Free Traffic Legal Advice

Live cases legal advice => Private parking tickets => Topic started by: Circle87 on May 25, 2025, 12:00:19 am

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: b789 on May 28, 2025, 05:31:40 pm

I advise you to get the Lidl app and scan it each time you make a purchase, even with cash as you can then automatically receive an electronic receipt which is useful as evidence of being a customer.

Plan A should always be tried first.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: DWMB2 on May 28, 2025, 05:16:16 pm

Quote from: Circle87 on May 28, 2025, 04:51:21 pm

We hope this has made your day a Lidl better.

And I thought my jokes were bad  ;D

Good result, well done!

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 28, 2025, 04:51:21 pm

HOORAH!!!

Recieved a reply from Lidl Customer Services this afternoon advising me they have cancelled the Parking Charge Notice issued by Parking eye.

I guess it's Lidl value IPA berverages on me all round today then!

"Hi Mr. Circle87

Our Ref: 117845661

Re: Parking Charge Notice

We have some fantastic news regarding your recent parking charge notice. After carefully reviewing the information you provided, we have cancelled the charge on this occasion.

We’ve been able to do this because, you have not overstayed in the car park and we have never had to cancel a charge for you before.

If you carefully follow the instructions on the car park signage in our store’s parking area, this should not happen again in the future. If you receive any further car park charges, please appeal them directly with the car park management company.

We hope this has made your day a Lidl better.

We’d love to hear your thoughts about the service you’ve received today. To take part in our survey please click here and help shape your experience as a customer. Take care,
Hannah
Customer Care"

Thank you to all involved and your replies, especially @b789 for their punctual timeliness and dedication to the cause!

In the words of Hannah from Lidl's Customer Care Team, I hope your day gets a "Lidl" bit better from here on out.

Circle87.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 27, 2025, 01:38:06 pm

Reply from Lidl Customer Care team:

"Hi Mr. Circle87

Our Ref: 117845661

Re: Parking Charge Notice

I’m sorry to hear you’ve got a parking charge. We are here to help you in the best possible way.

Please send over the below info:

• Have you already submitted an appeal with the car park management company?

• Have you received any previous parking charges from this company?

• A copy of your parking charge notice 

Once we’ve got this, it’ll be clearer if we can help.

Take care,
Vicky
Customer Care"

I have responded with:

"Dear Vicky,


Thank you for taking the time to assist.

Currently I have not appealed, I wanted to resolve the issue you with before any further action is taken.

I have never received any previous charges from this third party company because I always scan my receipts after shopping. Hence, I cannot understand why I have received this charge.

Please see attached notice.

Many thanks,

Circle87"


I'll wait for a reply and post back here when received.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 27, 2025, 11:56:54 am

So I have already I sent a message to Lidl Management via their online "Contact Us" section and that was on 25th May. I received an acknowledgment email and now I'm waiting for a reply. I'm not expecting much.
If this fails, which inevitably it will, I will post back here their reply and confirm what I should write next in the email to the CEO.
I guess all the while I'm waiting for replies and responses the clock is still ticking but these are the hoops I need to jump through.

I'll keep this post updated as and when. Thank you

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: roythebus on May 26, 2025, 11:55:51 pm

The 3 parking terminals in the Ashford Kent Lidl are in a north-facing window and situated low down so wheelchair users can reach them. One of the machines regularly fails. My friend who uses the shop regularly curses them.

There's also one of those parcel drop-off areas outside the store where people come and go all the time. The gym next door shares the same car park and gym users are allowed 120 minutes parking providing they tap in on the screen in the gym. My osteopath is based in there which could then pose the question, if someone uses the gym for 120 minutes then shops in Lidl for the prescribed time and taps in at Lidl as well...  also the signs next to the parcel drop box makes no mention of gym users using the joint car park, not to mention the coffee shop that has recently opened between Lidl and the gym. I don't know what their parking arrangements are. The signage is far from adequate. It's also impossible to read at night and for disabled people impossible during the day as the disabled bays are usually filled with parcel drop-off people!

