Initial Parking ANPR PCN - The Royal Oak (Next to the Co-op) Bookham High Street, Bookham, Surreym, Surrey

[surrey_36]

In Bookham, surrey there is a small co-op with a small car park next to it with a parking meter.  Parked there, put about a £1 in the meter as I only planned to pop in quickly.  I had to enter my car reg number into the meter.   I thought I had paid for parking until received a parking fine of £100 discounted to £60 if paid within 14 days.  I immediately appealed the charge and told them i paid for the parking at the meter and this is the response!: (I definitely smell a rat!)

 

Issue date: 20/05/2021 POPLA verification code: xxxxxxxxxx.

 

Thank you for your appeal received on 26/05/2021 regarding the above detailed Parking Charge Notice.

 

We have carefully reviewed the case and considered the points that you raised in conjunction with the facts and evidence available to me. On this occasion, your appeal has been rejected and we are satisfied that this Parking Charge Notice was issued correctly.

 

The Royal Oak, Bookham is private land and is subject to a parking management scheme put in place by the operator at the landowner’s request. There are specific terms and conditions in place as part of this scheme. These terms and conditions are stated on the signs installed at the site, which are displayed in clear and prominent positions. The terms and conditions of the scheme at this location state that a valid payment must be made for the length of time the vehicle is parked on site.

 

On 16/05/2021, the vehicle was parked without this payment being made. This was a breach of these terms and conditions. As stated on our, very large, BPA approved signs ' By parking or remaining in this car park you agree to the terms of the Parking Contract (if you do not agree to them then please leave within 10 minutes of entry)' Therefore, the charge remains valid and payment is due.

 

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the motorist to ensure that they seek out, read and comply with the terms and conditions of parking that are in place. By parking on site in breach of these terms and conditions, it has been agreed that the charge detailed on the signs will be paid. I appreciate that this may not be the desired outcome, however, you have now reached the end of our internal appeal process.

 

The three options available are listed below: Your options

1) Pay the PCN at the reduced amount of £60.00 by 14 days. After this time the opportunity to pay at the reduced amount will no longer be available and the amount outstanding will rise to the full amount of £100.00. This will need to be paid by 14 days. Payment can be made online by phone or by post. Go to www.initialparking.co.uk, call 0333 023 0138. Payments can also be made by cheque or postal order made payable to Initial Parking Limited.

 

Please ensure you write your Parking Charge Notice number clearly on the reverse.

Please do not send cash through the post.

Payment can be made using a debit or credit card by calling the automated payment line on 03330230138.

For our full Complaints

 

Procedure please visit www.initialparking.co.uk.

 

 

[dx100uk]

please complete this:

Have you received a Parking Ticket? - Private Land Parking Enforcement - Consumer Action Group

and post up the appeal you sent too.

 

i would have thought by now surrey_36 you'd know the score wirh speculative invoices..

 

they are NOT FINES

and you NEVER appeal them.

 

dx

[surrey_36]

I know DX - I've had similar in the past! I immediately appealed as I had bought a ticket thinking that would just settle the matter, clearly not!  I'm surprised as Bookham is such a small little high street this parking company must catch out tons of people as it appears to be just a standard pay and display car park!  Disgraceful - I don't now how the council allow them to get away with this..

 

1 Date of the infringement

Give answer here
16/05/21

 

2 Date on the NTK [this must have been received within 14 days from the 'offence' date]

20/05/21
 

3 Date received

26/5/21
 

4 Does the NTK mention schedule 4 of The Protections of Freedoms Act 2012? [Y/N?]

YES 
 

5 Is there any photographic evidence of the event?

YES
 

6 Have you appealed? [Y/N?] post up your appeal]

YES as i bought a ticket
 

Have you had a response? [Y/N?] post it up

yes
 

7 Who is the parking company?

Initial Parking Ltd

 

8. Where exactly [carpark name and town]

The Royal Oak (Next to the Co-op) Bookham High Street, Bookham, Surrey
 

For either option, does it say which appeals body they operate under.

