PCN from MET parking - double dip in courtesy car

MikiRang

Hi everyone - been reading a few posts on here but cannot find one to fit my circumstances. This happened in our local McDonald’s drive thru - I now have the email address of the branch but haven’t yet reached out to request their help in cancelling this.

Received a PCN from MET in the post claiming a courtesy vehicle which my partner had was parked in the car park and exceeded the maximum stay. Was a £60 charge now £100 as we didn’t see the letter.

From looking online I know this is a double dip - the courtesy vehicle drove in to the drive thru but left after 5mins as the queue was long. Went to a hospital appointment in that time (in my name) and the vehicle was parked in hospital car park - over 30 days ago so no cctv footage there unfortunately. 

Have also checked both our phones for location data but this must’ve been switched off as there is no historic data. 

Following hospital visit, drove back to the McDonald’s and purchased a meal which we have a digital receipt for. 

My question is will a signed statement of truth about the vehicle being with me for my hospital appointment + proof of hospital appointment (if necessary) be enough?

This was a courtesy car from BMW who I assume had received the PCN first and then identified someone else as the person with the car on the date. 

Have already gone back to MET once explaining it must’ve been a mistake (I know now we shouldn’t have made any identification of the driver but stupidly thought this would be simple for them to find the courtesy car entering and exiting twice) but they have of course claimed they only have one capture of each. We have 14 days to provide evidence/respond. 

Any help much appreciated !

Le_Kirk

Plan A, which you have found in the NEWBIE sticky is a complaint to the landowner/holder/retail establishment.  Go after them and demand that they cancel this PCN due to the well-known failure of ANPR systems in car parks.  If they give you any nonsense, tell them to ask their PPC for the orphan images (use that term) which will show the car leaving after 5 minutes and returning later.

MikiRang

@Le_Kirk thank you! So I can email McDonald’s asking they get it cancelled? Just so I know what does PPC mean? I will get on that today . 

Half_way

Is this a MC Donald's operated site, or a MC Donald's franchise?
PPC : private parking company

MikiRang

@Half_way I’m not sure - is there an easy way to tell or shall I just ask via the email address I have? 

B789

@MikiRang, you need to read and re-read the Newbies/FAQ thread near the top of this forum. Please use it as a reference that you return to whenever you have a question as almost all the questions asked here are already answered in that thread. Also in that thread is a list of abbreviations used.

MikiRang

@B789 hi sorry I’m new to
this site - how can I find the thread?

Le_Kirk

MikiRang said:

@Le_Kirk thank you! So I can email McDonald’s asking they get it cancelled? Just so I know what does PPC mean? I will get on that today . 

All the acronyms used in the forum are available in the NEWBIE sticky, which you say you cannot find, it is on the  front page of the forum just below where you clicked on "Start Discussion". It is cunningly entitled NEWBIES please read these first.

MikiRang said:
@B789 hi sorry I’m new to this site - how can I find the thread?