Free Traffic Legal Advice

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!





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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

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.

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.

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.

+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.

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

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.