RingGo parking extension didn’t work

bonzo71

Another victim of RingGo! I have a £90 parking charge notice from Leicester. I paid initially with RingGo. When I received an about to expire notification, I paid for another hour. (At least I thought I did) I use Apple pay and unless I hear the payment sound, I wouldn’t close my phone. However, I see no evidence of extension on my bank account!! I am usually very diligent about parking after being hit 10 years or so ago. Hence, it hurts even more. Plus the fact that I clearly paid for the initial hour shows that I intended to pay for my stay! Do I have a chance or should I suck it up? The notice is from Smart Parking. Thanks for any help 👍

Coupon-mad

Nobody pays invoices from the likes of Smart Parking. First of all complain to RingGo to find out what happened to the transaction.

bonzo71

Thanks so much for such a rapid response. I was able to chat with a RingGo agent. They confirmed that I had attempted to pay for extension but it did not go through. Trouble is you don’t get a notification that it hasn’t worked. This is a proper scam. Why can’t they have contactless card payment like everywhere in France, Germany and Switzerland? (At least those countries I know anyway) 
She basically said provide this information to the Smart Parking and see what they say. Trouble is I am away for two weeks. If I pay by tomorrow, I can pay £45. Might I have to pay £90 if they disagree? 

Coupon-mad

You won't ever pay a penny.

bonzo71

  I like your confidence but I have not been in this kind of situation for a long while. After reading these forums, I am starting to see deep conniving conspiracies behind all this parking sector. Willing to do my bit by fighting them and recounting my experience for others. I am sure there are thousands of people like me who want to be law abiding but get scammed by systems known to be suboptimal. Thanks Coupon-mad!

Coupon-mad

Ask RingGo to confirm what they said, but you want it this time in an email explaining what caused the issue and what they propose to do about it to rectify their failure.

You need evidence that it wasn't you. If they dither, tell RingGo you require a transcript of the phone call under your SAR rights.

Insist. Escalate it to the Management or complaints team. This isn't good enough.

DO NOT BE LEFT WITH JUST A PHONE CONVERSATION UNLESS YOU PUT THIS SECOND CALL ON LOUDSPEAKER AND RECORD IT THIS TIME, ON A SECOND PHONE.

bonzo71

Hi Guys, I did write back explaining the reasons why this had happened on the weblink that was provided in the initial fine letter. I now have a letter from Debt Recovery Plus threatening a CCJ and the fine has gone upto £160!
For some reason it says the opportunity to appeal has passed. As I heard nothing for two months I thought the trouble was over but apparently this is my 4th letter. I am very certain I. have not missed 3 letters before this. I have no previous experience of these things. I don't think it matters but I have now sold that car. Should I engage with Debt recovery plus? Thanks in advance.

kryten3000

It's not a fine.  Smart will eventually pass to DCB Legal who will issue a Letter of Claim and then probably a Court Claim via money claim online.  You will defend this and DCB Legal will almost certainly discontinue some time after the mediation stage and before a hearing date.

See the link in my signature for a detailed version of the court process.

Car1980

bonzo71 said:

Hi Guys, I did write back explaining the reasons why this had happened on the weblink that was provided in the initial fine letter. I now have a letter from Debt Recovery Plus threatening a CCJ and the fine has gone upto £160!
For some reason it says the opportunity to appeal has passed. As I heard nothing for two months I thought the trouble was over but apparently this is my 4th letter. I am very certain I. have not missed 3 letters before this. I have no previous experience of these things. I don't think it matters but I have now sold that car. Should I engage with Debt recovery plus? Thanks in advance.

Yes, but you know that a CCJ cannot come about unless they make a claim AND you fail to defend OR it goes all the way to a court hearing AND you lose AND you fail to pay within 28 days.

But they're not going to explain that in the thousands of threatograms they bulk mail out each year 😉

Coupon-mad

bonzo71 said:

Thanks so much for such a rapid response. I was able to chat with a RingGo agent. They confirmed that I had attempted to pay for extension but it did not go through. Trouble is you don’t get a notification that it hasn’t worked. This is a proper scam. Why can’t they have contactless card payment like everywhere in France, Germany and Switzerland? (At least those countries I know anyway) 
She basically said provide this information to the Smart Parking and see what they say. Trouble is I am away for two weeks. If I pay by tomorrow, I can pay £45. Might I have to pay £90 if they disagree? 

Obviously you won't ever pay - and you should be ignoring the daft DR PLUS letters ... which you should already know from reading post 4 of the NEWBIES thread - but what did RingGo say when you escalated the complaint?