A driver has called a parking firm “disgusting” after he was wrongfully issued a £100 fine for overstaying.
Ray Newman left his car at The Mall in Maidstone on two separate occasions, days apart, and paid each time.
Ray Newman was wrongfully issued a fine for overstaying his parking at The Mall
So he was baffled when a hefty bill arrived in the post claiming he had parked there for six days.
The multi-storey car park in Romney Place is ANPR camera-controlled and managed by YourParkingSpace.
Ray parks his silver Vauxhall there each time he visits the town centre and uses the Ringo app to pay.
His most recent stays were on June 24 for no more than an hour to “get a few bits”.
He returned on June 30 for a meeting at the Job Centre.
A letter issuing Ray a £100 fine arrived just days after his visit
He said: “I’ve always parked on the [Ringo] app and I always screenshot after each payment as well, so I’ve got definite proof.
“But I didn’t have a clue about this until I received a letter.”
On July 3, the 62-year-old was issued a fine by parking charge enforcement firm Parkmaven for an “overstayed authorised parking session”.
According to the notice, Ray had left his vehicle at the car park for more than 140 hours.
“I spoke to a woman from the management team at The Mall, and from the way she spoke, she knows it happens a lot.
The Mall car park in Romney Place, Maidstone
“She voided it, but I’m more concerned about other people and the more that I’ve read about this, I have found there are people who have actually paid it,” said Ray.
After taking to social media to warn other customers, he was shocked to be inundated with responses from others who have found themselves in similar situations.
The Mall car park has 1,050 spaces with drivers able to pay at the kiosk, on their mobile phone or reserve a space in advance.
It was taken under the management of YourParkingSpace in 2021 after it underwent a digital transformation during the Covid pandemic, but a former IT specialist warned about flaws in the new system soon after.
Months later, KentOnline reported how customers had been unfairly issued fines. YourParkingSpace admitted that a “small percentage” of those using the facility had received a PCN due to entering their incorrect vehicle registration when paying.
Former IT specialist Ray Chitty said he raised the alarm over flaws in the new parking system in 2021
In September, further shoppers experienced similar problems, which the firm said were due to “a recent software update” which was only affecting “a small number”.
And in February, the company backtracked on a £100 fine after KentOnline took on a pensioner’s case after he had two appeals rejected and was threatened with the bailiffs.
He had paid for his stay but believed he had been accidentally fined due to issues with the kiosks that day.
Ray said: “The Mall team are absolutely fantastic, they will help you, but it is the companies – I am just disgusted with it.
“I laughed it off for myself because I know I’ve got proof, but for everyone else, there are a lot of people who don’t use the app, like elderly people.
Retired butcher John Jenner recieved a beefy bill in 2021 after the system change
“Then they get done, and they are actually paying for it – I think it’s absolutely disgusting that these companies are being allowed to get away with it.”
A spokesperson for the firm said: “YourParkingSpace is incredibly proud of the many technological innovations it has introduced into hundreds of car parks across the UK, which makes parking more convenient and cost effective for motorists.
“We are disappointed to hear of Mr Newman’s experience on this occasion and have happily investigated the issue.
“In this instance, a fine was incorrectly issued due to a rare technical issue, and it has since been cancelled.
“We apologise to Mr Newman for the inconvenience this caused.
“While issues like this are uncommon, we are reviewing the site’s camera setup and making improvements to help prevent similar cases and ensure a high standard of service for our users.”