I appreciate my case hasn't gone to court yet, I've not heard anything from the debt collectors yet, but if I do I'll put that in my own post.

ps it's the parking terminal nearest the door that plays up so I'm told.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: DWMB2 on May 26, 2025, 06:10:07 pm

+2

Trying to get management to intervene costs nothing, as is therefore nearly always sensible. It's certainly better than sitting back and waiting to be sued.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: b789 on May 26, 2025, 02:18:11 pm

+1

Do try the store management. You can also try emailing upper management. Aim as high up the management food chain as possible. The CEO is Ryan McDonnell and you can email him at ryan.mcdonnell@lidl.co.uk. Whilst he is not likely to deal with it, he will have one of his upper management minions sort it for you.

However, the location is too vague on the NtK as it will simply say "Lidl Ashford", even though we've not seen it. This is another PoFA failure.

Is it:

• Lidl, Stanwell Rd, Shepperton, Stanwell, Ashford TW15 3DT;

or is it

• Lidl, 25 New St, Ashford TN24 8TN.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: H C Andersen on May 26, 2025, 10:33:35 am

With respect, you've not succeeded in court yet and we don't know whether the circumstances correspond.

OP, the first step is always to try the store if the driver genuinely bought items and was a bona fide customer. Only the driver knows and with respect I'd rather not dance around this by referring to paying by cash/disposed of receipt to mask not being a customer. I don't know where the parking terminals are located in this store but in my local they're right against south-facing floor to ceiling glass, easy to misread (even the thickness of the screen covering in important as is the relative heights of the screen and person inputting).

But only the driver knows these facts and if they can't be argued in their favour then let's be clear and focus attention on other aspects.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: roythebus on May 26, 2025, 10:22:14 am

Hold your horses, I have a similar case going on with Lidl Ashford.

I live near Ashford Kent. I shop in Lidl in Kent.

My cousin lives in Ashford Surrey, she also shops in Lidl, in Surrey.

I'd suggest you not bother contacting Lidl, a waste of time, the local manager in the Kent shop couldn't give a monkeys, nothing to do with him he told me. But if the parking company take this to court I doubt they'd get very far with their claim as they give a vague location. So far my case has been appealed and turned down, I haven't bothered going to the next stage of appeal having pointed out their error and they chose to ignore it. My view now is let it go to court. They have to rely on vague evidence, they can't suddenly change the evidence. But it's your choice.

Did I shop in Kent or Surrey? Did you shop in Kent or Surrey? Did your un-named driver take your car into one of those shops, if so which one.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: H C Andersen on May 25, 2025, 08:23:33 pm

I can't see how this ticket has been issued other than it's possible I may have mis-typed a digit of some sort?

is hardly consistent with:

As for your comment '..they are saying I didn't register my receipt at the terminal when I remember vividly that I did.'

Odds are that their 'predatory conduct' is nothing more than them doing what they're employed to do i.e. regulate Lidl's car park for the benefit of customers by ensuring that they follow through on their use Ts and Cs.

If you think you're correct(you did enter your correct VRM) and therefore they're wrong then this would be made clear because their timeline of VRM entries would reveal yours.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: b789 on May 25, 2025, 05:39:12 pm

If Lidl don't get it cancelled, then just use the following as your appeal:

Quote

I am the keeper of the vehicle and I dispute your 'parking charge'. I deny any liability or contractual agreement and I will be making a complaint about your predatory conduct to your client landowner.

As your Notice to Keeper (NtK) does not fully comply with ALL the requirements of PoFA 2012, you are unable to hold the keeper of the vehicle liable for the charge. Partial or even substantial compliance is not sufficient. There will be no admission as to who was driving and no inference or assumptions can be drawn. ParkingEye has relied on contract law allegations of breach against the driver only.

The registered keeper cannot be presumed or inferred to have been the driver, nor pursued under some twisted interpretation of the law of agency. Your NtK can only hold the driver liable. ParkingEye have no hope at POPLA, so you are urged to save us both a complete waste of time and cancel the PCN.

You don't need anything more elaborate because any initial appeal will be rejected, no matter the circumstances. The aim here is to put them on notice that you are not low-hanging fruit on the gullible tree and to get a POPLA code.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 25, 2025, 05:30:59 pm

Thank you.

