straight away.
Getting through directly on the phones is a minefield, I've not successfully past the useful bot that stops people actually getting through to a human.

Adam2050

Also what happens if I elapse the time of the 5/5 to reply or complain? When should I move to another stage. If the replies don't go my way?
Thanks and sorry I don't see an edit button.

Fruitcake

Newbies to MSE can't edit until they have been here a certain length of time and made a certain number of posts. It seems to vary, so you won't be able to edit for a while. When you can, a cog-like icon should appear in the top right corner of your posts.

Complain to the store manager and/or the CEO of Sainsburys. Include copies of receipts/redacted bank/card statements/Nectar card number.

If it isn't cancelled then appeal to the PPC before the appeal deadline using the template in blue text from the NEWBIES. Send it unedited, from The Keeper.

Adam2050

Help on here's exceptional btw. Have done but no receipts were purchased on site for parking and no receipts were kept from purchases in store as it was shopping stuff and cash in hand. It's one of those cases.

Umkomaas

Use past cheque/cc statements to prove regular patronage of that store (or any of their other branches). Show those to the manager. 

Just Google-looked - remind him/her that the new Morrisons at the edge-of-town store is dying for your custom .... and there doesn't appear to be any desire to have a predator looking to prey on its customers, taking valuable money from the economy and, ergo, from Sainsbury's tills. Economics of the lunatic asylum!

Adam2050

Umkomaas said:

Use past cheque/cc statements to prove regular patronage of that store (or any of their other branches). Show those to the manager. 

Just Google-looked - remind him/her that the new Morrisons at the edge-of-town store is dying for your custom .... and there doesn't appear to be any desire to have a predator looking to prey on its customers, taking valuable money from the economy and, ergo, from Sainsbury's tills. Economics of the lunatic asylum!

"Thanks for your email which has been received into the Executive Office, I have been asked to look into your complaint and respond on behalf of Sainsbury's.  

   

Whilst I can appreciate your frustration in regard to the parking charge notice you have received, I apologise that as this is issued by a third party, and not by Sainsbury’s directly, I am unable to offer any assistance in regard to this matter.  

   

Should you wish to dispute the notice you have received may I kindly refer you to the company that have issued the parking charge notice in order to do so.  

   

Whilst I appreciate this may not be the response you were expecting, and would like to apologise for any disappointment, I trust this makes our position clear.  

   

I have spoken to the store and they have informed me that they have never had an offer in place for free parent and child parking spaces. 

 

Once again, I apologise for the inconvenience and distress this matter has caused. "

Apparently there's never been free parking....
Lost here, and they clearly are wiping there hands of my trade, not even sure how to respond to that.
Currently asking other Oswestry patreons to help out.

Fruitcake

Start shopping at Morrison's; get friends and family to do the same, then send a bunch of M's receipts to the CEO of Sainsbugs.

Adam2050

Fruitcake said:

Start shopping at Morrison's; get friends and family to do the same, then send a bunch of M's receipts to the CEO of Sainsbugs.

I like your style  
Is there any point of me trying to fight this one? Via the prove driver method?

Umkomaas

Adam2050 said:

Fruitcake said:

Start shopping at Morrison's; get friends and family to do the same, then send a bunch of M's receipts to the CEO of Sainsbugs.

I like your style  
Is there any point of me trying to fight this one? Via the prove driver method?

You need to go through the phases. Unless Sainsburys cancel (and they can, what they are telling you are lies - they contracted ECP, no one else) there's no quick fix to this, short of a cheque!

'Prove the driver' is only a possibility if ECP have failed to meet the requirements of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (Schedule 4).  From memory, I think their paperwork now meets those requirements - but do check it out for yourself to be certain. 

https://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/keeper-liability/

So, now follow this advice given by @Fruitcake in his advice to you yesterday evening. 

If it isn't cancelled then appeal to the PPC before the appeal deadline using the template in blue text from the NEWBIES. Send it unedited, from The Keeper.

You only ever have to pay this charge if a Judge instructs you to, and as ECP are pretty benign on the litigation front, it looks like you're not going to be paying them after all. 🤓

Just a small caveat, just so you know - they have six years to commence court proceedings and their attitude to litigation might change at any time.