Parking Charge Notice - Appeal rejection never received

NuBoy

I received a Parking Charge Notice from Group Nexus for overstaying in a retail car park. I appealed via the company’s online portal, receiving confirmation of receipt. (I am not detailing my grounds of appeal because I believe that is no longer the issue now).

I received no notice of their rejection of my appeal, neither by post or email.

The first I realised that I had not received their appeal decision was when I received a parking Charge Reminder. I wrote to them stating they had either ignored my online appeal or I had not received their decision, and included my appeal in hard-copy.

They replied, ignoring the content of my letter, saying I should…. “refer to our previous correspondence” (which I had told them I had not received)!

I wrote to them, again telling them I had received no appeal decision and asked for a POPLAR verification code in order to appeal through POPLA.

They replied, still ignoring the fact that I had not received their appeal decision, giving me a POPLAR code, but telling me it was now out of date!

So what do I do next?

My plan is to make a formal complaint - in line with their complaints policy. Then follow with a POPLAR complaint, then perhaps a Trading Standards complaint. My objective is to gather as much evidence of the company’s malpractice as possible before it eventually ends in court.

Would you say this is the right approach?

Coupon-mad

Yes, complaint is one option, except for the TS complaint because they are not interested and will fob you off to a central 'consumer concerns' fob off service where complaints go to die!  Don't bust a gut on complaints.

EXCEPT to the retail park agents of course.  You know from the NEWBIES thread that is PLAN A.

The other alternative is just ignore them, which is what I would tell my relative to do.  POPLA is pointless anyway.

Just get the retailer or site agent to cancel it - as per PLAN A in the NEWBIES thread.

KeithP

NuBoy said:

I received a Parking Charge Notice from Group Nexus for overstaying in a retail car park.

Which retail park?

NuBoy

Thanks for your replies.

Thanks for the advice on Trading Standards . I'll check out the appeal to retailer.

The retail park was: Monkswood Retail Park, Stevenage, SG1 1TL

paulstevens64

COMPLAINT to retailer! Important difference. You are writing to COMPLAIN about the £100 "fine"/parking charge you have received, when you were a legitimate customer etc etc etc.

Coupon-mad

Yes it's not an appeal.  A polite but angry complaint like all the successful ones seen in SUCCESSFUL COMPLAINTS ABOUT PPCs.

NuBoy

Thank you for your advice, Ill write to the site agent.

One query; As its a retail park with multiple different retailers, when I write to the site agent is it worth CCing in the Customer Services Depts of the retailers I shop with? 

KeithP

NuBoy said:

Thank you for your advice, Ill write to the site agent.

One query; As its a retail park with multiple different retailers, when I write to the site agent is it worth CCing in the Customer Services Depts of the retailers I shop with? 

I would suggest that CCing the retailers will just have the retailer sling it in the bin.
Instead, writing to each retailer you visited separately may have a better result.

Yes, definitely write to the site's managing agents.
This totem sign tells us they are CBRE together with their phone number and web address...

[click on the image - it's a link to GSV]

Coupon-mad

Not difficult to find, then!