Parking Charge, tried to pay, but...

[J4CKO]

I just tried to pay this fine to "Smart Parking" on behalf of my youngest son, and it says "Your parking charge notice is currently in a state which we are unable to accept payment".

You cant ring them, have emailed asking whats going on.

Any ideas, its currently £170 as he parked in a pub car park to pick his mates up from said pub, then ignored it and it went up.

[Mandat]

J4CKO said:

I just tried to pay this fine to "Smart Parking" on behalf of my youngest son, and it says "Your parking charge notice is currently in a state which we are unable to accept payment".

You cant ring them, have emailed asking whats going on.

Any ideas, its currently £170 as he parked in a pub car park to pick his mates up from said pub, then ignored it and it went up.

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

[J4CKO]

Mandat said:

J4CKO said:

I just tried to pay this fine to "Smart Parking" on behalf of my youngest son, and it says "Your parking charge notice is currently in a state which we are unable to accept payment".

You cant ring them, have emailed asking whats going on.

Any ideas, its currently £170 as he parked in a pub car park to pick his mates up from said pub, then ignored it and it went up.

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

Because he went, waited, rang his mates, they came out and went and didnt put his number in, and he then ignored it.

[J4CKO]

Email reply says "We are experiencing a high volume of calls" etc, so tried to pay it, now have to chase them to give them money.

I got caught by this lot, got it waived as had paid, but re fed the meter within my original period, but didnt leave the car park, I argued it and sent them evidence and they cancelled it.

[Bright Halo]

J4CKO said:

Mandat said:

J4CKO said:

I just tried to pay this fine to "Smart Parking" on behalf of my youngest son, and it says "Your parking charge notice is currently in a state which we are unable to accept payment".

You cant ring them, have emailed asking whats going on.

Any ideas, its currently £170 as he parked in a pub car park to pick his mates up from said pub, then ignored it and it went up.

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

Because he went, waited, rang his mates, they came out and went and didnt put his number in, and he then ignored it.

Sympathies as I also have offspring who do similar.

[J4CKO]

Bright Halo said:

J4CKO said:

Mandat said:

J4CKO said:

I just tried to pay this fine to "Smart Parking" on behalf of my youngest son, and it says "Your parking charge notice is currently in a state which we are unable to accept payment".

You cant ring them, have emailed asking whats going on.

Any ideas, its currently £170 as he parked in a pub car park to pick his mates up from said pub, then ignored it and it went up.

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

Because he went, waited, rang his mates, they came out and went and didnt put his number in, and he then ignored it.

Sympathies as I also have offspring who do similar.

He is going through a period of education about becoming an adult currently, the consequences of ignoring financial stuff etc.

I am helping but not just making it go away, just to take some of the sting out of it.

[surveyor_101]

Smart Parking are chancers why are you paying.

Just respond telling them as the register keeper via a money saving expert forum response.


Don't pay these chancers, you son did nothing wrong, how long was he there 10-15 minutes grace is normal in the industry!

170 is laughable, the government have drafted legislation to reduce to £50 max!

[Fish]

Also if he was sat in the vehicle he was waiting and not parked...

[BertBert]

Fish said:

Also if he was sat in the vehicle he was waiting and not parked...

Not convinced those are mutually exclusive activities.

[sugerbear]

BertBert said:

Fish said:

Also if he was sat in the vehicle he was waiting and not parked...

Not convinced those are mutually exclusive activities.

The rip off merchants will have to argue that 15 minutes in a car park with your engine running waiting to collect someone justifies a £80 fine, plus he was obviously waiting, he wasn't parked (and I assume the car park was half empty so he wouldn't be depriving anyone of a parking space). The pub didn't lose any business as a result so they haven't suffered a loss.

It will never get to a court (but you can expect lots of strongly worded letters in the meantime).

[Pica-Pica]

sugerbear said:

The rip off merchants will have to argue that 15 minutes in a car park with your engine running waiting to collect someone justifies a £80 fine, plus he was obviously waiting, he wasn't parked (and I assume the car park was half empty so he wouldn't be depriving anyone of a parking space). The pub didn't lose any business as a result so they haven't suffered a loss.

It will never get to a court (but you can expect lots of strongly worded letters in the meantime).

Having your engine running for 15 minutes certainly justifies some sort of fine, in my book.

[J4CKO]

Tried to pay it again today, same message,

"Your Parking Charge Notice is currently in a state at which we are unable to accept payment. Please contact the Parking Office."

I emailed them on Monday, doesnt seem to be a phone number.

What a useless company.

[carl_w]

Just appeal it without identifying the driver. Pepipoo and Moneysavingexpert will tell you what to write.

[pavarotti1980]

And do everything by email or snail mail. Never ring them or admit who the driver was

As above look at the template on MSE private parking forum https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/pa...

[spikyone]

J4CKO said:

Tried to pay it again today, same message,

"Your Parking Charge Notice is currently in a state at which we are unable to accept payment. Please contact the Parking Office."

I emailed them on Monday, doesnt seem to be a phone number.

What a useless company.

Please stop trying to pay it, you're literally allowing yourself to be bullied. Adding to the charge so that it becomes £170 is simply not legal. That's the sort of company you're dealing with. Get some proper advice from moneysavingexpert or pepipoo.

[J4CKO]

Finally got an email back, now apparently with a debt recovery company ffs, due to the length of time its been since the "offence".

Any ideas what to do now, is that baliffs turning up and stuff ?

[carl_w]

J4CKO said:

Finally got an email back, now apparently with a debt recovery company ffs, due to the length of time its been since the "offence".

Any ideas what to do now, is that baliffs turning up and stuff ?

The debt recovery company will be another arm of the parking company. They can only enforce a debt if they take you to court and win.

[surveyor_101]

J4CKO said:

Finally got an email back, now apparently with a debt recovery company ffs, due to the length of time its been since the "offence".

Any ideas what to do now, is that baliffs turning up and stuff ?

No need for bailiffs your getting confused with a proper parking fine!


When the debt company write to your precious toddler you send a template (Money saving expert forum parking) response and keep firm no pay.


They will have to file for court 999 out of 1000 will just send threatening letters, i have had a precourt claim responded and when they see u are no wall flower (or pretend not to be) they won't risk court.

filing costs money and to mount a case for 170 is not worth it!


If your soon was there 10-15 minutes for pick up then he didn't abuse or overstay so its not going to fit the beavis case very well.

I have not paid one of these yet and defend a 6 for me and 20 for others.

[The Mad Monk]

Mandat said:

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if it was your son that incurred the penalty charge notice?

[J4CKO]

The Mad Monk said:

Mandat said:

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if your son was apparently a legitimate user of the pub car park?

I don't know the answer to your specific question, but why are you paying the invoice if it was your son that incurred the penalty charge notice?

He was picking his mates up, he went in and they finished their drinks, they got in his car and drove off, I think it must have a machine where you put your reg in.