Pay or Appeal National Parking Enforcement? Quick Guide

Have you received a National Parking Enforcement fine and are not sure what to do next? Each month, over 32,000 visitors come to this site looking for guidance on parking tickets and fines, so you’re not the only one in this fix. It can feel very worrying, but we’re here to help.

In this guide, we’ll help you understand:

• Who National Parking Enforcement are and why they might fine you.
• If you must pay private parking fines by law.
• How to possibly beat your ticket.
• What to do if your appeal is rejected.
• What happens if you don’t pay a National Parking Enforcement fine.

Our team knows how you might be feeling, and we’ve got lots of useful advice to share with you. Take a deep breath, and read on to find out how you can handle your National Parking Enforcement fine.

Who is National Parking Enforcement?

National Parking Enforcement Ltd is among the many private car park management companies that operate in the UK.

The company offers land owners various parking solutions for their sites, and they work with many sectors, including the following:

• Shopping Centres
• Retail Parks
• Hotel car parks
• Pubs & Restaurants
• NHS & Hospitals
• Universities, Colleges & Student Accommodation
• Office sites
• Industrial sites
• Residential Parking Management and Security

The operator uses CCTV and ANPR on many sites they manage, including manual number plate recognition.

So, why would National Parking Enforcement fine you?

National Parking Enforcement is authorised to fine you when you don’t obey their regulations. In addition, the rules must be clearly signposted on sites the operator manages. So, you risk being fined when you break the rules!

In short, you’ll get a parking charge notice slapped on your car. Or the fine could arrive through your post box if the operator records the parking infringement on their CCTV or ANPR.

The sort of things that could get you fined include:

• Parking across two bays instead of the one
• Not paying to park
• Overstaying in a car park
• Leaving a car in a disabled bay or a bay that families are supposed to use
• Parking overnight when it’s not permitted

Do I legally have to pay private parking fines?

Private parking fines are not legally enforceable, to begin with. But they can be lawfully enforceable when a court orders you to pay. In short, the operator must win a case in the small claims court to get you to pay.

How much will a National Parking Enforcement fine set you back?

There was a cap on how much private companies could charge you, but the government put the legislation on hold. So, a National Parking Enforcement fine could set you back as much as £100.

More if you get the fine in London!

Fortunately, the government could reintroduce the cap in 2023, but operators can still charge excessive fines!

It’s worth noting that all private car park management companies want you to pay quickly. So, they encourage you to pay the charge within two weeks by offering a discounted fine.

This can be up to 40% less than the original fine!

Should you pay a National Parking Enforcement fine immediately?

As mentioned, you could pay the parking charge within fourteen days, so you pay a reduced fine. But only pay the fine when you’re happy with the following:

• The fine contains the correct details
• The operator served the fine according to their code of practice
• You actually committed a parking infringement
• The vehicle was yours when the parking ticket was issued
• National Parking Enforcement allowed you a grace period before issuing the charge

Why would you appeal a National Parking Enforcement fine?

Having a good reason to appeal a National Parking Enforcement fine gives you a better chance of having it cancelled. So, what reason could you use? I’ve listed a few below:

• You paid the correct fee, and your vehicle was parked correctly
• You weren’t the owner when the fine was issued
• The road markings and signage were unclear
• There was no way for you to pay
• An emergency prevented your return to the car park
• The operator issued a ticket before a ‘grace period’ had expired
• You got the ticket in the post over fourteen days after the ticket was issued
• The parking charge came through the post, yet no signage indication CCTV was in operation

Try to provide as much evidence as possible when you appeal a National Parking Enforcement fine. Without proof, the operator won’t accept your appeal.

Also, the operator can’t take further action against you once they receive your appeal. That is until the operator decides whether to reject or accept it.

What happens when you don’t pay a National Parking Enforcement fine?

The operator sends you payment reminders, to begin with. National Parking Enforcement could escalate things when you ignore the ‘reminders’. You may have to deal with a debt collector. Or you could face legal proceedings!

First, you’ll get a Letter Before the Claim notifying you of the operator’s intentions. When you continue to ignore things, it gets worse. National Parking Enforcement could win a case in the small claims court, and a judge orders you to pay.

You’ll have no choice but to pay. Moreover, the amount owed will increase and become a ‘debt’, not a fine. So, bailiffs could turn up at your door to recover the ‘debt’. In a worst-case scenario, enforcement agents (bailiffs) could take some of your possessions to recover the amount owed.

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How do you appeal a National Parking Enforcement fine?

You have 28 days to appeal a National Parking Enforcement fine. Don’t pay the fine because you won’t be able to appeal it if you change your mind. Also, you must make your appeal in writing and provide a valid reason for cancelling it.

It’s worth noting that if you appeal the fine within two weeks, the operator could let you pay the reduced fine if it’s rejected. However, if you wait the full 28 days to appeal and it’s rejected, you’ll have to pay the full parking charge amount.

What can you do if National Parking Enforcement rejects your appeal?

All is not lost when the operator rejects your appeal. First, you’ll get a letter saying the appeal is rejected, at which stage you have two choices. You can pay the fine or escalate your appeal to an independent appeals service.

Filing an appeal with the independent appeals service is free of charge. It means the operator can’t chase you until a decision is made on whether to uphold or reject your escalated appeal.

If your appeal is upheld, the operator cancels the fine. But if your appeal is rejected, you’ll have to pay the parking charge.

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How to avoid paying National Parking Enforcement parking tickets

If you want to avoid paying a National Parking Enforcement 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.

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Do you have to pay a National Parking Enforcement fine?

You don’t have to pay a National Parking Enforcement fine when you know it’s wrong or unjust. But you must provide proof for the operator to cancel the parking charge. Without evidence, National Parking Enforcement won’t consider your appeal.

If you think the parking charge was served correctly, try to pay it within two weeks. Then, you’ll pay the reduced fine, which is always something to consider. It means you could pay up to 40% less!

I hope the information in my post helps you decide if you have to pay a National Parking Enforcement fine. Maybe you have enough proof to have it cancelled? If so, it costs nothing to challenge a parking charge notice!