POPLA
 

 

parking edited.pdf

Edited June 4, 2021 by surrey_36

[dx100uk]

21 minutes ago, surrey_36 said:

Disgraceful - I don't now how the council allow them to get away with this..

what has any private parking got to do with the council?

 

i would suggest you put the wrong reg number in the machine?

 

[lookinforinfo]

I take it that you haven't kept the receipt.

 

Does the car park belong to the Royal Oak or the Coop. Whichever one it is go there and speak to the manager'owner and explain that you paid and entered your reg no. though perhaps not quite the right number and ask if they can get it cancelled.

 

While you are there if they cannot help you can at least take photos of the sigs and where they are especially the one at the entrance and the one either on the pay machine  or next to it which will be the valid  T&Cs. Does the ticket register your reg. no. ?

 

It's very doubtful that planning permission was ever applied for but you should also check the local Council planning portal to confirm. 

 

When you know who is responsible for the parking crooks to be there, slam the site on Twitter, Facebook etc. You paid and still they are trying to charge you.

 

Dx made the point that you probably enetered your number wrongly-or maybe they read a zero as a nought or vice versa. Have you appealed to POPLA  or was it just Initial that turned you down.

[surrey_36]

Good point DX nothing to do with the council, ill follow these  recommended steps and go take a look at the site..

 

Lookinforinfo I think its the royal oak but I think they must get people constantly parking in there for the co-op as its right next door.  Ill go take some photos and post them up here shortly..

 

thanks both for help

[FTMDave]

Do you still have any proof of payment, such as payment by card or the actual receipt?

[surrey_36]

Heres the signage from the car park

parking ticket.pdf

[FTMDave]

So its the Royal Oak then.  Did you have any luck speaking to the landlord?

 

Can you please answer the questions in post 7?

[lookinforinfo]

I take it that the first sign you showed on your post wa the one at the entrance. Parking Regulations  Apply. This is a pay and display car park. If that is the case then there is no contract offered at the entrance it is just an invitation to treat. 

[surrey_36]

Hi FTMDave - no unfortunately not, becuase I paid cash and chucked away the ticket - after all there was no parking ticket on my windscreen.. (live and learn must keep all tickets!)

[surrey_36]

Was closed yesterday and tried calling but no answer! Will keep trying them today

 

[FTMDave]

As you say, live & learn.  You're exactly the same as me.  I always pay in cash and never bothered to keep any tickets ... until I came across this site and learnt about the disgusting practises of the private parking companies.

 

Good luck with the Royal Oak, keep on at them.

 

Either the machine is knackered and they are sending these demands to everyone, or as others have said more probably you keyed in an "O" instead of a "0" or an "l" instead of a "1" or vice versa.  Legally this is "de minimis" AKA "the law does not deal with trivialities) and means you don't owe them a bean (although of course they will try it on anyway). 

[surrey_36]

Thanks FTMDave - so is it safe to ignore all correspondence to them - or should I write again and insist on the fact I paid for a ticket and that I will not pay any fine! Or just ignore completely.

 

The pub said they don't own the car park but it causes them a lot of problems, people use the car park and pay at the machine and if they come into the pub they refund them the parking costs - they said they think that many people just ignore parking fines from this company.

[dx100uk]

what fine?

 

dx

 

[FTMDave]

Just ignore now.

 

Come back here though if you get a Letter Before Claim/Letter Before Action, and we'll see them off with a wrong reg snotty letter.

[surrey_36]

Received from 'Debt Recovery Plus' an letter stating that legal recovery actions will begin if i do not respond within 7 days.

[FTMDave]

DCAs have no power to do anything as it's not their debt.  Relax & ignore.

[dx100uk]

i'd have hoped after all the debts and years of being here you'd already known this..................

[surrey_36]

I know i should do by now!