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#Post#: 109595--------------------------------------------------
PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: mrjh
Date: February 12, 2026, 8:09 am
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Hello,
I hope you can help me with a parking charge notice from Smart
Parking dated 09.01.26.
Image of letter sent by smart parking -
HTML https://ibb.co/R4kNS3RV
HTML https://ibb.co/R4kNS3RV
An appeal was sent along with a copy of the Ringo payment VAT
and email with was dated at the time the vehicle had arrived.
"I am writing to formally appeal the Parking Charge Notice
issued by Smart Parking in relation to my visit to Willen Lake
on the stated date and time.
Upon arrival, I located a parking space and paid for one hour of
parking using the RingGo app. I did not exceed the paid-for
parking duration. Payment was successfully made, and the
attached VAT receipt confirms that the correct parking tariff
was paid in full.
After receiving the Parking Charge Notice, I reviewed the RingGo
transaction and noted that while the time and duration of the
session are correct, the date recorded does not correspond with
the date of my visit. RingGo has historically defaulted to the
current date when initiating a parking session, and I followed
the standard process to purchase parking. The receipt confirms a
date of issue of 29 December 2025, which matches the date of my
attendance. My email confirmation also the same date and was
received at the same time as the app parking notification.
At the time of payment, I was unaware of any discrepancy in the
date field within the app. There was no attempt to avoid payment
or fail to comply with the terms and conditions. The correct
tariff was paid in full.
As payment was made in full for the relevant period, there was
no loss whatsoever to the landowner.
Any alleged breach is purely technical and arose despite a
genuine attempt to comply with the advertised parking terms.
Under the BPA Code of Practice, operators are required to act
reasonably, proportionately, and fairly where a driver has made
a valid attempt to pay.
Pursuing a charge in these circumstances is contrary to the
Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires contractual terms and
enforcement to be fair and transparent.
Smart Parking is put to strict proof of full compliance with the
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, should you seek to
pursue keeper liability.
Given that valid payment was made and no material breach
occurred, I respectfully request that this Parking Charge Notice
be cancelled.
If this appeal is rejected, please provide a POPLA verification
code so the matter may be referred for independent adjudication.
I look forward to your confirmation that this charge has been
cancelled."
Smart parking have now rejected the appeal (14.02) and have
signposted to IAS for further appeal. Is this something you can
help with or is it now worth paying the discounted rate.
Thanks in advance.
#Post#: 109604--------------------------------------------------
Re: PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: InterCity125
Date: February 12, 2026, 9:37 am
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Am I missing something here?
You raise the issue of keeper liability under PoFA but earlier
in your appeal you appear to state very clearly that you were
the driver?
#Post#: 109606--------------------------------------------------
Re: PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: mrjh
Date: February 12, 2026, 9:41 am
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It was response with the help of Chat GTP. I was the driver.
Apologies for any confusion.
#Post#: 109616--------------------------------------------------
Re: PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: Brenda_R2
Date: February 12, 2026, 11:03 am
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--- Quote from: mrjh link ---
>
> It was response with the help of Chat GTP
>
--- End Quote ---
Yeah.
There's your problem.
Right there.
#Post#: 109620--------------------------------------------------
Re: PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: jfollows
Date: February 12, 2026, 11:28 am
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Search the forum for “Willen” and you’ll find similar cases.
Smart would have rejected your appeal even if you had not
identified the driver, as would the IAS. They don’t care about
technicalities like the requirements of the law.
Since you identified the driver, you can still file a defence if
you follow the process, and it’s likely that although the court
process will be started, it will eventually be discontinued.
Just not one on PoFA 2012 because you have made this irrelevant.
Your choice as to whether you deal with the paperwork and end up
paying £0 or pay up now and be done with it.
If you want to know more, search the forum for Smart, IAS and
DCB Legal. Plenty of examples here.
Do nothing, and you will get letters from debt collectors which
you can ignore, followed by a Letter of Claim, probably from DCB
Legal. To which you need to reply, and for which you should get
advice here.
Oh yes, you can appeal to the IAS if you want. It will cost
Smart something like £23 if you do. The IAS is extremely
unlikely to uphold your appeal, it boasts that it upholds 4% of
appeals received.
#Post#: 109624--------------------------------------------------
Re: PCN Appeal - Smart Parking - Willen Lake, MK
DIR By: jfollows
Date: February 12, 2026, 11:49 am
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--- Quote from: mrjh link ---
>
> It was response with the help of Chat GTP. I was the driver.
Apologies for any confusion.
>
--- End Quote ---
Human advice here is that you should not normally identify the
driver, and you are under no obligation to do so. You did.
What’s done is done.
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