Tony Hetherington is a crack researcher for the Financial Mail on Sunday who fights readers by uncovering the truth behind closed doors and winning victories for those left without funds. Find out how to contact him below.
Mrs JD writes: We parked at West Pentire, Crantock in Cornwall, a car park operated by UK Car Park Management Limited.
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We paid with a bank debit card and although we didn’t save the ticket (who keeps it!), we have a bank statement clearly showing that we paid.
However, we later received a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) saying we had not paid and £60 was required.
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Tony Hetherington says: The PCN claim you received from UK Car Park Management included two photos of your car taken by the company’s local cameras and claimed you owed £100 because you had paid nothing for your time at West Pentire. car park.
If you pay within 14 days notice added, the company will accept £60. But if you don’t pay within 28 days, the £100 fine could increase.
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Idyllic: But the day was ruined by picking up a ticket at the West Pentire car park.
You filed an appeal with the Independent Appeal Service, the name used by a business entity, the correct name of which is United Trade and Industry Limited. UK Car Park Management pays to handle appeals and they reviewed your appeal and rejected it immediately.
This was more than puzzling as you provided proof from your bank statement that you used your debit card to pay for the use of the car park. However, the appeals service says its judge “has only the right to consider the lawfulness of the charge.”
And UK Car Park Management says it was unable to identify your payment despite your bank confirming it was paid.
Paying machines in the car park ask motorists to enter their car’s registration number. You told me that your husband did it, and although there is no evidence, he may have pressed the wrong key.
But that still doesn’t explain why your indisputable payment could not be found by simply excluding other payments made around the same time. Logically, UK Car Park Management actually got your money, even if it didn’t seem to be able to link it to your license plate at first glance.
UK Car Park Management declined to comment and due to the time it took to appeal you had to pay £100. Thus, we are left with a situation where you can prove that you paid, but you are severely fined for something completely different, namely for a possible mistake when entering a car number.
In short, the car park had its money. You are fined for something else in its terms, and not for non-payment.
Logically, a parking company could stipulate that drivers must pay by standing on one foot and singing the hallelujah refrain.
And if the cameras record that they are not jumping or singing, it will be considered a breach of contract, and the driver will receive a slap in the face demanding another hundred pounds. It makes so much sense.
After commercial television was launched in the 1950s, one of his first bosses said it was like having a license to print money. Parking lot superintendents must feel the same way today. At least ITV gave us Coronation Street. Often the owners of parking lots behave little better than parasites.
The “ideal” pet insurance is not really…
Miss SE writes: My son and his partner took out Perfect Pet Insurance in 2020 with premiums of £44 per month.
In November 2021, our family’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel developed congestive heart failure.
He passed away in February 2022 and the insurance company was notified and a claim for £111 was filed but has yet to be paid.
Disaster: Family’s beloved Cavalier King Charles Spaniel succumbs to congestive heart failure
Tony Hetherington says: Your son’s partner has signed a legally binding release allowing Perfect Pet Insurance to discuss your family’s complaint with me and provide all necessary paperwork. Unfortunately, while banks, government agencies, etc. accept such signed authorizations, this insurance company insisted on contacting them directly, essentially asking, “Are you sure you want to authorize this?”
The reason became clear. Perfect Pet Insurance did not respond to the lawsuit. “It was an oversight on our part,” the insurer said.
And just as depressing was the explanation for refusing your demand. Your dog’s treatment cost £54 in November 2021 and £57 in February 2022, but according to the policy you have to pay the first £90 a year yourself. Your policy was renewed in January 2022, which means the two bills are from two different years, each over £90, so you get nothing.
To make matters worse, Perfect Pet Insurance even received a £44 bonus in March 2022 despite knowing your dog was no longer alive.
I expected her to refund this amount, but the company says that because they offer insurance on an annual basis but allow you to pay premiums monthly, you were effectively indebted to them despite the fact that you no longer have a pet. . However, he did not collect any additional bonuses. Far from good customer relations.
If you believe you have been the victim of financial irregularities, please write to Tony Hetherington at the Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY, or email [email protected]. Due to the high volume of inquiries, personal responses cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which, unfortunately, cannot be returned.
