Jump to content


Swindon hospital parking mess


style="text-align: center;">  

Thread Locked

because no one has posted on it for the last 3206 days.

If you need to add something to this thread then

 

Please click the "Report " link

 

at the bottom of one of the posts.

 

If you want to post a new story then

Please

Start your own new thread

That way you will attract more attention to your story and get more visitors and more help 

 

Thanks

Recommended Posts

Hi guys, I went to the hospital today with my heavily pregnant wife and spent 10 mins queuing first of all to get into the car park, then 10 more minutes to try to find a space after being let in at the barrier... there were like 5 cars circling the car park looking for a space and I found it ridiculous that the barrier (usually would say FULL and not let anyone in) would let cars in without actually having any spaces available. By this time (after 20 mins!) I was already late for my wife's appointment and my wife was alone making her way upstairs. In the end I had to just find a space next to a car that's not obstructing anyone and parked there. Obviously it wasn't a proper space, and I came back to find a ticket...

 

I then didn't know about this forum and sent an angry email to the parking operator, foolishly admitting that I was there and parked not in an allocated space. I then got an email back saying sorry, obstructive parking, pay up or appeal...

 

My question however is that if anyone else has had the same problem? What are the chances of appealing to POPLA? I just feel really gutted that I would be let in to the car park if there were no spaces, and that I also had to pay full parking fees only to find that I'd be penalised further for their inability to provide parking facilities after beckoning me in by opening the barrier... surely that's wrong no?!

Link to post
Share on other sites

My angry email :

 

I am writing to appeal against a parking charge notice issued today.

 

I acknowledged that I was not parked in an allocated space but that is only because there were NO spaces available and 5 cars including mine were let in at the gate and I could see that more were being let in. We deliberately arrived early anticipating heavy traffic at the car park, but after close to 10 minutes of going in circles without being able to find a space to park (during which time I was being charged parking fees) and at the time I was already late for my heavily pregnant (34 weeks) wife’s appointment and she was left alone to make her way up to the second floor with difficulty walking.

 

By then there were already 7 cars circling the car park when no spaces were available. I remember feeling extremely frustrated at the time after queuing for 10 minutes at the gate to get IN to the car park in the first place because the LED sign said it was full, now after the barrier let me in I had NO spaces to park after 10 minutes of circling around. There were also no members of staff to assist and I was left with no choice but to park next to a car at I thought the least obstructing place in the whole west car park. I feel that your car park system had failed to provide the appropriate parking facilities for a fee paying law abiding good citizens.

 

At the time I took confidence that the car next to me at the time was parked appropriately, however when I returned the car had already gone and there was no parking box. Having said that the double yellow round the bend were very faded and I had no way to see them before parking. This had left my car appear to be parked in the middle of the bend, which is not true. After I parked I had observed for another minute to make sure cars were not obstructed by my car, in fact a woman had made the turn then stopped to ask if I were going, clearly thinking the space my car was in was in fact a legit parking space, which therefore was NOT obstructive as your notice described.

 

I am extremely astonished by how your car park would continue to let cars into a car park where no spaces are available. This not only wastes drivers’ time, for which they pay for; it also causes significant amount of stress and frustration when all they ever want to do at a hospital is to be with their loved ones at critical times, or even for others to see them for the last time. Instead I feel that we are being penalised and preyed upon, not to mention that I also paid the correct parking fee at the machine, only to be penalised further for using the car park whilst you failed to provide the right facilities for me to do so.

 

Also the amount you have charged is not based upon any commercially justifiable loss to your company or the landowner. According to the Unfair Consumer Contract Regulations, parking charges on private land must not exceed the cost to the landowner during the period the motorist is parked there. In my case, the charge you are asking for far exceeds the cost to the landowner. The fee of £85 or even £50 would require that I parked for close to 50 hours to justify it.