I will wait to see what Lidl comes back with and then will come back here to confirm points to raise in my unofficial appeal to Parkingeye, before being rejected and appealing to POPLA.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: b789 on May 25, 2025, 05:22:27 pm

You should not refer to yourself as the driver. You should refer to "the driver" in the third person. This is because there is a technical flaw in all ParkingEye NtKs where they fail to fully comply with all the requirements of PoFA 2012, which means that they cannot hold the Keeper liable.

Not that that won't prevent them from pursuing this al the way to litigation. However, they rarely proceed all the way to a court hearing unless they believe they have a very strong case. If they hand to to a bulk litigation firm such as DCB Legal, you cn guarantee that if it is defended, they will eventually discontinue.

I wouldn't mention that you used their car park while you went for a haircut. It serves no purpose except to show that you used their car park whilst not a customer.

As for pursuing this should they not agree to cancel the charge, that is a decision you have to make for yourself. All I can advise is that should you wish to fight this, then you will receive advice on how to proceed.

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 25, 2025, 05:13:07 pm

Thank you, Sir.

I have to correct myself. It wasn't that I stayed longer than permitted, they are saying I didn't register my receipt at the terminal when I remember vividly that I did. If they checked their CCTV at that particular time mentioned on the Parking Charge Notice they will see I did spend money in store and I did register my receipt so I'm really not sure how I've received this notice?

Anyway, I have contacted their national on-line message contact centre with the following:

Dear Lidl store, Ashford (Kent),

I recently visited your store on 8th May at 17.52 to buy some every daily groceries after getting my haircut next door to your store. I scanned my recipet for parking and was there for 45 minutes before leaving. However Parkingeye, the third party parking firm you employ to monitor your car park, has now issued me with a parking charge notice of £90 or £45 before 14 days. I find this highly predatory behaviour and unacceptable because I scanned my receipt and entered my registration number as required but I still received a charge?? I unfortunately am not a Lidl loyalty membership card holder and I obviously don't have the recipet for my shop over 2 weeks ago.

I shop at your store regularly and always scan my receipt as required and I find this very, very frustrating, and distressing as a loyal Lidl customer.

Please Can you assist me in this matter because if you review your CCTV at this time and date you will see that I did indeed purchase groceries at your store and I did register my receipt for parking. Regrettably, if you are unable to help me appeal this charge I feel out of principle that I won't be shopping any further at any of your stores, which is very, very sad for me.

Appreciate any assistance you can provide here.

Yours faithfully,

If Lidl reply saying they are unable to help, is it best to simply give-in and pay the charge? Or do I have any grounds for appeal?

TIA

Title: Re: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: b789 on May 25, 2025, 04:07:02 am

It says you were either parked for longer than permitted or you didn't enter your vehicle details in the terminal. You were there for 44 minutes.

You should get in touch with Lidl management. No one from customer service is going to help because all they'll say is to appeal to ParkingEye.

If you're along term, regular customer, do you use their loyalty app? If you do, even if you paid cash, you'd have an electronic receipt.

You should evidence that you are a long term regular customer when you explain the situation to the Lidl management..

Title: Parkingeye Parking Charge Notice – Remained longer than permitted – Lidl Ashford, Kent
Post by: Circle87 on May 25, 2025, 12:00:19 am

Hi guys,

I've been a bit unlucky recently and I happened to have received the below attached letter today in the post telling me I overstayed at the Ashford (Kent) Lidl parking.

From what I recall I parked in the Lidl carpark and went to get my hair cut, but popped into the store just before leaving to buy milk and a few other bits and bobs, paying in cash. I scanned my reciept to register for the parking as I always do, and binned the recipet. I can't see how this ticket has been issued other than it's possible I may have mis-typed a digit of some sort?

As above, I don't have the recipet and I paid in cash. I've been shopping in this Lidl store for the last 10 years and this has never happened before.

£45-£90 seems a bit rediculous a for a charge when I did actually use the store to shop!

What would be the best course of action? Contact Lidl customer services or appeal straight with Parkingeye then go to POPLA?

Many thanks for your help in advance!

(https://imgur.com/a/QoeuVMl)

(https://imgur.com/a/Dlw37G1)

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