Parking your motorhome at supermarkets when shopping - fines,? (3 Viewers)

[Collmec1]

I received a 'fine' from Horizon parking who manage the parking at our local Tesco. I wasn't in the motorhome at the time but it just got me thinking about parking the motorhome there as I often do this on trips.

Basically I was 'fined' for 'not parking within a marked bay.' on this occasion my excuse was there are some barriers up so the marked bays are not long enough for safe parking. Me and several others parked longways across the bays instead. I went back and people were still doing this (no temporary signs saying not to). Horizon making a mint out of Tesco customers in this particular situation then.

Anyway, on a more general note - anyone been 'fined' in a supermarket for parking a motorhome a across 2 or more bays?

Would be interested in any thoughts about how to approach this particular situation too!

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Today...

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Suppose it could be argued that you are covering 3 spaces whereas if you park over 2 spaces( one in front of the other) as you would with the motorhome you are showing a bit of consideration for other shoppers. I have parked in many supermarket carparks over the last 20 years and never had a problem.

 

[VXman]

Suppose it could be argued that you are covering 3 spaces whereas if you park over 2 spaces( one in front of the other) as you would with the motorhome you are showing a bit of consideration for other shoppers. I have parked in many supermarket carparks over the last 20 years and never had a problem.

I don't think parking parallel style over 2 spaces would be possible. Certainly not in a longer car. I really don't think it would make any difference in my specific situation. the reason for the fine was 'parking outside of marked bay.

Re Motorhomes. I am tempted to contact the lady who cancelled my fine as a gesture of goodwill at the CEO's office and ask her what I should do when parking in my motorhome.

 

[VXman]

Just got back from our local Tesco store. Carpark probably about half full. Couple of large vans (and a bus!) parked at the far end. Of the cars I would estimate one in five had at least one wheel outside of the marked parking bays. Rich pickings for carpark management company. However I was not able to locate any signs posted to warn of charges etc so perhaps not all stores are affected?

Certainly possible. I think Horizon operate at 84 Tescos but there are considerably more than that.

Anyway, I have found myself reading all the signs at various car parks since this incident!

 

[nicholsong]

Here in Poland both LeClerc opposite us and Lidl down the road have just introduced charges for >2 hours, presumably to stop local workers and commuters using the CPs.

There are no marked spaces and no height barriers, so it is not very restrictive and seems sensible. There is a machine to pay but I have not seen any patrols.

I am quoting my own post because I have since discovered that any vehicle parking there has to display a ticket, presumably to police the arrival time.

The notice is only in Polish with no diagrams to help, so visitors could be caught out. No problem for us as the S/Market is only a pedestrian crossing away.

 

[VXman]

I contacted the CEO Tesco UK office about the motorhome situation and got this reply.

Dear Paul

Having checked, on our policy we do permit motorhomes to use our store carparks when our stores are open, if you are using the carpark please notify the customer service desk when you are shopping in our store and they will note this. This will ensure that you will not receive any undue charges.

Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Fiona Kitching
Customer Service Specialist

I'm not convinced reporting to customer services would ensure that a over officious parking officer from Horizon or the like would not ticket someone. Are they likely to pop in and check first?

Still, useful to have this in writing should anything happen like this in future.

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[Collmec1]

I contacted the CEO Tesco UK office about the motorhome situation and got this reply.

Dear Paul

Having checked, on our policy we do permit motorhomes to use our store carparks when our stores are open, if you are using the carpark please notify the customer service desk when you are shopping in our store and they will note this. This will ensure that you will not receive any undue charges.

Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Fiona Kitching
Customer Service Specialist

I'm not convinced reporting to customer services would ensure that a over officious parking officer from Horizon or the like would not ticket someone. Are they likely to pop in and check first?

Still, useful to have this in writing should anything happen like this in future.

It is, I once got a ticket in an Asda car park because the blue badge had dropped off the dashboard onto the floor. I went to customer services with the badge and the owner to prove my entitlement to park in a disabled bay.they rang the carpark company to quash the ticket. It took 2 more visits to Asda because the letters kept coming, but they did eventually stop the ticket. So supermarkets will take our side in a dispute with the carpark companies.

 

[VXman]

It is, I once got a ticket in an Asda car park because the blue badge had dropped off the dashboard onto the floor. I went to customer services with the badge and the owner to prove my entitlement to park in a disabled bay.they rang the carpark company to quash the ticket. It took 2 more visits to Asda because the letters kept coming, but they did eventually stop the ticket. So supermarkets will take our side in a dispute with the carpark companies.