 

If you choose to pursue me please be aware that I will not enter into any correspondence and this will be the only letter you will receive from me until you answer the specific points raised in my letter within the next 7 days. I am also going to complain to POPLA, Trading Standards as well as the Swindon Council. It is obvious the charge is disproportionate and not commercially justifiable.

 

 

and got this reply:

 

 

We advise that the notices in the Great Western Hospital car park clearly state the reasons for a parking charge notice being issued. One of these being for obstructive parking.

 

The Unfair Consumer Contract Regulations only applies if the car park does not have clear signs detailing the regulations and charges. Our car parks are clearly signed and explain the charges that apply should the car park regulations not be followed.

 

Please note that the barriers are owned by the hospital, therefore Local Parking Security Ltd do not have control over these.

 

Thank you for your appeal against the parking charge notice issued by us to you on the 16th June 2015. Having carefully considered the evidence provided by you we regret your appeal has been unsuccessful for the following reasons:

 

• Obstructive Parking

 

You now have a number of options:

 

1. Pay the parking charge Notice at the reduced amount of £50.00 within 14 days. Please note that after this time the parking charge notice will increase to £85.00.

 

2. Make an appeal to POPLA – The independent Appeals Service by completing the accompanying form or by making your appeal online . Please note that if you wish to appeal to POPLA, you will lose the right to pay the charge at the discounted rate of £50.00, and should POPLA’s decision not go in your favour you will be required to pay the full amount of £85.00. If you opt to pay the parking charge you will be unable to appeal to POPLA.

 

3. If you choose to do nothing we will seek to recover the monies owed to us via our debt recovery procedures and may proceed with Court action against you.

 

 

They are even taunting me by sending a prefilled popla form!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Code summary

Issuing operator: Local Parking Security Limited (Code: 371)

Date code generated: Tue Jun 16 2015

Code sequence number: 006

Deadline information

Your appeal deadline is Tue Jul 14 2015

You have 28 day(s) remaining for your appeal to reach POPLA

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, do you think I have a chance though? I did park not in a space after all, but only because there was literally no spaces... I assume GPEOL is Genuine Pre Estimate of Loss? Thanks!

Link to post
Share on other sites

I would be interested to know what the terms of parking say to determine whether there has been a breach in the first place. there is no definition of a parking space for off-street parking and there is case law from a university where it was determined that parking randomly that is not obstructive is OK and not a breach

Link to post
Share on other sites

I assume the terms of parking would have to be displayed on the signposts at the entrance barrier? I will go back and check later this week! Thanks! Would you know which case it was regarding the university?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Perhaps a complaint to the hospital itself and to the local newspaper !

Have we helped you ...?         Please Donate button to the Consumer Action Group

Uploading documents to CAG ** Instructions **

Looking for a draft letter? Use the CAG Library

Dealing with Customer Service Departments? - read the CAG Guide first

1: Making a PPI claim ? - Q & A's and spreadsheets for single premium policy - HERE

2: Take back control of your finances - Debt Diaries

3: Feel Bullied by Creditors or Debt Collectors? Read Here

4: Staying Calm About Debt  Read Here

5: Forum rules - These have been updated - Please Read

BCOBS

1: How can BCOBS protect you from your Banks unfair treatment

2: Does your Bank play fair - You can force your Bank to play Fair with you

3: Banking Conduct of Business Regulations - The Hidden Rules

4: BCOBS and Unfair Treatment - Common Examples of Banks Behaving Badly

5: Fair Treatment for Credit Card Holders and Borrowers - COBS

Advice & opinions given by citizenb are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO GIVE ADVICE BY PM - IF YOU PROVIDE A LINK TO YOUR THREAD THEN I WILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER ADVICE THERE:D

Link to post
Share on other sites

Writing to the Hospitals PALS dept is OK but there will be a separate Complaints Dept that you need to contact - PALS will give the details if you ask. I would also be emailing the CEO direct, his/her e mail address should be on the Trust's web page or you can guess it as [email protected]

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • Recently Browsing   0 Caggers

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Have we helped you ...?


×
×
  • Create New...