Free Traffic Legal Advice

Had this one come through and hoped the good folks here could help me as the keeper of the vehicle.

The driver had a self-paying appointment at Nuffield Health Parkside hospital. The driver had been there in the past and enjoyed free parking and received no fine.

The drive attended their appointment and left and then returned some days later for a follow-up.

I then received the following notice as the keeper

https://imgur.com/a/Lh6LRE8 - front

https://imgur.com/a/msIfPX9 - back

EDIT: Didn't know imgur was banned. Herewe go







Upon checking the hospital website it states:

There is no charge for private or self-paying patients.

NHS patients and all hospital visitors are required to pay the following parking fees:

[fees]

How do I pay for parking?
The hospital’s camera-controlled car parking system requires all visitors to enter their vehicle's registration number. Those who have to pay the charge will need to download the APCOA Connect app to make payment. The charging period for the car park is 24 hours a day including weekends and bank holidays.

What should I do now? I'm out of the country so I can't go and check the signage but the driver did not notice it on their visit (although they were going to somewhere they'd been many times before and may not have been looking for signs).

Many thanks as always!

Doh! Apologies, hopefully this now works

Plan A is to approach the hospital and get them to cancel it.

Happy to try this although I note that their website states:

Parking charge notices are generated and issued to those who have parked without making payment for the time they have been parked on site. In the event you incorrectly enter your vehicle registration number, this may also result in a ticket.

Should you receive a parking charge you feel is unwarranted or issued in error please appeal. The appeals process is with APCOA Connect and NOT the hospital.

If you have your ticket or proof of payment then your penalty charge notice will be cancelled.

What should the driver approach the hospital with? "So sorry, didn't know, mea culpa, here's proof of my appointments?"

Thanks

If their contract with Gemini allows them to.

If the hospital own the land then yes, they can cancel this immediately.

That's factually incorrect, as DWMB2 points out it'll be down to the terms of the contract between the land owner and the private parking company. There's some very sharp practice out there from some of the companies and in many cases there will be cancellation clauses limiting the number and circumstances under which the landowner can request a cancellation.

Just because it's a hospital doesn't mean they read the contract they agreed to properly, or may be they are happy with limited cancellations.

Keeper have you had it confirmed by Gemni that the PCN is cancelled, do you have a copy of the instruction sent to Gemini by the hospital? Until you have confirmation it's been cancelled you can't assume it has.

Good, that should be the end of it.