Multiple Smart Parking Ltd Fines

Coupon-mad

the director of the International Parking Community, who conduct the IAS appeals, is also a directing solicitor for Gladstones Solicitors 

Was. Years ago. Over a decade ago.

Might still be a shareholder but he resigned from Gladstones. You are right about the obvious conflict of interests though; it hasn't gone away and IS known to MPs.

ParkingFineFighter29

Interesting. Should never have been allowed ..

ParkingFineFighter29

Also another point, I used an NCP recently and noticed it is virtually impossible to get a parking charge because they make it almost impossible to abuse the car park to begin with - eg. By having barriers at the entrance and exit where you have to obtain a ticket and you will not be let out without paying the right amount, or automatically charging you for the time spent if you accidentally overstay. If national car parks with fewer resources than private car parks can implement these measures , why can’t private ones? 

There should be no need for a deterrent or retributive process to begin with. It should just be made easy for innocent users who WANT to follow the rules and do not have any intention to deceive or commit fraud , TO follow the rules and use the car park properly without fear of punitive charges! 

There are too many traps in these private car parks which mean innocent users with good intentions are caught up with the bad ones and are penalised disproportionately as a result.  

But as long as someone’s making money, who cares?

Coupon-mad

ParkingFineFighter29 said:

Interesting. Should never have been allowed ..

Agreed. The DVLA turned a blind eye in 2013, despite knowing that 'the IPC' was Gladstones.

Umkomaas

I used an NCP recently and noticed it is virtually impossible to get a parking charge because they make it almost impossible to abuse the car park to begin with

NCP are no innocent angels in the private parking sector - plenty of threads on the forum to support that. 

Just be sure in that kind of car park (which I agree is much better than say typical ANPR car parks) your car tyre when parked isn't touching a white line, or you don't park in a badly worn yellow hatched/disabled area, or if there are parts of the car park where parking is verboten, like specially designated resident or businesses exclusive areas.  Just be aware that parking in any private sector controlled car park needs eyes and brains fully engaged!  Shark infested waters!

ParkingFineFighter29

Thanks for the tips @Umkomaas! 

Shark infested waters is the perfect summary 😂

ParkingFineFighter29

Hi All, 

Just to update, SP responded to my MP yesterday stating that all 7 charges have been reduced to the £20 admin fee as a gesture of goodwill (?!) and they have been withdrawn from debt recovery (I didn't even know they had been passed to debt recovery because I didn't get a response to 3 appeals).

I know it is not what you want to hear but I am all paid up because I do not want this saga hanging over me for the next 6 years, even if there is very little chance of being taken to court. This has affected my mental health greatly  and you are tougher than me if you can deal with 6 years of threatograms!

SP state in their most recent letter, dated 18th June 2025, that they are both a BPA and IPC approved member and are regularly audited by both. I am not sure whether this affects the requirement to provide a POPLA code - I would have thought they can't pick and choose when to follow the BPA CoP.. but there always seems to be a loophole. 

Thank you again for your support and if there is anything I can do to help take action against SP, I am more than willing.

Umkomaas

SP state in their most recent letter, dated 18th June 2025, that they are both a BPA and IPC approved member and are regularly audited by both. I am not sure whether this affects the requirement to provide a POPLA code - I would have thought they can't pick and choose when to follow the BPA CoP.. but there always seems to be a loophole. 

They moved to the IPC very recently. POPLA no longer applies.  Even for the last tickets issued under the BPA banner, probably now beyond any POPLA window. 

kryten3000

ParkingFineFighter29 said:

SP state in their most recent letter, dated 18th June 2025, that they are both a BPA and IPC approved member and are regularly audited by both. I am not sure whether this affects the requirement to provide a POPLA code - I would have thought they can't pick and choose when to follow the BPA CoP.. but there always seems to be a loophole. 

Any parking company can be a member of both organisations and many are, but they can only be an Approved Operator Status member of one or the other.  If Smart claim otherwise they're fibbing.

No more POPLA appeals for Smart PCNs sadly, but they are still beatable at court.