Private Parking Charge, England

[creampuff]

I have parking charge from Euro Car Parks. They are associated with the BPA.

Charge is for a stay of 14 mins in one of their carparks with ANPR detection.

There were two payment machines, neither of them accepted payment by credit card even though there was nothing wrong with the credit card.

What is the way of least effort to make this go away?

[creampuff]

What of appealing on the grounds of inability to pay due to failure of Euro Car Parks payment system, which was outside my control?

I was in charge of the vehicle. I am not the registered keeper. I'm also an Australian citizen. Should I just ask the keeper to nominate me with my Australian address and file the new charge notice in the bin if it actually turns up in Australia?

[creampuff]

S11Steve said:

Faulty machines is a decent defence, and one that is winning in courts when provable - I read it that your only had a card to pay with, not that the card wasn't being read.

Payment was declined in both of the two Euro Car Park payment machines in the carpark. Payment was also declined with a second card in both of the machines. I then left the carpark and parked at a nearby NCP car park and the credit card worked fine and has ever since. Nothing is/was wrong with the credit card and even if it was, I left the car park as soon as it became evident that I would not be able to pay.

[creampuff]

S11Steve said:

In your position, I'd appeal as driver, name yourself at a UK address, soft appeal that the machines were not working, then a POPLA appeal if it hasn't already been dropped by that point.

I'd like to soft appeal but I'm very reluctant to use a UK address as my ultimate end game if all else were to fail would be to throw all their letters in a great Down Under bin.

[creampuff]

Red Devil said:

However I'm curious how the OP managed to receive a NtK if, as he has stated, he is not the RK. Something doesn't add up here.

I didn't get the Euro Car Parks invoice/charge/whatever it is, it went to the registered keeper.

[creampuff]

Well the registered keeper has signed the letter nominating me.

I'm still in the UK and I've written a letter saying machine didn't work, tried 2 cards + 2 machines, left carpark immediately it was obvious couldn't pay and inviting ECP to cancel the charge & look at their CCTV footage to watch me putting the cards in the machines. Or write to me in Australia if they have any other plans.

Edited by creampuff on Monday 27th February 18:48