Free Traffic Legal Advice
Live cases legal advice => Private parking tickets => Topic started by: 3cats on March 11, 2025, 01:14:25 pm
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Never heard of any "court decision" obliging ParkingEye to cancel Lidl PCNs if a receipt is provided to show a purchase was made. However, as ParkingEye have a valuable contract with Lidl, they do not want to p!ss off Lidl by penalising their valued customers and so are very likely to cancel any appeal that can show the appellant was a paying customer of Lidl at the time of the alleged contravention.
Another reason why anyone who uses Lidl should download their app and scan the code at check out, even if paying cash. That way they automatically get an electronic copy of their receipt in the app.
Nothing worse on here than hearing about how someone was a customer of whatever store but paid cash and don't have receipt to prove it after they receive a PCN from the stores car park operator of choice.
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late update:
Finally I have my parking ticket cancelled by ParkingEye with remark
to not overstay in car park in future to give chance for other shoppers.
Many thanks b789 and jfellows for great assistance in this matter :)
PS
I read somewhere that in PL there is court decision that Lidl has to automatically
cancell parking tickets if customers provide their shopping bill.
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As per their email with apeal acknowledgment it can take up to 28 days for written response..
in the meantime I demanded from Lidl customer care immediate PCN cancellation .They wrote to me they were glad I made straightaway appeal to Parking eye .
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I already sent it with registered keeper email .
Hovewer Lidl Customer care apologised for that incident and was going to help me but when I told them I have also made an appeal to P.Eye then was told they can do nothing till I get answer which should be positive.
That is not true. They can tell their agent to cancel a PCN any time up to the issue of a claim. Anyway, wait and see what ParkingEye comeback with.
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I already sent it with registered keeper email .
Hovewer Lidl Customer care apologised for that incident and was going to help me but when I told them I have also made an appeal to P.Eye then was told they can do nothing till I get answer which should be positive.
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Hopefully you didn’t send it to Private Eye.
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ok. submitted appeal in attachment by their webform albeit their was wrong location address under parking charge details:
High Street 486, West Bromwich, B70 9QL instead of 373 High Street , West Bromwich, B70 9QL.
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You don't use post to send anything. Either as an attachment to an email or use their webform. If using their webform, make sure you keep a copy of what you are sending them.
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Thank you so much b789 for detailed advice and clarification re potential litigation.
For plan A.
I will complain then as advised as high as possible.
I spoke also today with Lidl late duty manager who stated he couldnt help me on the spot.
Instead he advised me to make contact with Customer Lidl Care chat via whatsapp as their number details were provided outside store window.
By the way last time when I quickly popped in to Lidl I heard opinion from staff that Private Eye only cancel their PCNs if car is broken down
For plan B
I wonder how I should send the appeal letter to Private Eye . Can I do it with 1 class postage or it has to be recorded delivery ? Unless there is email to them .
Let me also update with car park signature and further photos.
I was thinking that big sign on entrance was parking fees but it is actually
general information sign for store opening times and bakery.
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There can never, ever be a "magistrate" involved in a civil contractual dispute. Magistrates only ever deal with criminal matters in the magistrates court. Civil contractual matters are dealt with in the county court by a district judge. Very big difference and the two should never be confused.
That aside, as already advised, you should go with Plan A for now and get the management at the Lidl store to get this cancelled. They have contracted ParkingEye and you should complain that as a customer on the day, irrespective of your mitigation, which, to be frank, no one really cares about and certainly ParkingEye don't. You may not want to mention this to the Lidl management either as they can simply say they don't care either and therefore it is your fault for overstaying.
Don't let some underling customer service bod fob you off and tell you to simply appeal to ParkingEye. Unless you get a positive result from the management at the store, you escalate your complaint as high up the management food chain as you can go and so you email the CEO.
At the same time you can appeal to ParkingEye, without the spiel about the doctors phone call and simply say that it is unfair and you were a paying customer of Lidl and show them evidence of your receipt. Nothing else.
If they don't cancel, you will get a POPLA code where you can then make a secondary appeal but at that stage, it 50:50 whether it succeeds. There are issues with all ParkingEye Notices to Keeper (NtK) that make them non PoFA compliant and also their signage is not PPSCoP or BPA CoP compliant. All arguments to make if Lidl or ParkingEye themselves don't cancel it.
If it gets to that stage, it will most likely end up as a claim which will be easily defeated because ParkingEye will not use their in house legal team to submit a claim and they will instead use DCB Legal which is a guaranteed with a reasonable defence and they eventually discontinue.
So, Plan A... complain as high up the management food chain at Lidl and get them to call ParkingEye off. Plan B, you appeal with the following just before the appeal deadline to ParkingEye themselves but only as the Keeper, referring to the driver in the third person only:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing as the registered keeper of the vehicle regarding Parking Charge Notice [PCN Number] issued for an alleged overstay at [Lidl Car Park Location] on [Date].
The driver of the vehicle was a genuine customer of Lidl and has retained the receipt as proof of their transaction. It is unreasonable to issue a parking charge to a legitimate customer simply for taking the time necessary to complete their shopping. Lidl provides parking for its patrons, and penalising them in this manner is unfair.
Please find attached a copy of the receipt as evidence that the driver was a genuine Lidl customer on the date in question.
I request that this charge be cancelled. Should this appeal be rejected, I will escalate a formal complaint to Lidl regarding the unfair treatment of their customers.
I look forward to your confirmation of cancellation.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Name]
Registered Keeper
Poor signage, PoFA non compliance etc. can all be dealt with later if Lidl or ParkingEye don't cancel it first.
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Many thanks.I modified it accordingly
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Email someone senior if the store won’t do it.
General advice - read https://www.ftla.uk/private-parking-tickets/read-this-first-private-parking-charges-forum-guide/ - is not to identify the driver. If you care about the potentially technical arguments I suggest you edit your last post.
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Thanks for reply jfollows.I have tried already but looks like will have to speak with someone else in Lidl.
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Getting LIDL to cancel will be the best approach, Parking Eye won’t care about your mitigation, nor will POPLA. LIDL wants to keep you as a customer.
So something like 105 minutes parked in an area limited to 90 minutes. You say the signs are clear.
Parking Eye also thinks it has complied with PoFA to hold you - the registered keeper - liable in place of the driver. There are technical arguments against this but they would probably go to court and rely on a magistrate agreeing.
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ok will try again
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Parking Eye
Registered keeper
I don’t think you’ve posted the PCN, don’t obscure dates, just personal information.
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one more photo for car park
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Welcome forum users
PCN was received on 6 March PCN due to overstaying in Lidl car park and was sent to registered owner
of the vehicle.
While on shopping in Lidl I received an important prebooked clinician consultation call at 12.45 .
The appointment was quite lenghty as I had to return to car which was still parked in Lidl car park to better hear dr questions.when telephone appointment was finished I returned back again to LIdl store to continue with shopping.
I obtained private and confidential letter from GP reg consultation call at exact time 12.45 so would like to use if its possible as evidence on medical ground and also have shopping receipt from Lidl.
Beside that on the entrance to the Lidl Store car park ,address : 373 High Street B70 9QL West Bromwich
there are plenty of information signs around the car park telling about free parking up to 90 min and fine up to £90 if the breach of the parking conditions.
Can you please advice re above situation as have deadline up to 17 March 2025 for potential appeal as per below letter with photos attached
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