CitiPark and Bay Sentry - Advice needed

borse2008

So i parked in a CitiPark car park next to a hotel and to pay there are no machine but you are asked to pay on the CitiPark app that they have on the signage.  The default amount is £4 up to 2 hours. I arrived at 3pm and exited at 530pm.  I did setup and install the app which will be clear as when you setup your app and enter your reg and select the car park on the app it takes you through a default payment of £4.00 which cannot be adjusted to your preferred stay.  I did check this on the app after payment.  It went through but is a very basic app.  So today ive got the notice to keeper and reminder which ive only just received in the post.  Asking me for £100.  So i have the invoice from the payment of the app, and have emailed the Bay Sentry appeals to describe that due to the app being insufficent you cannot change the amount you want to stay for or is not shown on the app.

Shall i wait now instructions from them or do you recommend something else.  I was happy to pay more but the app just does not let you increase payment or time.
What do you recommend?

KeithP

When did you try the app jiggery-pokery?
Was it when you parked?
If so it might've been prudent to have left the car park when the £4.00 ran out.

That of course is now of no help whatsoever.

borse2008

As I parked up  I went over to the signs to download the app and setup the parking meter on the app but as I said it's a very basic app where it does not let you change the time or length. This would of been seen on CCTV. The problem is as I said. You cannot change the time or know how long is left or even that parking was started. I know I was charged which says up to 2 hrs but I could renew anything on the app. 

borse2008

KeithP said:

When did you try the app jiggery-pokery?
Was it when you parked?
If so it might've been prudent to have left the car park when the £4.00 ran out.

That of course is now of no help whatsoever.

Keith I know people say don't pay and to be honest yes I did overstay 2 hrs but at fault of the app not letting me adjust the time. 

So I have appealed through Bay Sentry because of this. As I said I have the invoice to prove the parking charge for the date. 

Umkomaas

So I have appealed through Bay Sentry because of this. As I said I have the invoice to prove the parking charge for the date. 

That's good, you're shown to be following the procedure to resolve this, should it get to a court stage. But, be aware that next to no private parking cases are ever resolved to the motorists' satisfaction at this stage; unfortunately, I don't see yours being any different. 

But there's continuing help here to get the charge cancelled, however, it won't happen quickly. 

fisherjim

Citi Park are the car park operator and your payment went to them.

Bay Sentry are the parking management company that dish out the PCN's they don't get money from the parking fees.

The app instructions are here:

https://citipark.co.uk/app

There is a chat box that you can chat to them with maybe get some sense, or their contact form is here:

https://citipark.co.uk/contact

They may be able to cancel for you.

Coupon-mad

Seems ambiguous who the parking contract was with; a good defence point for next year if they try a small claim.

This would of been seen on CCTV.

Nope. It wouldn't have.

Parking firms rarely use CCTV except occasionally, to monitor cars, not people.

borse2008

Coupon-mad said:

Seems ambiguous who the parking contract was with; a good defence point for next year if they try a small claim.

This would of been seen on CCTV.

Nope. It wouldn't have.

Parking firms rarely use CCTV except occasionally, to monitor cars, not people.

Thanks for your guidance i think what i want is what happens next typically after appeal or do i just pay the £100? To keep the hassle away but i suppose they have won.

• Send appeal form to company
• wait for them to come back to me with decision
• POPLA code try and appeal this with them about the app for "not being fit for purpose"?

Fruitcake

A PoPLA decision is not binding on the motorist so the advice if you lose at that stage is to ignore everything unless you get a letter of/before claim followed by a court claim.
The only other thing to do in the following six years is to tell the PPC if you move home.

Coupon-mad

You'd have to prove the app does what you say it does.  You could record a video on a second phone, showing what happens when a driver tries to use it.

You'll lose at POPLA anyway - but obviously you don't pay - and will know what happens when after reading the NEWBIES thread more thoroughly.  That's what it's there for.

fisherjim

borse2008 said:

Coupon-mad said:

Seems ambiguous who the parking contract was with; a good defence point for next year if they try a small claim.

This would of been seen on CCTV.

Nope. It wouldn't have.

Parking firms rarely use CCTV except occasionally, to monitor cars, not people.

Thanks for your guidance i think what i want is what happens next typically after appeal or do i just pay the £100? To keep the hassle away but i suppose they have won.

• Send appeal form to company
• wait for them to come back to me with decision
• POPLA code try and appeal this with them about the app for "not being fit for purpose"?

So your not going to follow the advice on here and complain to Citi Park then!