Parking ticket but one letter in the plate has been misread

SHF2024

Received a Parking Eye fine today for allegedly parking illegally in another town. The car in question has a reg no starting MM16 and mine is WM16. The other letters are the same. Presumably the machine has misread the plates and I ended up with the fine! Going through the grounds to appeal I can see no reference to something like this! On the photos they have sent me, I can tell the offending car's reg was MM not WM and the rear lights are different. Presumably this will get sorted but has anyone else experieced something like this!

Mark_d

This is clearly a mistake.  Is it not something that could be sorted out by a simple phone call?

Umkomaas

Mark_d said:

This is clearly a mistake.  Is it not something that could be sorted out by a simple phone call?

No, you need to do this in writing. Simply state what you've said above, then send PE a copy of your V5C (logbook). Are the two vehicles by the same manufacturer and model?  If not, point that out too. Follow the Appeals Procedure as shown on the rear of the Notice to Keeper letter. 

fisherjim

SHF2024 said:

Received a Parking Eye fine today for allegedly parking illegally in another town. The car in question has a reg no starting MM16 and mine is WM16. The other letters are the same. Presumably the machine has misread the plates and I ended up with the fine! Going through the grounds to appeal I can see no reference to something like this! On the photos they have sent me, I can tell the offending car's reg was MM not WM and the rear lights are different. Presumably this will get sorted but has anyone else experieced something like this! 

There is no "fine" or "illegal" parking mentioned on any paperwork or signage I guarantee that, you have a speculative invoice for breach of contract they say you entered in to from their on site signage.

Parking Eyes signage is almost always defective, or non compliant as you seem to have witnessed, complain to the businesses you spent money with and the landowner / agent that should want to keep their paying tenants happy.

Mark_d said:

This is clearly a mistake.  Is it not something that could be sorted out by a simple phone call?

Never ever phone a private parking company, if you get through they won't listen to any argument you make, only demand payment, and you have no evidence for future use.

Half_way

As above DO not phone.

Is the car in question the one with MM16 plates the same type/make/model/colour as yours ?

 Check now here : https://www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla

Next where is the car park in question

Report back here if the make/mode/colour is the same or different and the location of the car park

Nellymoser

Mark_d said:

This is clearly a mistake.  Is it not something that could be sorted out by a simple phone call?

You know that's what I thought when there was a mistake with mine but Parking companies don't do 'a simple phone call'. Here's the 'contact us' Telephone 0330 939 0104 on my notice. @Mark_d please try dialling it...no cost involved.

Half_way

One more question, is this your vehicle, or is it a hire/lease/work vehicle?

 that si the vehicle that has been issued a parking charge notice - note this is not a fine

Fruitcake

Complain to the landowner and ParkingLie that this is not your vehicle. Since they have unlawfully obtained your personal data, you expect the landowner to instruct their unregulated agent to cancel the charge and issue an apology. If they fail to do so (give them seven days) then you reserve the right to instigate legal proceedings against the landowner and their unregulated agent for breaching the Data Protection Act 2015, and the GDPR Regulations for unlawfully obtaining and processing your personal data.

Copy your complaints to your MP and ask them to intervene, and ask them when the government is going to implement the mandatory code of conduct as required by legislation implemented by the outgoing government and in order to comply with the requirements of the Private Parking Bill 2019.

SHF2024

Thank you for comments. I have completed the online "appeal" pointing out the different number plate between my car and the offending car and sent them photos of the front and rear of my car which shows the the differences. The MM on their photo must have been read by their computer as being WM.

Le_Kirk

Did you also complain as suggested by @Fruitcake? This is different to an appeal.

Fruitcake

You should also complain to the DVLA. 

The only way this sort of thing will be stopped is by people kicking up a stink with the PPC, the landowners/landholders who employ them, MPs, and the DVLA. Complaints are more important than appealing, which in any case is not what you were advised to do.