First time receiving a PCN from a private parking operator

mrochester

Hello.

I need some friendly advice and guidance as to how to deal with a PCN from a private car park operator.

I believe where I parked was not subject to any parking charges, and about an hour or so after parking in this location I paid and parked in another location with clear signage (and have the evidence to prove I paid for that parking).

When turning left into this car park there is a sign to indicate you are entering a private car park that is pay and display. However this sign is located partially behind another sign indicating the name of the development, and is angled toward traffic turning into the car park from the right. There is no sign on the opposite side of the road for drivers turning in from the left (you can just about see the sign sticking out above the ‘Jesmond Three Sixty’ sign).

I followed the road to the right just beyond the red post box which takes you down to the parking area.

In the parking area there are bays marked ‘BSA’ followed by a number. These bays all feature prominent signs in front of the bays indicating terms and conditions and parking charges. It looks like there is at least 1 sign for every 6 bays that are marked ‘BSA’.

I parked in a set of bays that are marked differently to all the rest. My bay was just marked with the number 7. Next to my bay was a sign indicating that bays 1-7 were reserved for patrons of The Carriage pub, which is where I was going and why I was parked there.

There were a total of 5 bays marked in this way (numbers 3 - 7 despite the sign indicating 1-7 being reserved) and there was no sign in front of these bays indicating a parking charge applied.

On this basis I believed I was parking in a free to park bay that was reserved for patrons of The Carriage pub. There was no sign next to where I parked to indicate these bays attracted a parking charge, and the differentiation in labelling of bays and the sign indicating that certain bays were reserved for the pub misled me into believing this was the case.

I have no idea whether the signage provided counts as ‘adequate signage’ or whether the design of the carpark leads to being misled as to what spaces attract a charge. I clearly had no intention of parking without paying whilst out that day either.

I have naively contested the charge already on the basis of being a patron of The Carriage pub and parking in one of their reserved bays, but I have a feeling they are going to come back and say my appeal has been denied.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Many thanks.

M

HappyJaguar23

I have naively contested the charge already on the basis of being a patron of The Carriage pub and parking in one of their reserved bays, but I have a feeling they are going to come back and say my appeal has been denied.

It seems that you have you admitted to being a driver?

I have no idea whether the signage provided counts as ‘adequate signage’ or whether the design of the carpark leads to being misled as to what spaces attract a charge. I clearly had no intention of parking without paying whilst out that day either.

I will leave it to more experienced colleagues, but if you admitted to being a driver, this may be your best line of defence.

If you were a patron of the pub, and the parking spots are apparently reserved for patrons of the pub, did you try to contact the pub (landowner) and try to get them to cancel / waive the charge (as per this thread)?

Gr1pr

Name the private parking company involved

mrochester

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041353#Comment_82041353

It’s Viking Solutions UK Ltd.

mrochester

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041352#Comment_82041352

I believe I have admitted to being the driver by virtue of saying in my appeal that I was a patron of the pub.

I have not tried contacting the pub owner, I will try that.

Umkomaas

That’s your best angle of attack at this stage.

Can we see a copy of the Notice to Keeper you received please? Both sides, redacted of anything that identifies you - name, address, car’s VRM, NtK reference numbers, QR code. Viking seem to be a new kid on the block, and we don’t already have any examples of their NtK in @Coupon-mad’s NtK repository.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6483542/a-thread-of-pictures-of-2023-parking-firm-ntks/p1

Le_Kirk

I believe I have admitted to being the driver by virtue of saying in my appeal that I was a patron of the pub.
I have not tried contacting the pub owner, I will try that.

Not necessarily, you could have been a passenger in that car. What happened when you COMPLAINED strongly but politely to the pub?

Gr1pr

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041356#Comment_82041356

Do you have pictures of the actual Viking signs near the pub. ? Or on site nearby. ?

Did you see any signs or Ipad in the pub, possibly on the reception or bar itself, requiring drivers to register the VRM details first in order to validate the parking. ? ( a common requirement these days. )

This is what their website says about parking

mrochester

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82041575#Comment_82041575

I don’t have any of my own pictures, but I’m back in the area on Tuesday so I’m going to take some photos.

The funny thing is I didn’t actually see anyone in the pub because I was there for charitable purposes before public opening so I didn’t even get the chance to speak to someone.

Coupon-mad

Please, please show a photo of the NTK both sides. Data, refs & QR codes redacted.

And did you admit to driving/parking?

mrochester

To follow up on this, I attended the car park again yesterday and took photographs.

On this occasion I was able to speak to someone in the pub who confirmed that the reserved parking bays are free to use as long as the parking is validated within the pub. However, because I attended outside public opening hours (I was there for a charity to collect a collection can on the bar) and didn’t actually see anyone in the pub I was not made aware of this requirement. There are signs inside the pub, but as I was only there for a short time, most of that looking for someone to speak to and changing over the charity can, I was not looking for/did not notice any signs inside the pub. Additionally, there is no sign by the parking bays to indicate what the procedure is for these bays, so it still wasn’t at all clear to me.

I have left my details with the pub because apparently they have a means to contact the parking company. However, they suggested that the parking company mostly ignore them so I’m not holding out much hope that any action they take will have an impact.