"Double Dipped " what to do ?

[MakaveliX]

Rather than go through the whole story I'll be brief.

Received a PCN form Horizion parking dated back to mid december
Photo shows me arriving at 6:24 and then " leaving " at 10:05

In actual fact. I arrived at 6:24am, then left about 15 minutes later, so call it 6:39am

I then returned at 9:30am to visit the town centre and then left at 10:05

Should I go through the appeal process on their website ? I find this close to being fraudulent as I know the car park very very well and use it every single day, and to ask for £30+ off me just because their ANPR doesn't work properly is seriously wrong.

[Mave]

There may be people who works recommend a different cost of action - but i would appeal using their website. My wife has been pinged numerous times over the years at a local railway station - she picks up a colleague up in the morning and drops him off in the evening - and we've appealed every time and never paid any fine.

[BertBert]

You should probably communicate with them (unless you want to go down the line of ignoring) and assuming their website appeals process is sensible then using that would seem to be the easiest. If it's not sensible (for example forcing you to name a driver), then I'd just write to them and tell them they have got their facts wrong and in what way.

[MakaveliX]

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

[mattyprice4004]

This is very common - it's just crap systems rather than intentional fraud.
I had the same in my local town centre, I just used a timestamped photo of my car being worked on at home that afternoon along with my Google timeline thingy to show I was elsewhere.

[livinginasia]

I always feel that people should invoice the parking companies for our time responding to mistakes like this - maybe send them an invoice for £100 for your time in responding?

I guess it won’t work but these guys need to get their technology correct if they are going to use it to issue huge numbers or invoices.

[Sir Bagalot]

MakaveliX said:

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

No, your Google timeline shows your phone was at home. Doesn't mean you were

Hopefully they'll be sensible about it

[LunarOne]

Sir Bagalot said:

MakaveliX said:

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

No, your Google timeline shows your phone was at home. Doesn't mean you were

Hopefully they'll be sensible about it

Are you suggesting that the OP's phone went from home to the car park, back home and then to the car park again without him? Where can I access that feature, as I'd love it if I could send my phone to run errands for me!

[Wackywoo105]

livinginasia said:

I always feel that people should invoice the parking companies for our time responding to mistakes like this - maybe send them an invoice for £100 for your time in responding?

I guess it won’t work but these guys need to get their technology correct if they are going to use it to issue huge numbers or invoices.

I think this too. If you were able to do this they would be more careful before they speculatively invoice people.

[Austin_Metro]

I like the idea. Where would you display your terms and conditions? Their’s are in the car park somewhere.

Perhaps on the initial reply? “If you do not write and cancel your incorrect charge within 10 days and write pursuing the matter further, you agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement which includes a fee for me considering any correspondence pushing the charge and a fee for every letter I send to you in response. You agree that these fees are protecting my legitimate interest of not having my time wasted by your incorrect charges” etc.

[Gareth79]

Horizon installed a system in Farnborough recently, the car park (ASDA/Princes Mead) has three entrances and one road through is a semi-legit route to the town centre. There's a 15 minute 'free' period which is to take account of people driving through, or picking up/dropping of. Quite a few reports on FB of people who get charges after visiting twice in one day and write back explaining, and I haven't yet heard of them insisting anybody pays up.

[Pica-Pica]

Wackywoo105 said:

livinginasia said:

I always feel that people should invoice the parking companies for our time responding to mistakes like this - maybe send them an invoice for £100 for your time in responding?

I guess it won’t work but these guys need to get their technology correct if they are going to use it to issue huge numbers or invoices.

I think this too. If you were able to do this they would be more careful before they speculatively invoice people.

I had several run-ins with Scottish Power over their bills after we bought had moved into a house. My last letter mentioned that I would charge £25 a letter if they continued to court to resolve. They shut up after that, and I changed supplier once it was resolved.

[anonymous-user]

LunarOne said:

Sir Bagalot said:

MakaveliX said:

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

No, your Google timeline shows your phone was at home. Doesn't mean you were

Hopefully they'll be sensible about it

Are you suggesting that the OP's phone went from home to the car park, back home and then to the car park again without him? Where can I access that feature, as I'd love it if I could send my phone to run errands for me!

If you could show me how to prove it hadnt I’d have a far higher conviction success rate

[Taita]

sebdangerfield said:

LunarOne said:

Sir Bagalot said:

MakaveliX said:

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

No, your Google timeline shows your phone was at home. Doesn't mean you were

Hopefully they'll be sensible about it

Are you suggesting that the OP's phone went from home to the car park, back home and then to the car park again without him? Where can I access that feature, as I'd love it if I could send my phone to run errands for me!

If you could show me how to prove it hadnt I’d have a far higher conviction success rate

I think there is a difference in the burden of proof required (knowing what your job is!

[anonymous-user]

Taita said:

sebdangerfield said:

LunarOne said:

Sir Bagalot said:

MakaveliX said:

Thanks guys. Just sent an appeal off.
Thankfully google timeline shows I was actually at home shortly after my entrance time so I included that as evidence.

No, your Google timeline shows your phone was at home. Doesn't mean you were

Hopefully they'll be sensible about it

Are you suggesting that the OP's phone went from home to the car park, back home and then to the car park again without him? Where can I access that feature, as I'd love it if I could send my phone to run errands for me!

If you could show me how to prove it hadnt I’d have a far higher conviction success rate

I think there is a difference in the burden of proof required (knowing what your job is!

ffs

[livinginasia]

Austin_Metro said:

I like the idea. Where would you display your terms and conditions? Their’s are in the car park somewhere.

Perhaps on the initial reply? “If you do not write and cancel your incorrect charge within 10 days and write pursuing the matter further, you agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement which includes a fee for me considering any correspondence pushing the charge and a fee for every letter I send to you in response. You agree that these fees are protecting my legitimate interest of not having my time wasted by your incorrect charges” etc.

That’s a great idea - nice one. Or put a sign in your car window when you park up with your terms and conditions of them contacting you, and let them read them via their anpr camera.

[livinginasia]

Pica-Pica said:

I had several run-ins with Scottish Power over their bills after we bought had moved into a house. My last letter mentioned that I would charge £25 a letter if they continued to court to resolve. They shut up after that, and I changed supplier once it was resolved.

That’s a great result. I am sure we should try this more often !

[carlove]

I had the same during covid times, went to the shop at 10am, massive queue to get in so left again. Returned at about 3pm to a more reasonable queue. Left about 4pm
Got a charge through the post for overstaying. Sent an email and explained what had happened, had a reply the next day apologising and saying the fine was cancelled. I was genuinely expecting to have a fight on my hands.

Just checked and this was from Horizon too, hopefully you have the same outcome.

Edited by carlove on Monday 2nd January 16:11

[Neddy Sea Goon]

I have had this too, different parking company, appealed using a template from pepipoo

They then sent a letter cancelling it as a goodwill gesture, which I rejected and asked that they issue a letter stating a mistake had been made.

Crucially, as a result of double dip, and you not having overstayed, they have then obtained your details from DVLA incorrectly, and you are entitled to compensation from them for this, but keep it reasonable (sub100)

I did send off an initial letter, then a whole load of stuff happened and I lost track

More details on pepipoo

[vikingaero]

The key to any Private Parking Invoice is to now appeal as the Registered Keeper and not the driver - lots of advice on MSE or Pepipoo.

Most PPC's will attempt to deflect you and reject your appeal and make you go to POPLA. Then they will magically withdraw their case at POPLA. This is the best course of action as it will cost them to get RK details from the DVLA and the POPLA fee.