Should I Pay or Appeal SIP Parking Fine? Know Your Rights

Got a parking ticket from SIP? You’re not alone. Each month, more than 32,000 people visit this site for advice on tickets and fines.

It can be confusing, but don’t worry. In this article, we’ll help you understand:

Who SIP is and why they give out parking tickets
How to stop paying SIP parking tickets
If you must pay a SIP parking charge
How you can challenge your ticket
What happens if you don’t pay a SIP parking fine

We know how it feels to get a ticket; some of us have been in the same boat. With our expertise, we’ll help you understand how you can deal with your SIP parking fine.

Let’s get started.

Not sure what to write in your parking appeal?

You don’t need to start with a blank page.

We’ve created a free parking ticket appeal letter template that gives you a clear structure to follow.

Get my free appeal template

Free editable parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Do you have to pay a sip parking charge?

No. Not at first because private operators can’t force you to pay. A court order is needed to make you pay parking tickets on private land. So, the operator must win a case in the small claims court. Once a judge orders you to pay, the fine is enforceable and you’ll have to pay it.

That said, you may deserve the parking charge and you could opt to pay the fine within two weeks. If you do, the operator cuts the amount by 40%. So, if the parking charge is £100, you only pay £60.

But don’t pay a SIP parking fine until you’re sure of the following:

The operator served the parking charge correctly
You committed a parking infringement in one of their car parks
The parking charge arrived in the post within 14 days of the alleged parking violation
You were accorded a grace period before the parking charge was issued

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Can I appeal a Sip parking fine?

Yes. You could appeal a SIP parking fine particularly if the operator got things wrong or served the fine incorrectly. But you must have enough proof to back up your appeal. Without adequate evidence, SIP won’t consider your appeal. The more proof you can provide, the better the outcome could be.

You’ve got 28 days to file your appeal with the operator but appealing the parking charge earlier might be worth considering. For instance, when you make an appeal within fourteen days and the operator doesn’t accept it, you’d pay the discounted fine!

In short, you’d pay 40% less when you appeal within two weeks!

That said, some motorists have experienced problems when appealing against a SIP parking charge. I’ve included an example here:

You must provide the following when appealing a SIP parking charge:

The parking charge reference number
Your vehicle registration number – VRN
The reason for cancelling the parking charge

What’s Included in the Free Appeal Template

A clear structure

The template gives you a simple framework for putting your parking appeal together, so you don’t have to work out what to write from scratch.

What you’ll add

Your parking charge details
Why you’re appealing
Any relevant evidence
What you want the parking company to do

Easy to adapt

Just replace the sections in [square brackets] with the details of your own situation and edit the wording where needed.

You’ll get the template by email so you can save it, edit it and use it when you’re ready.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

How to avoid paying SIP parking tickets

If you want to avoid paying a SIP parking ticket then you’ll need an airtight appeal.

The best way to perfect your appeal is getting a little advice from a Solicitor. I’d 100% recommend spending a fiver to get a trial of JustAnswer.

You can explain your situation in their chat and they’ll connect you with a Solicitor who can advise you and give you the best chance to win your appeal.

Click here to get the trial offer with JustAnswer.

Can I ignore a Sip parking fine?

No. It’s never a good move to ignore a parking fine from a private operator. It could lead to more stress and anxiety. For instance, you may be chased by a debt collector, or you could face court proceedings over an unpaid fine.

When you continue to ignore correspondence from say, the operator, debt collection agency, or a small claims court, you’d get a CCJ. The County Court Judgement is recorded on your credit history. And it stays there for 6 years!

The result? It’d be hard to get a loan, take out a mortgage or apply for credit cards with a CCJ on your credit history!

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Getting the support of a Solicitor can take a huge weight off your mind.

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What happens if I don’t pay a Sip parking fine?

Things get pretty messy and expensive when a SIP parking fine remains unpaid. You’d get payment reminders and demands sent to your address if you’re the registered keeper. After that, you could receive calls from a debt collection agency.

In a worst-case scenario, you could get Letter Before Claim from the operator. The letter is sent to warn you about impending court action!

Although the letters might just be ‘threats’ to get you to pay the outstanding, you never know whether SIP is serious! In short, it’s a gamble as to whether you’d face court proceedings or not.