Yes, I have no doubt they will sort it eventually but I just doubt that telling a customer services person when you enter the shop will stop any possible problem happening in the first place. They could do with a official sign you could put in your window to stop the parking enforcer from ticketing in the first place.

 

[scotjimland]

We've been parking our PVC in Tesco's for the past 18 months for the weekly shop, it uses up two spaces on a drive-through double row .

Never gave it any thought, Tesco's delivery vans park the same way, so thought it was ok... and never had a ticket.

Last night, driving the recently purchased Skoda , I looked at the signs, and yes, it clearly says £70 fine if not within the lines..

Lucky or what ..

What I would like to see is a clamp down on speeding..

there is a 5mph limit yet you see cars speeding up and down the rows.. young women seem to be the biggest offenders.. and usually driving Chelsea Tractors.. an accident waiting to happen, it only needs a child or old person to step out and a serious accent .. this is far more important than ticketing cars over a white line.. but maybe harder to enforce and less lucrative..

 

[Lenny HB]

Doesn't say you can't park an ICE car there.

 

[nicholsong]

We've been parking our PVC in Tesco's for the past 18 months for the weekly shop, it uses up two spaces on a drive-through double row .

Never gave it any thought, Tesco's delivery vans park the same way, so thought it was ok... and never had a ticket.

Last night, driving the recently purchased Skoda , I looked at the signs, and yes, it clearly says £70 fine if not within the lines..

Lucky or what ..

What I would like to see is a clamp down on speeding..

there is a 5mph limit yet you see cars speeding up and down the rows.. young women seem to be the biggest offenders.. and usually driving Chelsea Tractors.. an accident waiting to happen, it only needs a child or old person to step out and a serious accent .. this is far more important than ticketing cars over a white line.. but maybe harder to enforce and less lucrative..

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I think it is only the police that are allowed to enforce moving traffic offences and I doubt that they would want to allocate resources to S/Market CPs.

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[DelMar]

Off topic, but someone mentioned forgetting to put their disabled pass up for display. and getting a ticket.
How many times I have seen very young drivers park in a disabled bay and run into a store, is just unbelievable.

 

[philann]

Our Lidl has cameras on entry and exit and you have to scan your receipt in the store and input your reg number. You can park for 90 minutes, but only have 15 mins after scanning to leave the car park. No parking outside shop opening hours.

 

[ElliesBoss]

I contacted the CEO Tesco UK office about the motorhome situation and got this reply.

Dear Paul

Having checked, on our policy we do permit motorhomes to use our store carparks when our stores are open, if you are using the carpark please notify the customer service desk when you are shopping in our store and they will note this. This will ensure that you will not receive any undue charges.

Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Fiona Kitching
Customer Service Specialist

I'm not convinced reporting to customer services would ensure that a over officious parking officer from Horizon or the like would not ticket someone. Are they likely to pop in and check first?

Still, useful to have this in writing should anything happen like this in future.

Contrary to my earlier post about no signs at our local Tesco I did indeed find one today at the end of the building around the corner by the ATM. As we shall be shopping at this store on Wednesday in the Moho I went to customer services and showed them your letter from the CEO. Apart from disbelief that Horizon were issuing tickets the person with whom I spoke said she would bring it to the attention of the store manager. She did did say that they do sometimes take action against people using disabled bays etc when they shouldn't - fair enough.

 

[VXman]

Doesn't say you can't park an ICE car there.

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I dare you to try that one out!

 

[Augusta08]

Only use false plates when shopping? I find them useful all the time.

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[nicholsong]

I contacted the CEO Tesco UK office about the motorhome situation and got this reply.

Dear Paul

Having checked, on our policy we do permit motorhomes to use our store carparks when our stores are open, if you are using the carpark please notify the customer service desk when you are shopping in our store and they will note this. This will ensure that you will not receive any undue charges.

Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Fiona Kitching
Customer Service Specialist

I'm not convinced reporting to customer services would ensure that a over officious parking officer from Horizon or the like would not ticket someone. Are they likely to pop in and check first?

Still, useful to have this in writing should anything happen like this in future.

I am very suspicious of the use of the word 'undue' to qualify charges.

As I read it if the charges related to e.g. parking outside the lines or occupying two spaces, either of which were not permitted by the rules notified, then those charges would be 'due' charges, so could not be avoided by this letter.

It may be that the word 'undue' was accidently inserted, or maybe not.

However, it is there and could be used against a complainant.

