I'll try and keep it short! Appreciate any help or advice anyone can give.
Went to an event at a country house last summer, their car park has about a 30 capacity, due to the busy event, high-vis staff were directing people to park in a big field. ANPR was on the entrance/exit to the grounds, but as the field was next to the event, this was a good 100m from the car park surrounded by trees with the Smart Parking signs in it. I'm sure i'm not the only one that got done that day.
Went through the classic process of being rjected when i appealed with Smart Parking then POPLA, it's literally pointless appealing even with map evidence. I recieved a letter saying to pay £155 within 28 days. However when i've tried to pay the charge on the Smart Parking website OR using their automated phone system, i recieve the same message.
"Your Parking Charge is currently in a state at which we are unable to accept payment. Please contact the Parking Office."
There is no information on HOW to contact the parking office on the website or the automated phone system. The letter i recieved only gives the automated phone number and the website address.
I have emailed info@smartparking.com several times explaining the issue, that i have tried to make payment several times within the 28 day window, but each time i get a standard reply.
** We are currently experiencing a high volume of emails and aim to respond to your query as soon as possible, please note this means that we may be unable to fulfil the time period stipulated below.**
Thank you for your recent communication.
Your query is being looked into and a response will be issued in due course. Please be advised it may take up to 7 days for a response to be issued or longer during busy periods.
If you have submitted an appeal to this email address, please note this will not be responded to. This email address is for general enquiries only. If you wish to submit an appeal, please follow the correct process outlined on your Parking Charge Notice.
Please note, this email is an automatic response, and your query will be responded to directly in due course.
So what now? Even when i'm tring to give them £155 they don't deserve, they won't accept it. I've taken screenshots and video recordings of trying to make payment, i'm at the mercy of if they want to reply to my email or not! Otherwise it's onto deby collectors, who i don't fancy dealing with.
Keep fighting the good fight guys.
