Costa Parking Eye - Costa saying they can't cancel.

realdannys

Just wanted to add a little something here as i'm not getting too many results for Parking Eye at Costa. Our local Costa which is in a rural village and has a car park that is never full after 5-6 years of being open has decided to install Parking Eye. There's literally no where to go other than Costa when you park there.

Anyway my girlfriend went for 2 hours 20 the other week and days letter for the letter for the charge for £100. They've installed an iPad it seems right in the corner to input your reg for anything over 2 hours.

Usually with Parking Eye the business will happily cancel for you with proof you're were a genuine customer, which we were - further more Costa have got our loyalty card showing we're not just genuine but a regular customer. 

Rather than go to the store I used their online form - the parking fines section to provide the information, proof we were there and to ask for it to be cancelled for us.

It's taken them 10 days to reply with this nonsense.

"I really am very sorry to hear you have incurred a parking fine following your visit to our store

Whilst I completely understand your upset and frustration, Costa are unable to assist in anyway with parking fines. Parking restriction management is extremely common nationwide and regardless of whether the car park was used to visit our store, there is no exemption from these restrictions. The responsibility will always be with the driver to ensure they are familiar with the terms and conditions of the car park and to adhere to the terms accordingly.

If there are extenuating circumstances relating to your fine and you believe you have reason for an appeal, we advise you follow the instructions detailed on the PCN without delay to prevent the fine from increasing."

Shall I just try the manager in the store and ask them instead? I figured going to customer service direct might make more sense, obviously not. 

realdannys

Ah a reply now i've told them it's absolute nonsense and they can ask Parking Eye to cancel the fine I get...

"Please be informed that the Parking Provider is an independent third party and not directly employed by us. As tenants, we have no control over the decisions they make regarding parking arrangements. However, on this occasion, I have passed the PCN details you have received to Parking Eye requesting them to cancel the fine. Once I hear from them, I will be in touch.

 

Please be advised that we cannot guarantee any outcome."

We'll see - i'll update from here. Let me know if anyone thinks I should also go into the store directly or do anything different. 

Umkomaas

Go and see the manager. Take any receipts or previous bank/cc statements to prove regular patronage. If you're a regular customer, tell the manager you will become an ex-customer unless this is sorted out to your satisfaction. 

realdannys

Umkomaas said:

Go and see the manager. Take any receipts or previous bank/cc statements to prove regular patronage. If you're a regular customer, tell the manager you will become an ex-customer unless this is sorted out to your satisfaction. 

A lot of the staff actually know us in there we go that often. I'm not entirely sure which the manager is.

I imagine they'll be getting a few of these as a lot of the elderly folk turn up for a few hours in the morning to have a drink and read the paper. 

I can't play total innocence (in all honesty) as a member of staff told us a week prior there was now a screen to enter the reg - however whilst I knew what it was/meant my girlfriend didn't. He told us "you can pop your reg into the screen over there now if you're going to be staying in for a while" - she thought it was for logging customers who stayed a while for data analysis purposes, sigh 

When she went on her own she didn't even think to do it as she didn't think she was in there long enough. 

Coupon-mad

Do an appeal as well, by day 28, saying a complaint has been lodged with Costa about this utter crap, and showing the loyalty card & any receipts.

realdannys

Coupon-mad said:

Do an appeal as well, by day 28, saying a complaint has been lodged with Costa about this utter crap, and showing the loyalty card & any receipts.

If Costa email back saying it's been cancelled, is it still worth lodging the appeal? I assume not. But then i'm also not expecting them to e-mail me back confirming it's cancelled.

Umkomaas

realdannys said:

Coupon-mad said:

Do an appeal as well, by day 28, saying a complaint has been lodged with Costa about this utter crap, and showing the loyalty card & any receipts.

If Costa email back saying it's been cancelled, is it still worth lodging the appeal? I assume not. But then i'm also not expecting them to e-mail me back confirming it's cancelled.

It's only over when PE tell you it is - either in writing (which they are generally efficient in doing so, unlike most other PPCs) or by seeing it shown as cancelled on the PE website. While it's important to get confirmation from Costa (having it in writing would be helpful), you need the PE confirmation to be certain. 

Continue with the process as per the NEWBIES FAQ Announcement, first post, but you have 28 days to appeal to PE, so use most of that time in trying to get Costa on your side - but don't miss the deadline. There's an initial appeal template (in blue text in the above Announcement) to use if/when you appeal to PE.

KeithP

realdannys said:

Rather than go to the store I used their online form...

Crazy idea. Far too easy for someone sitting in an office miles away to just hit the 'refuse' key and churn out their standard letter.

Go into the local shop and complain to the manager - you don't need to know who the manager is, just ask for the manager - look him/her in the eye and ask for the PCN to be cancelled. Leave a copy of the PCN with the manager telling him/her that you won't be back until PE have confirmed the matter is resolved.

Coupon-mad

We've seen loads of successes with Costa.

realdannys

Just had a message back from their customer service email address

"Thank you for your patience whilst we have been chasing this up for you. 

I am pleased to let you know that the parking ticket you received has been cancelled and you should not receive any further payment reminders. 

Thank you once again for contacting us and I hope we can welcome you back to Costa very soon."

I went to Parking Eyes website to check the number and the outstanding balance is £0, so I guess that's sorted.

1505grandad

Well done  -  can you please post your success in the following thread:-

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4766249/successful-complaints-about-private-parking-tickets-how-to-get-them-cancelled#latest