Are Parking Eye 'reasonable'?
Discussion
I'm not one for collecting parking or traffic violations, but I'm currently expecting one to land on the doormat. We took the children to a play centre yesterday, and the car park was a CCTV on entry and exit type, with signs everywhere informing it was 'protected by Parking Eye' (or similar). The car park is off-road, and shared by a number of commercial premises - one entry and one exit. I had to type in the reg once in the building, which apparently 'stops you getting a ticket' (free parking, 2 hours max).
Unfortunately, towards the end of the 2 hour play session, our eldest daughter had a medical incident which required an emergency ambulance. We waited over two hours for it to arrive, to be told by an apologetic crew that they'd been brought in from a neighbouring town, as our own city had no ambulances available still.
Our daughter is fine now (albeit in pain for a few weeks), but with a car park stay of over four hours in the end, I realised today I'm almost certainly due an invoice through the letter box imminently. Are Parking Eye reasonable, should the RK reply with the circumstances? Or should a fight be expected? TIA.
Unfortunately, towards the end of the 2 hour play session, our eldest daughter had a medical incident which required an emergency ambulance. We waited over two hours for it to arrive, to be told by an apologetic crew that they'd been brought in from a neighbouring town, as our own city had no ambulances available still.
Our daughter is fine now (albeit in pain for a few weeks), but with a car park stay of over four hours in the end, I realised today I'm almost certainly due an invoice through the letter box imminently. Are Parking Eye reasonable, should the RK reply with the circumstances? Or should a fight be expected? TIA.
Annex F1(e) of the Parking Operators Code of Good Conduct allowed for medical emergencies and vehicle breakdowns as exempt from charging:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private...
Unfortunately the Government withdrew it last June pending further review but might be worth citing as surely a reasonable fair operator would want to be seen to be playing by the rules (said with a hint of sarcasm).
To be fair I used it to successfully appeal a charge when a shredded tyre forced me off a busy and fast A road at night onto the controlled land of a nearby service station to await a new tyre and once there I had no choice but to wait until help arrived.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/private...
Unfortunately the Government withdrew it last June pending further review but might be worth citing as surely a reasonable fair operator would want to be seen to be playing by the rules (said with a hint of sarcasm).
To be fair I used it to successfully appeal a charge when a shredded tyre forced me off a busy and fast A road at night onto the controlled land of a nearby service station to await a new tyre and once there I had no choice but to wait until help arrived.
bearman68 said:
Parking eye are not reasonable.
This is as likely as any other option.A) Contact the play centre and ask to be excused.
B) Pay it, a small cost for the a simple life.
C) Fight it for moral victory with the risk of loosing.
I've done all three with various firms over the years.
We had similar. My wife fainted at the dentist. I had to come to collect her. She was in an ambulance outside. They released her into my care. Because I came in my car, and brought her home and couldn’t leave her on her own, I could only collect her car the next day. I scanned the ambulance release form and saved it. When we got the Parking Eye invoice, I replied with an explanation and the ambulance release form, which had full details and times. Parking Eye withdrew the invoice and recognised the situation as unavoidable by us.
Edited by Pica-Pica on Thursday 2nd February 22:12
bearman68 said:
My business partner went to the optician. Once there, drops in his eye meant the optician was obliged to advise driving was not an option.
Still fined.
Went to court.
Partner lost.
QED: Parking eye are not reasonable.
I suspect there is a difference between requiring emergency medical treatment and attending a medical appointment (which IMHO opticians is) where it isn't implausible driving afterwards could be an issue.Still fined.
Went to court.
Partner lost.
QED: Parking eye are not reasonable.
While (depending on the reason) I agree it is harsh, it is a lot harder to argue than needing an ambulance and I suspect (given it went to court) that not being able to drive afterwards should have been predictable (even assuming the reason for going to opticians wasn't something that should have stopped them driving in the first place)...
bearman68 said:
My business partner went to the optician. Once there, drops in his eye meant the optician was obliged to advise driving was not an option.
Still fined.
Went to court.
Partner lost.
QED: Parking eye are not reasonable.
He should have spoken to whoever organised the eye appointment as every single one that I have been to that involves drops I’ve always had a letter advising that one wouldn’t be able to drive after the appointment and alternative transport should be arranged.Still fined.
Went to court.
Partner lost.
QED: Parking eye are not reasonable.
Anyway, so what if you did get a parking fine? Your daughter was Ill and needed an ambulance to attend.
rallye101 said:
Just had one of my guys get fined...he went to a local nhs test centre for an ailment, had a heart attack in the centre and died after an hours resuscitation... the parking eye are after me, this should be good....
Horrible situation!As above, I'd contact that NHS location directly, they will have a security/facilities team that take care of parking related issues when there has been a death, or a patient has become terminal.
BrettMRC said:
rallye101 said:
Just had one of my guys get fined...he went to a local nhs test centre for an ailment, had a heart attack in the centre and died after an hours resuscitation... the parking eye are after me, this should be good....
Horrible situation!As above, I'd contact that NHS location directly, they will have a security/facilities team that take care of parking related issues when there has been a death, or a patient has become terminal.
vikingaero said:
Always always appeal as the Registered Keeper. NEVER as the driver. As the RK, you do not have to identify the driver.
Lots of easy advice on MSE/Pepipoo.
This.Lots of easy advice on MSE/Pepipoo.
OP, did you talk to a staff member/manager at the play centre? Will they remember you?
If yes, then as and when you receive something from Parking Eye, take it to the play centre and ask them to instruct Parking Eye to cancel the charge - that should save you any further bother with appeals etc. Even if they don't remember you (I guess this would be quite unlikely?), it would still be worth trying.
I think that's the advice you would probably get on the MSE Forum/Pepipoo, but would suggest you check these out for yourself.
IME Parking Eye are not reasonable and will do the very best they can to extract money from you, including (in my case) an offer along the lines of "look, we can make this go away for £20" once they figured out they were on a loser!
The OP needs to wait for the PCN in the post. If it does not arrive with 14 days of the offence, then that's the first nail in the coffin for the parking company.
Many many parking companies send the PCNs late and still try and blag it. For instance I dealt with one case where the PCN arrived after 35 days. We did the appeal (which they will nearly always reject) and they claimed they weren't relying on POFA. Well if you don't comply with POFA then you can't chase the RK. End of. They supplied a POPLA code, appeal made on POPLA, and the parking company withdrew their challenge.
Many many parking companies send the PCNs late and still try and blag it. For instance I dealt with one case where the PCN arrived after 35 days. We did the appeal (which they will nearly always reject) and they claimed they weren't relying on POFA. Well if you don't comply with POFA then you can't chase the RK. End of. They supplied a POPLA code, appeal made on POPLA, and the parking company withdrew their challenge.
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