Do You Have to Pay a Contractual Parking Charge Notice?

Have you got a Contractual Parking Charge Notice? Not sure if you need to pay it? You’re not alone. Every month, over 32,000 people come to this site for guidance on tickets and fines. It can be scary to get a notice like this, but don’t worry.

In this guide, we’ll help you learn:

• What a Contractual Parking Charge Notice is and why you might get one.
• How to appeal against your notice and possibly win.
• How parking companies know your address and send out tickets.
• The cost of the private parking fine and if it’s enforceable.
• What happens if you don’t pay your fine and if it’s a crime.

Our team knows how it feels to get a parking notice, and we’re here to help you. Let’s dive in and find out what you can do about your Contractual Parking Charge Notice.

How much would the private parking fine set you back?

A private parking fine could set you back £50 outside of London. But if you get one of these fines in the capital it costs a lot more!

That said, you’ve got the option to pay the fine early. For example, if you pay the ticket within 14 days of the date of issue, you could pay anything from 40% to 60% less than the original fine!

For example, if the original amount is £50, you could pay £30 if you settle things early. This could be something worth considering but only if you believe you deserved being fined!

Can you ignore the parking ticket?

No. You should either appeal the fine or pay it! But don’t ignore a parking ticket on private land because it won’t make the issuer go away.

In fact, it could get more stressful because of the threatening letters you’d still receive from the private operator!

Then there’s the threat of court action which may just be a scare tactic. Or the company could follow through and start proceedings against you.

Who issues Contractual Parking Charge Notices?

G24 is an operator that issues Contractual Parking Charge Notices to motorists for non-compliance with their rules. The operator is one of the largest companies that provide parking solutions to many customers across the UK.

Is a Contractual Parking Charge Notice enforceable?

The only time these parking fines become legally enforceable is when a judge orders you to pay after the issuer wins a case against you.

In short, a private car park company cannot legally demand payment from you without having a court judgement in place.

How long does the issuer have to send you the fine?

There are rules and deadlines that private car park companies must follow when issuing parking tickets to motorists.

However, the time limit differs according to how the operator issues it. For example, if the fine was attached to your car or it was handed to you and you fail to respond, a charge must be sent to you within 56 days.

This changes when the fine arrives in the post though. In this instance, an operator must send the notice to you within 14 days of an apparent parking infringement taking place.

The issuer can chase you for months and could pass your details on to a debt collection company!

What if your appeal is rejected?

If your appeal is rejected, you can file a second appeal to an independent appeals service.

For example, if the issuer is a member of the British Parking Association, you file your appeal with the Parking on Private Land Association.

If, however, the operator is a member of the International Parking Community, you’d have to file your appeal with the Independent Appeals Service.

Your appeal will be assessed and a decision to uphold or reject it. It’s worth noting that if your appeal is rejected, that’s it.

The only option left is to take the issuer to court which could work out more expensive than the fine itself!

Should you appeal the parking charge?

You could appeal the parking charge if you believe the issuer gave it to you incorrectly. In short, if you can show the car park company failed to follow the Code of Practice, you could have grounds to challenge the ticket!

Other reasons why a parking charge may be invalid include:

• The ticket arrived in the mail over 14 days after you parked on a site
• No parking infringement occurred because you parked correctly
• Payment machines were broken so there was no way for you to pay
• The car park signage was unclear or missing
• Bay markings were faded
• The fine amount is over the top
• Another person was driving when the parking charge was issued
• You couldn’t get back to your vehicle because of a medical emergency
• The parking charge was issued before the grace period had expired
• You were waiting for a recovery truck because you’d broken down

You could challenge the parking charge if any of the above apply. However, make sure you file your appeal within the specified deadline. You usually have 28 days to challenge the fine but the details should be on the notice!

Check out what one motorist posted on a popular forum after getting a Contractual Parking Charge:

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Is a Parking Charge Notice a criminal offence?

No. Getting a Parking Charge Notice is not a criminal offence. It’s a civil matter between the car park management company and you.

In short, if the operator takes you to court, the case is heard in a County Court!

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Can you get a CCJ for a private parking fine?

You’d only get a County Court Judgement if you refuse to pay the parking fine and a judge issues an Order to Pay.

I suggest you don’t let things get this far because having a CCJ on your credit file will ruin your credit rating. You’d have real trouble getting a loan or credit card until it expires.

County Court Judgements remain on your credit file for 6 years!

How long do you have to pay a Contractual parking charge?

You have 28 days to pay a Parking Charge Notice although you can opt to pay it within 14 days. 

That said, if you miss the 28-day deadline, the operator will send you more letters threatening court action! They may even ask a debt collection company to recover the amount owed to them.

How do you contact an independent appeals service?

I’ve listed ways to contact an independent appeals service in the table below:

Lastly, do you have to pay a Contractual Parking Charge Notice?

You should only pay a Contractual Parking Charge Notice if you’re sure the fine is yours and that it was correctly issued.

For example, if the issuer failed to abide by the Code of Practice and didn’t allow you 10 minutes grace before giving the fine, you could appeal the charge! The operator should cancel the ticket in this instance!

It’s far wiser to appeal the parking charge rather than ignore it. Plus once the issuer gets your appeal, they must put everything on hold. In short, it gives you a little time to sort finances out if you need to.

If you’re sure the fine is deserved and correctly issued, you may want to pay it early. Why? Because paying it within 14 days means you pay a lesser amount which could save you money!

Thanks for reading this post. I hope the info helps you deal with a Contractual Parking Charge Notice so the experience is less stressful and expensive!