Smart Parking Facebook group |
Smart Parking Facebook group |
Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:25
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#1
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,181 Joined: 14 May 2007 From: Basildump, Essex. Member No.: 12,023 |
I'm not sure if I can post links here so for the moment I won't
There is a Facebook group formed yesterday at around 19:30 that has already got over 770 members! The title is "Smart Parking Problems Westgate Park Basildon" It's an open group so can be easily found. So far it appears almost everyone attempting to park here or even pick up a passenger is being invoiced to the tune of £49.50 Machines not working, Registration numbers not being recorded, even straight forward breaches of the BPA's T&C's with regards to ANPR. Local councillors, MP's and even the evening Echo are involved. People are being 'Invoiced' for no reason, even valid tickets are being ignored. It would seem the P&D machines aren't linked to the ANPR system and this is where the problems are most evident. Many cases are showing the NTK to have been sent outside of the 14 day period, in some case more than a month late. I'm sure the fight will continue but I just wanted to bring it to your attention, this is a scam of the highest order and the sooner they are got rid of the better!! |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:25
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:28
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#2
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,585 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
Many cases are showing the NTK to have been sent outside of the 14 day period, in some case more than a month late. Every single ticket issued by Smart is unenforceable if you know the magic trick... They do not use keeper liability. Being outside 14 days in itself is not an issue. (They can only pursue the driver but have written to the keeper...) So simply tell everyone to appeal on the basis of no such liability and they will cancel or POPLA will if they don't see sense... -------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:33
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#3
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Member Group: Members Posts: 6,898 Joined: 15 Dec 2007 From: South of John O'Groats, north of Cape Town. Member No.: 16,066 |
That pinned post on the group needs amending to include a very, very prominent warning not to reveal the identity of the driver. Unlike this forum, the great majority of people on Facebook use their real names. Smart will love that they have ready made admissions from drivers.
-------------------- Cabbyman 11 PPCs 0
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:39
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#4
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,585 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
Hmmm, interesting read.
Surprising amount of people have simply paid them. (Even the ones that did pay for parking) Quite a lot of 'ignorers'. But I will note that I spotted a ticket without the correct vrm on it, changes to disabled parking and some people simply admitting to overstaying. The truth is out there somewhere... This post has been edited by Jlc: Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:39 -------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:39
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#5
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Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Member No.: 24,831 |
I parked there today and all the machines were down.
Had to ring up and pay, but just checked the message and they have got my no-plate wrong by one letter. Think I,;;join the Facebook group to have a look. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:41
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#6
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,585 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
I parked there today and all the machines were down. Had to ring up and pay, but just checked the message and they have got my no-plate wrong by one letter. ...You now know how to beat them. -------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:47
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#7
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Member Group: Members Posts: 6,898 Joined: 15 Dec 2007 From: South of John O'Groats, north of Cape Town. Member No.: 16,066 |
Maybe another amendment to the pinned post referring them here? Also, that councillor needs directing here for some background information to give him a better knowledge of the true situation.
-------------------- Cabbyman 11 PPCs 0
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 18:57
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#8
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Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Member No.: 24,831 |
I parked there today and all the machines were down. Had to ring up and pay, but just checked the message and they have got my no-plate wrong by one letter. ...You now know how to beat them. Was tempted to ring them to correct the Reg No. We was in my partners car. After seeing all of this not so sure now. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:05
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#9
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,585 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
Was tempted to ring them to correct the Reg No. We was in my partners car. After seeing all of this not so sure now. Stick to the tried and tested. (Somehow people think private parking companies are reasonable - they're rarely are!) Start a thread in the active cases forum should you need. This post has been edited by Jlc: Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:05 -------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:06
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#10
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Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Member No.: 24,831 |
Was tempted to ring them to correct the Reg No. We was in my partners car. After seeing all of this not so sure now. Stick to the tried and tested. (Somehow people think private parking companies are reasonable - they're rarely are!) Start a thread in the active cases forum should you need. Will do, cheers. |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:07
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#11
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,181 Joined: 14 May 2007 From: Basildump, Essex. Member No.: 12,023 |
I parked there today and all the machines were down. Had to ring up and pay, but just checked the message and they have got my no-plate wrong by one letter. ...You now know how to beat them. Was tempted to ring them to correct the Reg No. We was in my partners car. After seeing all of this not so sure now. They don't answer their phones so no point in trying, so many printed tickets have the full reg missing, the cameras are doing the dirty work, the P&D payments are being ignored |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:33
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#12
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Member Group: Members Posts: 6,898 Joined: 15 Dec 2007 From: South of John O'Groats, north of Cape Town. Member No.: 16,066 |
Ha ha! It looks like the deluge of appeals has broken Smart's website!!!!
