Smart Parking PCN POPLA Code Invalid

dinkmack

Hi, I appealed on the smart parking website and they sent an email rejecting it.

They included a POPLA code but when I tried to use it it said
"The number you entered appears to be invalid or may have expired. Please contact the private parking operator".

Could you advise on what I should do next please? I've seen multiple posts saying not to contact them but as it's for a code I wasn't sure.

Thank you for any help.

Fruitcake

Take screenshots of the initial appeal rejection with the PoPLA code, and of the PoPLA page with the correct code entered and the code error message.
Then complain to Smart that the code doesn't work. Complain to the BPA if you get nowhere.

This assumes you have already exhausted Plan A, complaints from the keeper to the landowner and the keeper's MP.

If you haven't already done so, please sign the petition below.

Bring the Parking Code of Practice into law, as per the 2019 Act of Parliament. - Petitions

Coupon-mad

Is it more than 33 days old?

dinkmack

Coupon-mad said:

Is it more than 33 days old?

No it's not. I received the code on the 16th April 2025.

dinkmack

Fruitcake said:

Take screenshots of the initial appeal rejection with the PoPLA code, and of the PoPLA page with the correct code entered and the code error message.
Then complain to Smart that the code doesn't work. Complain to the BPA if you get nowhere.

This assumes you have already exhausted Plan A, complaints from the keeper to the landowner and the keeper's MP.

If you haven't already done so, please sign the petition below.

Bring the Parking Code of Practice into law, as per the 2019 Act of Parliament. - Petitions

Thank you.

ChirpyChicken

Email appeals@smartparking.com

dinkmack

ChirpyChicken said:

Email appeals@smartparking.com

okay thank you.

I haven't contacted the land owner yet because I was worried about what to say.
Do I have to tell the landowner about who was driving because I noticed one of the Aldi complaints mentioned their wife was driving.

Coupon-mad

What are the middle 3 numbers of the POPLA Code before the 5?

ChirpyChicken

Forget landowner not required for smart.

dinkmack

Coupon-mad said:

What are the middle 3 numbers of the POPLA Code before the 5?

196

Thanks @ChirpyChicken

Coupon-mad

OK so that is an incorrect 'Epoch day' which is how POPLA codes work.

Today is day 111 of the year, Monday, April 21st.  So the Code (if generated 5 days ago), should read 106 in the middle. 196 makes no sense whatsoever - that's a date in the future - so put in a complaint to Smart, pointing this out immediately and asking for a fresh POPLA code or you'll report them to the BPA for making up invalid POPLA Codes.