 

[gus-lopez]

I contacted the CEO Tesco UK office about the motorhome situation and got this reply.

Dear Paul

Having checked, on our policy we do permit motorhomes to use our store carparks when our stores are open, if you are using the carpark please notify the customer service desk when you are shopping in our store and they will note this. This will ensure that you will not receive any undue charges.

Have a lovely weekend.
Kind regards
Fiona Kitching
Customer Service Specialist

I'm not convinced reporting to customer services would ensure that a over officious parking officer from Horizon or the like would not ticket someone. Are they likely to pop in and check first?

Still, useful to have this in writing should anything happen like this in future.

Basically it says " shop somewhere they want you"

 

[VXman]

I am very suspicious of the use of the word 'undue' to qualify charges.

As I read it if the charges related to e.g. parking outside the lines or occupying two spaces, either of which were not permitted by the rules notified, then those charges would be 'due' charges, so could not be avoided by this letter.

It may be that the word 'undue' was accidently inserted, or maybe not.

However, it is there and could be used against a complainant.

Good point - however being the positive guy I am I'd suggest that's just a case inappropriate wording. It does say 'we do permit motorhomes' and 'notify customer services' so I think that over rides the 'undue'.

To be honest Fiona's grammar and spelling weren't great on her original reply to me!

 

[ElliesBoss]

Any way folks, the young lady from our Tesco store did call me back as promised. She did copy the letter to show the store manager. Basically the manager said car park management is now signed over to Horizon so they cannot get involved. However a rep from Horizon is visiting the store today and the issue will be discussed. Apparently if I visit customer services tomorrow they will let me know what was said. The assistant did say that she hoped common sense would prevail. She has obviously never dealt with a parking management company before!

 

[VXman]

Any way folks, the young lady from our Tesco store did call me back as promised. She did copy the letter to show the store manager. Basically the manager said car park management is now signed over to Horizon so they cannot get involved. However a rep from Horizon is visiting the store today and the issue will be discussed. Apparently if I visit customer services tomorrow they will let me know what was said. The assistant did say that she hoped common sense would prevail. She has obviously never dealt with a parking management company before!

That was the response the manager at my Tesco had - cannot do anything. However, clearly further up the management chain they can. The CEO's office lady got it cancelled immediately by just telling Horizon to do so. When it comes down to it Tesco appointed them and it affects their business.

It will be interesting to see what Horizon say.

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[nicholsong]

That was the response the manager at my Tesco had - cannot do anything. However, clearly further up the management chain they can. The CEO's office lady got it cancelled immediately by just telling Horizon to do so. When it comes down to it Tesco appointed them and it affects their business.

It will be interesting to see what Horizon say.

That is the point, the parking companies are only operating as agents for the owners and with the owners' permission and direction.

Therefore a store manager saying that he/she cannot do anything about it is a cop out.

 

[Collmec1]

Yes, I have no doubt they will sort it eventually but I just doubt that telling a customer services person when you enter the shop will stop any possible problem happening in the first place. They could do with a official sign you could put in your window to stop the parking enforcer from ticketing in the first place.

I did have, I had the disabled persons blue badge, it had slipped off the dashboard onto the floor so the offence was not displaying a blue badge. Asda sorted that out for me, but it took 3 phonecalls to do it.

 

[VXman]

That is the point, the parking companies are only operating as agents for the owners and with the owners' permission and direction.

Therefore a store manager saying that he/she cannot do anything about it is a cop out.

To be fair the duty manager at our Tesco when I asked to see him looked about 12! I'm not sure local managers have much responsibility in areas such as this. they probably need to go up to the next level themselves.

 

[nicholsong]

To be fair the duty manager at our Tesco when I asked to see him looked about 12! I'm not sure local managers have much responsibility in areas such as this. they probably need to go up to the next level themselves.

If so, they need to do it as representatives of the company that control the parking companies.

A Principal (whether personal or corporate) is responsible in law for the actions of its Agent.

 

[ElliesBoss]

Continuing my story. We went to our local Tesco yesterday (Wednesday) in the moho. I visited the customer service desk, explained my reason for being there, and the duty manager was summoned. She told me that no representative of Horizon visited but she did tell me the following. Horizon send in people randomly to check the car park. When they arrive they report to the store. After their visit they report back to her (or presumably whoever is on duty) and show her photos of offending vehicles. She then decides who should receive a letter in the post and who shouldn't.

This may explain why ticketing of motorhomes, vans etc seems to so infrequent.

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