Can I Appeal a Parking Ticket or Should I Pay? Easy Guide
By
Janine
Janine Marsh
Financial Expert
My name’s Janine, and I’m a mum of two who’s always been passionate about trying to cut down spending costs. I am now sharing as much financial knowledge as I possibly can to help your money go that little bit further.
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Have you got a parking ticket, and you’re not sure what to do? You’re not alone. Every month, over 32,000 people visit this site seeking advice on tickets and fines.
In this article, we’ll help you understand:
How to appeal against a parking ticket and win
What a parking charge notice is, and if it can be enforced
What happens if you don’t pay a private parking ticket in the UK
Why you might get a parking charge notice
How to check if a parking charge notice is valid
We know that getting a parking ticket can be worrying — you might be scared about what will happen if you don’t pay the fine, or you might need more information to decide what to do.
Our team has lots of experience with situations like yours. We’re here to help you find out what you can do about your parking ticket.
Do You Have to Pay?
In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your fine.
It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.
Not only did I save £50 on solicitor feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.
Chat below to get started with JustAnswer
In partnership with Just Answer.
Why would you get a parking charge notice?
As mentioned, you’d get a parking charge notice if an operator finds you didn’t abide by the T&Cs for using a car park.
Landowners hire private operators to manage their car parks. Both the private and commercial sectors outsource this task to car park management companies. They are authorised to issue parking charge notices on behalf of the landowners.
Maybe you were badly parked outside of a designated bay, or maybe you:
Parked in a disabled bay or one designated for families with children
Overstayed, the amount of free time allowed to park
Failed to pay if the car park was a payment-only site
The operator could leave a parking charge notice on your car’s windscreen. Or the operator could send the parking ticket through the post if the infringement is recorded on CCTV.
So, how do you appeal a parking charge notice?
You can contest a parking charge notice, especially when it’s wrong, or you were parked correctly. But, first, check who the operator is and then follow their appeals process.
If the parking ticket was left on your car, the instructions should be clearly visible on the parking charge notice. The instructions should also provide information on an appeal time limit.
This can vary, so make sure you check what appeals time limit applies to the parking charge notice you got.
Next, check whether the operator is a registered Accredited Trade Association (ATA) member. Operators who are ATA members can access the DVLA database to find registered keepers’ details.
If the operator is not an ATA member, they cannot get a registered keeper’s address from the DVLA.
You must write a letter appealing the parking charge notice if the operator is a registered ATA member. You’ll need to provide the following information with your appeal:
Your car registration number – VRN
The parking charge notice number
The reason you are contesting the parking charge notice
Make sure you have enough evidence when you appeal the parking ticket. The more you can provide, the stronger your appeal will be.
If an operator rejects your appeal against a parking charge notice, you have the right to escalate the matter. In addition, you can appeal to an independent appeals service which is free to do.
Make sure you file your appeal within the deadline, or you could lose the right to escalate your appeal.
The independent appeals service assesses your case and may rule in your favour. The operator must then cancel the parking charge notice.
However, the independent appeals service is just as likely to rule in favour of an operator. In this case, you must respect their decision.
Successful Appeal Case Study
Situation
Initial Fine
£100
Additional Fees
£171
Total Fine
£271
The Appeal Process
Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.
Total Fine
£271
Cost of legal advice
£5
JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.
Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.
What’s a good excuse when you appeal a parking charge notice?
There are several acceptable excuses for appealing a parking ticket on private land. For instance, did the following apply:
You parked correctly and followed the T&Cs for using the car park
The signs and road markings in the car park were unclear or missing
The payment machine wasn’t working, and there was no other way to pay
You got the parking charge notice in the post, but there was no CCTV in operation sign in the car park
Your car broke down, and you were waiting for assistance
The operator issued the parking charge notice before the grace period had expired
You received the parking ticket in the mail more than 14 days after the alleged parking infringement
You were prevented from getting back to your car because of a medical emergency
Make sure you gather enough evidence to support an excuse for appealing a parking ticket on private land.
What’s a grace period?
The government passed legislation which all private operators must follow before issuing parking charge notices. The legislation stipulates that operators must allow motorists a 10-minute grace period before handing out parking tickets.
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Getting the support of a Solicitor can take a huge weight off your mind.
A parking charge notice could be invalid for a few reasons. This includes:
The operator sent the parking ticket to you after 14 days of the alleged infringement
Their parking charge notice contained clerical errors
Also, the parking ticket should be cancelled if there were no signs in a car park indicating that CCTV or ANPR was in operation, yet the fine was sent through the post.
What happens if you don’t pay a private parking ticket UK?
When you don’t pay a private parking ticket, an operator could start legal proceedings and sell the debt to a collection agency if they win the case and you don’t pay.
Hire a Parking Solicitor for less than a coffee.
If you’re thinking about appealing your parking ticket then getting some professional advice is a good idea.
Getting the support of a Solicitor can make your appeal much more likely to win.
For a £5 trial, Solicitors from JustAnswer can look at your case and help you create an airtight appeal.
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My name’s Janine, and I’m a mum of two who’s always been passionate about trying to cut down spending costs. I am now sharing as much financial knowledge as I possibly can to help your money go that little bit further.