-------------------- Cabbyman 11 PPCs 0
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:36
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#13
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,181 Joined: 14 May 2007 From: Basildump, Essex. Member No.: 12,023 |
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 19:48
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#14
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Member Group: Members Posts: 6,898 Joined: 15 Dec 2007 From: South of John O'Groats, north of Cape Town. Member No.: 16,066 |
I think you need to go heavy on the advice available here. The letter written by the councillor appears, at a skimmed read, to be putting a lot of onus on the shopping centre and Smart to say whether or not the PCNs were justified/legitimate. I think we all know the response he will get to that! Most of his points were very woolly. He needs to be educated!
The only way to bring a stop to this will, unfortunately, be a laborious appealing of every ticket in the time-honoured manner that we have developed on here over the years, IMHO. -------------------- Cabbyman 11 PPCs 0
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Thu, 13 Sep 2018 - 20:09
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#15
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Member Group: Members Posts: 1,181 Joined: 14 May 2007 From: Basildump, Essex. Member No.: 12,023 |
I think you need to go heavy on the advice available here. The letter written by the councillor appears, at a skimmed read, to be putting a lot of onus on the shopping centre and Smart to say whether or not the PCNs were justified/legitimate. I think we all know the response he will get to that! Most of his points were very woolly. He needs to be educated! The only way to bring a stop to this will, unfortunately, be a laborious appealing of every ticket in the time-honoured manner that we have developed on here over the years, IMHO. I did message the councillor to cut to the chase but he ignored me! Instead we are focusing on the BPA and Trading Standards to get to the bottom of this. As a last resort we will be making a complaint to the police for Fraud and Deception charges to be considered. It's not finished yet but I think it's gone beyond template letters considering the amount of people affected. |
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Fri, 14 Sep 2018 - 06:13
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#16
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,261 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
For each case it shouldn’t go beyond a template letter, a simple bogoff and POPLA for no PoFA liability, it’s easy, it’s easy to follow and it’s simple, in terms of the bigger fight that is different of course.
-------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Fri, 14 Sep 2018 - 08:02
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#17
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Member Group: Members Posts: 41,585 Joined: 25 Aug 2011 From: Planet Earth Member No.: 49,223 |
-------------------- RK=Registered Keeper, OP=Original Poster (You!), CoFP=Conditional Offer of Fixed Penalty, NtK=Notice to Keeper, NtD=Notice to Driver
PoFA=Protection of Freedoms Act, SAC=Safety Awareness Course, NIP=Notice of Intended Prosecution, ADR=Alternative Dispute Resolution PPC=Private Parking Company, LBCCC=Letter Before County Court Claim, PII=Personally Identifiable Information, SAR=Subject Access Request Private Parking - remember, they just want your money and will say almost anything to get it. |
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Fri, 14 Sep 2018 - 10:13
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#18
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Member Group: Members Posts: 56,261 Joined: 9 Sep 2003 From: Warwickshire Member No.: 317 |
If the DVLA properly held the organisations to their promises made when they were granted ATA status then the PPCs would be far more likely to actually 'follow the rules', however I think the DVLA have been sorely remiss in allowing both organisations (but the IPC in particular) far too much scope to 'brush under the carpet' too many issues rather than taking proper enforcement activity against their members and holding them to proper standards. The fact that the DVLA accept they have 'reasonable cause' for keepers data without being provided and with PPC's running rough shod over any meaningful standard would be a good test for the ICO in my opinion.
-------------------- There is no such thing as a law abiding motorist, just those who have been scammed and those yet to be scammed!
S172's Rookies 1-0 Kent Council PCN's Rookies 1-0 Warwick Rookies 1-0 Birmingham PPC PCN's Rookies 10-0 PPC's |
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Tue, 25 Sep 2018 - 22:40
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#19
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Member Group: Members Posts: 459 Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Member No.: 24,831 |
We have not had a ticket yet, but momentum is growing against the parking company.
Made the papers. http://www.yellowad.co.uk/article.cfm?id=135702 |
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Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: Tuesday, 16th April 2024 - 19:23 |