FFS Tesco

[HaveringWavering]

I did a massive shop the other week, spent over £250 quid, spent ages browsing the clothes and homewares, stocking up tins and freezer stuff.

I’ve just received a sodding parking ticket in the post because apparently the car park has a 2 hour limit and I was in there 2 hours and 10 minutes!

I know they have them to stop people using supermarket car parks as all-day parking but 2 hours? It’s pretty easy to spend 2 hours shopping, and I’d have bought a hell of a lot less if I’d realised I had to be out quicker.

I know that Tesco subcontract parking to an independent company so no point complaining I guess. And no I didn’t pay attention to the signs, or think about what time it was when I was in the shop. Never occurred to me that the parking rules would apply to genuine shoppers.

If that is my life, kill me now…

Appeal. Show the size of the shop you made. Go talk to the tesco manager and see if they can help you. Hoping you get it quashed.

I’d rather pay a £40 fine once every 6 years than live like that

There there! Feel better now? 🙄🙄🙄

I always think it's worth appealing anyway. Do you have a credit card statement for the amount?

I never said they should bend the rules. I’m complaining that they are stupid rules!

OP, I couldn't agree more. They are bloody stupid rules if they penalise ordinary Tesco shoppers as well as piss-takers. I would definitely go and talk to someone at Customer Services and plead your case. I have a pretty good track record of talking my way out of completely stupid fines, so it's worth a go.

Ignore all the rule-bound posters on here. They are probably the same ones who said that people would DIE if you sat on a bench during lockdown, because it's the rules, innit.

2 hours in a supermarket? I'd rather take my own life

Tesco can get it overturned for you, they're the ones who employed the subcontractor. Check bank record or clubcard records. It often gets sorted out quicker if you tweet them or put it on Facebook, they don't want the bad publicity.

@HerRoyalHappiness

So because you decided to take your time they should bend the rules? I like a good mooch round the shop as much as the next person, but I still wouldn't spend 2 hours in one. This isn't tesco or the parking company at fault. This is on you for being too slow to abide by the rules. You know for next time, set a timer so you don't spend too long looking at makeup and kids clothes.

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You. Are. Ridiculous.

Only on Mumsnet would someone's advice to a supermarket parking fine would be to set a timer doing your shopping

They have got the balance wrong here with trying to stop people parking and not using the store. It's not long enough for genuine shoppers who want to take their time browsing.

Definitely go to the store, explain the situation and see if they will cancel the ticket. Massive Tesco Extras have massive car parks, its not like you were blocking spaces. Its a shop, they want you in it and spending money for as long as possible, and noone has really thought through the parking situation.

It can quite easily take that long, especially if you're disabled or have small children with you. My mum uses a mobility scooter and often takes 90mins plus in our local Asda.

Imo sneering and saying "two hours is fine!" is ignoring the fact that people often have additional needs that add more time. It's also pretty redundant, because it took the OP over two hours.

My local big 2 supermarkets are within a few minutes walk of a train station so it does make sense to have a limit- if there wasn’t people would go in buy a meal deal in the morning/a drink on way home and use the receipt to get out which would then mean no car parking for genuine shoppers.

if you speak to them they will probably canceL
the ticket.

I also guess that 2 hours means that no going cinema etc
close by because again- no spaces for genuine customers.

If you have a Clubcard they can look up your shop on their computer- can be done very easily, and they may be able to cancel your fee?

Ignore all the rule-bound posters on here. They are probably the same ones who said that people would DIE if you sat on a bench during lockdown, because it's the rules, innit.

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This 100%

But it's the ruuuuuuules.

Some rules are fucking stupid.

I wouldn't think to check the times either OP, and would be annoyed too. Also, any time I have noticed these signs it's been 3 hours, not 2.

I'm not sure how enforceable these are. There's a lot written about how they are unenforceable, but it depends on a lot of factors, i would look into that if I were you. Alternatively I would challenge it, but I doubt I would pay it.

If you have a Clubcard your receipt should be on there. Raising with Tesco is a good idea. Good luck.

If you email their customer services they will have a person that deals with parking tickets, if you have a Clubcard they will be able to see that you spent £250 on that specified day and they will be able to get the ticket cancelled.

(I say this from experience).

If you paid by card I would also attach a photo of the transaction.

Go into the store, take a copy of your bank statement, one line on phone should do and they'll be able to see it was this store. Be nice, but firm and they're likely to revoke it for you.

Being old and cynical I now work on the principle that any organisation I deal with will be doing their utmost to take as much money as possible off me.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a one man band the local corner shop or a huge multinational. Unfortunately 99% of the time I am proven correct.
Are you able to shop elsewhere op? Although they will probably be just as bad.

I park at a massive tesco extra carpark k(it's a retail park on the edge of a town) when I shop at a nearby town. I dislike driving the one way system around the town so easier to park at tesco and walk to the shops from there (I might buy a drink/snack at tesco but nothing else) I always stick to the 3 hr time limit though. However once got back to the car at around 2 hrs 50 and it took me an hour to get out if the carpark . I never received a fine though, but it's put me off going on a Saturday again.

Just appeal it, to the store manager, I had something similar with Next recently and they were super helpful!

I would contact Tesco and see if they can do something about it. I'm sure they don't want to discourage shoppers from doing big shops and yes if you're trying clothes etc, you can exceed 2 hours.

Most level headed comment on here!

Why would they want to penalise genuine shoppers, that I am sure is not what they want? They are trying to penalise people abusing the car park by parking there, when going to work etc

Yes this.

The purpose of Tesco having that rule is not to deter big spenders like you. It’s just a clunky way of stopping people parking up for the day. They could have set up one of the systems where you feed your receipt in for proof of purpose, but chose not to.

Speak to them and appeal. They’d be absolutely mad not to let you off it. If you do encounter some rules-obsessed jobsworth who enjoys the ‘power’, then make sure you spend your weekly £250 in Sainsburys from now on.

Easy mistake to make! I once went to a 'do' at a city-based hotel and saw the '3 hour parking limit' on the signs but also assumed it wouldn't apply to customers (I know, I know, always read the small print!) but I'm human and surprise, sometimes make mistakes! 😂

I sent a nice email to the hotel and explained what had happened. They cancelled the fine. I think it's worth a try. They don't have to (especially when you didn't read the sign properly) but likewise, they want happy customers who will keep on coming back.