Gatwick autopay has charged me drop off when my car was not in the area

TEL458

Hi there
wonder if anyone has had this before.  I set up autopay earlier in the year to make a one off drop off of some relatives.  since then i have been charged twice.  once on 27th August and again on 27th December when my car was sitting outside my house 70 miles away.  the first time I let it go as i contacted them and went round in circles trying to appeal and got nowhere.  
I do not know how I can prove I was not there.  
Any help would be appreciated!
Thanks..

fisherjim

They are a private parking company they are always right and live off excessive charges and scamming people.

But this is probably an ANPR misread and the very reason why ANPR is not fit for purpose.

I would never do auto pay with this company they are too useless, I would cancel the autopay.

troublemaker22

As it was autopay, you should challenge the payments with your card issuer. You may be too late to challenge the August debit, but you are certainly in time for the latest one.  

troublemaker22

Also "appeal" is an irrelevant concept here.  You should be complaining and demanding refunds.  You can complain via their contact form https://www.ncp.co.uk/help-centre/contact-us/ and then to their trade body the BPA if you get nowhere.  I'd start with something along the following lines:

You have debited me for two visits to the drop off zone at Gatwick which did not occur.  Obviously, your ANPR system misread a number plate.  My vehicle [                            ] did not visit Gatwick on 27 August 2023 or 27 December 2023.  Please refund the tariffs. 

Mark_d

There is nothing to appeal.  You were in no way involved in the parking incidents for which you were charged.  I suggest you make a formal complaint.

The parking company need to prove that your car was there if they want to try to justify their charges.

Sometimes people arrange the characters on their number plates to make it deliberately unclear.  I've also heard of number plates being cloned.  In either case, the photograph from the parking company should show the vehicle involved.  If it's a different make/model/colour than yours then it should be very easy to get the fees refunded.