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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.†
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!
Whether a staff member is rude, or because an appeal against a Parking Charge Notice is rejected, you have the right to contact the Ombudsman.
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.
Before you file a complaint with the Ombudsman, you should:
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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
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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.
What proof do I need to give the Ombudsman?
You should offer as much evidence as possible when you contact the Ombudsman. This includes things like:
- When you got the Parking Charge Notice from Parking Eye
- 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.
What happens when I accept a resolution?
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!
What are my rights as a consumer?
The Consumer Rights Act 2015 provides all consumers with protection against many things, which includes the following:
- Poor service
- Problems with contracts
- Faulty goods
Note: The Ombudsman cannot help if a case is going to court or has gone to court.
Parking Eye complaints contact details
Use the following address to write a letter of complaint to Parking Eye:
- PO Box 565, Chorley, PR6 6HT
- You can call their customer services on the Parking Eye complaints number which is 0330 555 4444
- Also you can email a complaint to the operator
Help and advice on Parking Eye Complaints
The following organisations provide help and support when the Ombudsman may not be able to assist you:
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.
References
- RAC Foundation – Parking Tickets Statistics