Costa got my PCN cancelled at Tonbridge retail park

Red_Rackam

Just wanted to let you know that I successfully got my PCN cancelled after following your advice. Now hoping that I can help others out who have fallen victim to this.

I got sent a PCN after parking at Cannon Lane Retail Park in Tonbridge on New Year's day to go to Costa. The charge said I was in there for 2hrs 59mins. I didn't see any signs when I parked there and it was not clear what I was being charged for - the letter didn't detail whether I should have paid or whether I had overstayed. I went online and found people complaining that they had been sent 'fines' for staying over 2 hours. I couldn't find any reference to the maximum stay being 2 hours anywhere online - HOWEVER - Parkopedia was really helpful here. It specified that the maximum stay for that specific car park was 3 hours. So I took screenshots and used it in my letter to Costa and my subsequent appeal to the parking company - Group Nexus.

I struggled to find the landlord of this retail park but eventually discovered it was CBRE - which is part of Middlesborough Council's pension fund. (weirdly - given that this retail park is miles away in Kent). I wrote to their top men with my complaint but heard nothing.

I also wrote to the local Tory councillors in Tonbridge - but they failed to even acknowledge my email.

So I complained to Costa. I also used screenshots from my Costa app to prove that I had been there and had spent money. The original email I had used for Costa bounced back so eventually I used their online feedback form. There was an option on the drop-down menu for parking charges. I gave a brief summary of what had happened. I then received an email back asking me if I wanted to add anything. So I then sent a long email - which more or less followed the templates on here. I added extra details such as - the fact that parking was free in the rest of the town as it was a Bank Holiday, and that my friend and I were celebrating her birthday (which was actually true). I also added that I am only 5ft tall and that if there were signs I probably wouldn't have seen them if they werer put up high on lamposts. (again - this is true - I AM only 5ft tall!). I can copy and paste my letter in another post if anyone is interested. 

Initially I got an email from Costa Customer Services saying that they would contact Nexus and request for it to be cancelled but could not guarantee anything. I waited a few days and the charge had still not disappeared when I logged into the payment portal. 

Time was then running out so I lodged an appeal with Group Nexus. By this point it had escalated to £100 as I had lost the opportunity to pay £60 within 14 days.

I followed the template on here - and made a point of saying that THE DRIVER (not me) had visited Costa and I provided proof with the loyalty app (which helpfully didn't show my name) and then provided the screenshot from Parkopedia confirming the maximum stay of 3 hours (which THE DRIVER was within).

Now, it may have been that the info on Parkopedia was out of date. But I told them that I have always relied on it to play my parking on days out and it has always been very reliable. Either way, I think this is what might have swung it.

Within a day I had received a further email from Costa informing me that Nexus had cancelled my charge, and then recieved an email and written confirmation from Group Nexus themselves confirming that my parking charge had been cancelled. And that they hoped they could welcome me to Costa again soon !

So thanks again everyone for all your help and I hope this will help others in the same boat. All your advice saved me £100. It wasn't a great start to the year.

Coupon-mad

Yay - nicely done!

PLAN A STRIKES AGAIN!

patient_dream

"Group Nexus themselves confirming that my parking charge had been cancelled. And that they hoped they could welcome me to Costa again soon!"''

Group Nexus, the two man band, must be living in the clouds if they expect customers to return ro Costa

WHO IS THE LOSER ?........... COSTA OF COURSE, like many retailers

Debszzzz2

It may be worth emailing whoever wrote to you from Costa informing you that the PCN has been cancelled.

Thank them for their efforts. However, inform them that, you, your family, friends and colleagues will not be returning to Costa in future unless they are able to confirm that they no longer contract an unregulated private parking company who are able to inflict the stress and worry of a speculative invoice of £100 for an alleged breach of contract on Costa's own patrons.

Remind them that it is precisely thanks to this predatory behaviour by their agents that they are going to lose business. I'd also cc in the CEO.

patient_dream

Debszzzz2 said:

It may be worth emailing whoever wrote to you from Costa informing you that the PCN has been cancelled.

Thank them for their efforts. However, inform them that, you, your family, friends and colleagues will not be returning to Costa in future unless they are able to confirm that they no longer contract an unregulated private parking company who are able to inflict the stress and worry of a speculative invoice of £100 for an alleged breach of contract on Costa's own patrons.

Remind them that it is precisely thanks to this predatory behaviour by their agents that they are going to lose business. I'd also cc in the CEO.

You are of course correct and in a real world that's how it works

Over the years on this forum, CEO's don't care. 

There can only be these reasons why CEO's are not interested

1: Getting out of an expensive contract
2: Someone is on the payroll
3: They are not fit for purpose

Having been in business for years, it's the way it works