MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.
Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.
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Have you received a Parking Eye fine and are unsure about your rights or next steps? Welcome to our guide on ‘Parking Eye Complaints Tips and Guide 2023’.
Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website for clear guidance on parking fines and tickets, so you’re not alone.
In this article, we’ll help you understand:
What Parking Eye is
If you must pay Parking Eye fines
How to file a complaint with Parking Eye
What to do if your complaint isn’t resolved
Your rights as a consumer in these situations
The DVLA report that over 11 million parking tickets were issued last year, which is up by 29% year on year!1 Receiving a parking fine can be really upsetting. We get it. That’s why we’re here to support you with useful advice and examples to navigate this process.
56% of Ticket Appeals Succeed
In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your fine.
It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.
Not only did I save £50 on solicitor feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.
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*According to Martin Lewis, 56% of people who try to appeal their ticket are successful and get the charge overturned, so it’s well worth a try. In partnership with Just Answer.
Filing a Complaint with Parking Eye
If you’re unhappy with the way the private car park operator is treating you, I suggest you lodge a complaint. Parking Eye must take all complaints made against them seriously. They should respond and do their best to resolve the issue. But if they don’t, you can take the matter further!
When you’ve gone through the appeal process, you have the right to complain when you’re still not happy with the outcome. You can get in touch with the Independent Appeals Service (IAS) and the Ombudsman.
Contact the operator and allow them to resolve the matter. This is something you must do asap before contacting the Ombudsman. You should complain to the operator using their complaints procedure
Gather evidence to support your complaint. This includes the time and date you spoke to the operator, any correspondence you received, and the names of the people you talked to
You need this information when you escalate the case to the Ombudsman
Parking Eye’s complaints department should be as helpful as possible. But if they are not, consider escalating the matter without too much delay.
Next, you should give the operator enough time to investigate your complaint. This should be no longer than 6 to 8 weeks which is ample time for them to assess the circumstances.
Stay in touch with the operator throughout the time it takes them to assess your complaint. This will let them know you are still on their case!
Once the complaints department reaches a decision, they should send you a ‘deadlock letter‘. The letter should contact their final offer and the Ombudsman’s contact details.
If you’re unhappy with the reply from Parking Eye’s complaints department, contact the Ombudsman.
Escalating your complaint to the Ombudsman
If, after 8 weeks, you receive a deadlock letter and are still not happy, you have the right to contact the Ombudsman. You’ll be asked the following:
Details of the problem you’re experiencing
Evidence to support your complaint
Your personal information
All of this is needed for the Ombudsman to assess your complaint. Therefore, the more information you can provide, the faster their decision.
Successful Appeal Case Study
Situation
Initial Fine
£100
Additional Fees
£171
Total Fine
£271
The Appeal Process
Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.
Total Fine
£271
Cost of legal advice
£5
JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.
Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.
Copies of letters and other correspondence with the operator
Names of the people you spoke to
All other supporting evidence you can muster
The Ombudsman cannot process a complaint without the necessary evidence to support the matter.
What happens next?
Once the Ombudsman has processed your complaint, they will send the details to the correct department of Parking Eye. Once the operator receives a letter from the Ombudsman, you may find that they may offer to resolve the matter. It could lead to an early resolution!
Parking Eye will notify the Ombudsman once they make you an offer. That said, you can also see the outcome by logging into the Ombudsman portal.
What happens if the complaint isn’t resolved?
When a complaint is not resolved, the Ombudsman will assess the case basing their decisions on what is deemed fair and reasonable. They would take into account the following:
Both versions of events
All relevant regulations
The law
Accepted good industry practice
Note: An assessment may take a long time to conclude. So the more information you provide, the quicker the outcome could be.
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Getting the support of a Solicitor can take a huge weight off your mind.
When you accept the resolution, Parking Eye must comply. The Ombudsman has a specialist in-house team who makes sure the resolution is implemented. When the private operator fails to comply in a reasonable amount of time, you can start legal proceedings against them. However, this would rarely be necessary!
Lastly, a few more tips about Parking Eye Complaints
When Parking Eye is not treating you fairly, or you’re not having any joy getting through to their complaints department, you have the right to take the matter further.
There’s been a lot of bad publicity regarding private parking operations in general over recent years. Parking Eye has been high on the list, with many motorists taking up the matter with watchdogs like the BBC and Which.
The solution is to check whether the Ombudsman can be of assistance. Sometimes a letter from them is enough to get a private car park operator to react. Plus, it can sometimes see the matter resolved to your advantage.
Thanks for reading my guide on Parking Eye Complaints. I hope the information provided in the post gives you food for thought on whether to seek support from the Ombudsman.
Hire a Parking Solicitor for less than a coffee.
If you’re thinking about appealing your parking ticket then getting some professional advice is a good idea.
Getting the support of a Solicitor can make your appeal much more likely to win.
For a £5 trial, Solicitors from JustAnswer can look at your case and help you create an airtight appeal.
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MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.
Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.
