3. Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
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Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
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Hi all,

So my wife has received a Final Reminder from Smart Parking Ltd, demanding £145 and stating we ignored the initial letter. Well the fact is we never received the initial letter, it never arrived at the same address the Final Reminder did.

So far i've done two things, one requested the formal complaints procedure for the shopping retail park, and i've tried to contact Smart Parking for their formal complaints procedure.

No names other than my own have been given to SP.

Now surely they've removed the right to appeal and the right to pay the initial lower fine, that must be a breach of their own procedure, and obviously I am not paying the elevated fine because this is a tactic, from what I am reading on other sites, Smart Parking use.

Also, there is a caveat, the car that would have been caught, we no longer have. lol but I am sure they would trace it via the DVLA. We part ex'd it a few weeks back.

They are threatening court action if we ignore the letter etc, which I was expecting etc, but any guidance to how their lack of care can be used against them would be appreciated.

I find it absolutely disgusting that in a big shopping area, where there are god knows how many shops, my wife went there to do all the Christmas shopping , and went over the "free" allowance, which I also find disgusting as that centre always used to be free, we don't go there from year to year, now has this vile smart parking system in place, and she gets this treatment. Can't enjoy anything at your own pace anymore.

Anyway, thanks in advance.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #1 on: »
You can send a complaint to Smart, which they are required to treat as an appeal.  Something along the lines of disputing their charge as the reg keeper and they have not delivered a Notice to Keeper as required by POFA to transfer liability.  Don't identify the driver.  You can request that they send on the original PCN with proof of posting.  They will most likely reject the appeal without really reading it, and they look to be IPC so secondary appeal will be to IAS (which will also most likely reject it).

After that you are waiting out the debt collectors letters and the court claim, which is often discontinued as long as you defend it.

If you are a genuine customer, then going via the retailer might yield a cancellation, but it's often difficult on a multi store retail park.  Where was it?

It's not a fine, BTW, but a speculative invoice for alleged breach of contract.

If you get the original PCN post it up, there may be flaws that mean there is an easy defence.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #2 on: »
Welcome to FTLA.

A quick preliminary matter, which may sound pedantic, but isn't - from a legal perspective there is no "we" in this case. If your wife was the registered keeper of the vehicle at the time, and the letter(s) are addressed to her, then the dispute is between her and Smart, so anything formal will need to be done in her name. I mention this now at the start because we've seen cases where people are trying to help a friend/relative, and end up inadvertently making things worse by submitting court defences in their own name etc.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #3 on: »
I haven't mentioned wife or me , I just used the term we, which could refer to me or anyone tbh. As I lodged the complaint with them, they , i'd assume , would be obliged to reply to me. In fact, reviewing the email I sent, it infers I am the one fined and keeper, therefore with not reference to the letter or any reference numbers, they must ask me for that first, so far they haven't replied at all.

If they wished to rectify the issue with the "appeal / lower fine amount" they'd ask for the PCN.

The email was deliberately vague tbh, I just want initial contact. If they don't respond.

But also, I might add, the reason I do the emails is that English is not my wifes first language, so it's easier for me to do all correspondence.   
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #4 on: »
Quote from: JimmyJ on February 12, 2026, 11:35:12 am
But also, I might add, the reason I do the emails is that English is not my wifes first language, so it's easier for me to do all correspondence.
I appreciate that, my point is just to make sure you're aware that if this proceeds to a court claim (which, with Smart Parking, is a fair possibility), then all court submissions/correspondence etc. will need to be in your wife's name, as she will be the defendant.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #5 on: »
Oh yeah 100% anything Official I will use her name. Just so far it's been in mine as they don't know who they are talking about yet.

Plus I want to see if they actually reply or not. So far, nothing
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #6 on: »
Make sure you don't name who was driving at the time, no 'I", "we", "us". Just "the driver".
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Bus driving since 1973. My advice, if you have a PSV licence, destroy it when you get to 65 or you'll be forever in demand.
Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #7 on: »
We don't even have that car anymore lol But I know they could trace it via the DVLA.

But yeah I won't state who was driving.

I will repeat the emails to their info and complaint email addresses they give on their site, if they don't reply, I shall ignore any further communication and await the court case.

2 attempts to communicate and being ignored is reason enough to get the fine thrown out. They deliberately blocked the right to appeal and right to pay the lesser charge. And two people willing to testify that the original letter never arrived and they refused to resend it with proof of postage.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #8 on: »
Quote
2 attempts to communicate and being ignored is reason enough to get the fine thrown out
If it gets to court, you'll need more than that (especially when the attempts to communicate were made by a third party and not the defendant). It's evidence of potential unreasonable behaviour on their part, but doesn't on its own relate to the alleged contractual charges Smart claim are due.

That the notice wasn't received is potentially a stronger point, of course.

If the shopping centre is local to you, I would advise getting some photos of the signage, especially if it is not prominent. You mention that it used to be free without limit - if so, check if there are any prominent signs advising that the terms have changed. Both of these could also work in your favour.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #9 on: »
Quote from: DWMB2 on February 13, 2026, 08:55:00 am
Quote
2 attempts to communicate and being ignored is reason enough to get the fine thrown out
If it gets to court, you'll need more than that (especially when the attempts to communicate were made by a third party and not the defendant). It's evidence of potential unreasonable behaviour on their part, but doesn't on its own relate to the alleged contractual charges Smart claim are due.

This I would disagree with. Third party or not, they do not know who the driver was, what the PCN was, and they should reply asking for these details. Their own procedures are to issue initial fine, offer opportunity to pay lesser fine in 28 days or appeal. This was not given by SP, therefore breach of their own contract. Obviously it's their word against ours , they can say the letter was sent, but we both would deny this. But it wouldn't explain why they completely ignored repeated emails to their highlighted addresses were ignored. Companies have a duty to answer official complaints within a certain timeframe, and in this case with the details , re-issue the original letter and allow for the 28 day appeal or pay the reduced fine. They simply cannot ignore that and just send out final reminders stating we ignored a non existent letter. Also, again, doesn't explain ignoring the emails requesting the initial letter.

There will be no appeal or fight, the £60 will be paid as there is another issue regarding mental health here. If this goes on, it will have an extreme effect on someones mental health (They are ill anyway) and that can be catastrophic long term. But the £145 and any further demands will not be paid.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #10 on: »
So today we recieved the letter from Debt Recovery Plus, with an elevated charge, I spoke to them, stated the issue with the initial letter and got some chopsy obnoxious fool being sarcastic.

Anyway, who are these people ?

I assume this will continue until it either gets dismissed or we go to court ?
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #11 on: »
Ignore debt collectors, your contacting them gives you the opportunity to say something detrimental to your subsequent defence.
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Re: Smart Parking Deliberate Scam
« Reply #12 on: »
Quote from: JimmyJ on February 24, 2026, 01:34:14 pm
So today we recieved the letter from Debt Recovery Plus, with an elevated charge, I spoke to them, stated the issue with the initial letter and got some chopsy obnoxious fool being sarcastic.

Anyway, who are these people ?

I assume this will continue until it either gets dismissed or we go to court ?

Do not contact these people - all they want is your money.
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  3. Smart Parking Deliberate Scam