Parking eye PCN - even though paid for the parking

Nickobar

Really sorry if something like this has already been dealt with - I have searched the forum for quite a while.

So, parked, paid for parking at machine, and still received a PCN. 
I *think* I can prove that I paid using:
1. An entry on my credit card statement at the correct time (i.e. a few minutes after we arrived) ... doesn't state a location;
2. A photo I took of the machine with the message "This kiosk currently unable to print receipts", and the words "Time purchased X hours Y minutes Cost £Z.00"

The X, Y, Z numbers correspond exactly to the time purchased, and the fee required to stay until the time when parking becomes free.

So my question is: should I appeal based on being able to prove I paid (which seems the logical approach), or just follow the advice and templates provided though the newbies posts?

And if I take the "logical approach", am I effectively admitting to being the driver? Or is there a way to combine the two approaches, and without that admission?

I wonder whether I entered the incorrect numberplate, although I seem to recall the machine showed me my plate from ANPR as I started to type it in ... not 100% sure as we parked in a few different places over the few days we were away.
Alternatively, I wonder whether they know the machine wasn't giving receipts and are just trying in on.

Any advice much appreciated.

Car1980

You can appeal as the Registered Keeper without stating whether they were the driver or not.

But it depends on why they claim you owe them money. It will be one reason - what is it?

Nickobar

Reason given on back of PCN:
"By either not purchasing a valid pay and display ticket, by remaining at the carpark for longer than permitted, or by not entering your registration details via the terminal ...".

I don't think any of these apply.

Nickobar

Anybody else got any ideas?

Currently, I'm inclined to just tell the truth ... I think I'm in the right i.e. I was driving, I did pay for the parking and I think I can prove it sufficiently such that even if they took me to court, I'd win. 

I have a transaction reference for the payment I made, so my first question to them would be to ask what exactly I paid for. I'd expect the response to be either:
- oh yes, you did pay after all,
- or that I somehow paid for something else? In this case, I'd still argue that they had received payment.

I don't currently see how they could argue that I hadn't payed them for something.

What do we think? Is my logic flawed? Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Coupon-mad

You are missing the fact this is either:

(a) a VRM keying error, or

(b) they are saying you took too long to pay so didn't pay for the full minutes the ANPR images show the car was on site. You can see if it is this, by looking at the exact minutes.

Nickobar

Coupon-mad said:

You are missing the fact this is either:

(a) a VRM keying error, or

(b) they are saying you took too long to pay so didn't pay for the full minutes the ANPR images show the car was on site. You can see if it is this, by looking at the exact minutes.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Regarding (a), yes a possibility, but the carpark has ANPR, and I *think* it showed me a picture of the plate to confirm ... as I said above, not 100% sure.

For (b) however, you might be onto something. Looking at the exact times, the payment transaction is recorded as 6 minutes after the PCN shows us arriving. This does not mean however that we underpaid in anyway.

However, as I think it says here, it shouldn't be a problem anyway:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/02/private-parking-charges-five-minute-rule/

Thanks again for your input.

Car1980

By either not purchasing a valid pay and display ticket, by remaining at the carpark for longer than permitted, or by not entering your registration details via the terminal

It's up to them to state why they think you owe them money. You might be able to work out why, but if it did go to court they'll run into difficulties listing potential reasons and it would be a breach of the CPRs. So let them.

Coupon-mad

Nickobar said:

Coupon-mad said:

You are missing the fact this is either:

(a) a VRM keying error, or

(b) they are saying you took too long to pay so didn't pay for the full minutes the ANPR images show the car was on site. You can see if it is this, by looking at the exact minutes.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Regarding (a), yes a possibility, but the carpark has ANPR, and I *think* it showed me a picture of the plate to confirm ... as I said above, not 100% sure.

For (b) however, you might be onto something. Looking at the exact times, the payment transaction is recorded as 6 minutes after the PCN shows us arriving. This does not mean however that we underpaid in anyway.

However, as I think it says here, it shouldn't be a problem anyway:

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/02/private-parking-charges-five-minute-rule/

Thanks again for your input.

Tell us all 4 timings:

- arrival

- paid (for how long and exactly when)

- expiry of session

- minute that the car passed the exit.

James_Poisson

Please stop trying to hide the details apart from personal details it doesn't help, you are dealing with greedy scammers here don't think for one moment that politely explaining what happened on the day will be considered.

These scummy companies discovered years ago they can sail very close to the wind and get along quite unhindered.