Parking companies have hit on a new wheeze to avoid POPLA fees - issuing invalid POPLA codes. UKCPM have now done this for at least two motorists and no doubt many more.
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5100964&page=2
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5157880&page=2
In cases like this motorists should bring this to the attention of the British Parking Association's Gemma Ridgewell who handles POPLA related issues.
gemma.r@britishparking.co.uk
Email a copy of the rejection notice so she can confirm the POPLA code is invalid for the date on the rejection letter.
POPLA codes can be checked here
http://www.parkingcowboys.co.uk/popla-code-checker/
Update. The British Parking Association have replied with the following advice.
In essence the operator should have changed the 7th digit of the POPLA code from a 4 to a 5 – the 7th digit denotes the year of the issue of the Verification Code.We did send out reminders to all operators to do this but this operator must have missed it. I don’t think it’s deliberate, just an oversight. You could suggest to the people that you are in contact with to change the 7th digit from a 4 to a 5 when they appeal to POPLA – this might be more expeditious for them.
The Parking Prankster
"I don’t think it’s deliberate, just an oversight."
ReplyDeleteGood job they don't have any credibility left to lose, eh?
Issuing an invalid popla code should mean the appeal is automatically upheld [when it eventually gets corrected and goes to popla].
ReplyDelete"You could suggest to the people that you are in contact with to change the 7th digit from a 4 to a 5 when they appeal to POPLA – this might be more expeditious for them"
ReplyDeleteMaybe UKCPM should be doing this! That would be far more expeditious and with 100% coverage. They know who's been sent these erroneous codes. This will test their genuineness.