Private Parking Tickets Court Cases – A Quick Warning

Have you got a parking ticket on private land? You’re not on your own. Each month, I guide over 32,000 people who need advice on tickets and fines. It might feel scary and tricky, but there’s no need to fret.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

• What is a parking ticket on private land and why you might get one.
• Steps to appeal and possibly beat your ticket.
• The cost of private parking tickets.
• The need to pay the ticket and what happens if you don’t.
• Examples of private parking tickets court cases.

I’ve dealt with many cases just like yours. I know what it feels like to get a parking ticket and I’m here to guide you. Let’s get started and learn how you can deal with your parking ticket.

What is a parking ticket on private land?

A parking ticket on private land is known as a parking charge notice which operators issue. It’s not a ‘fine’ as such, but more of an invoice because you’d get one for breaking a contractual agreement.

Confused? When you park in a private car park, you enter into a contract with the company that manages it. The Terms and Conditions for using a private car park are supposed to be signposted at the entrance.

You’ll get a parking charge when you don’t follow an operator’s rules!

Why would you get a private parking ticket?

An operator that manages a car park for a landowner is authorised to issue parking charges if:

• You don’t pay to park or overstay an allotted time in a car park
• Park badly or in a bay designated for the disabled
• Park in a bay designated for families with children

How are private parking tickets issued?

You could find a private parking ticket stuck on your windscreen. Or you could receive the parking charge through the post. This happens when an operator has CCTV or ANPR in a car park which catches an infringement on the camera.

An accredited operator can access your details from the DVLA database if you’re the registered keeper. The parking charge is sent to the registered keepers’ address.

How much do private parking tickets cost?

Until recently, there was a cap on the amount a private operator could charge you. But the government put everything on hold a couple of months ago in June.

That said, the cap could be reinstated sometime in 2023, but for the moment, a parking ticket on private land could cost you up to £100.

Do you have to pay for a parking ticket on private land?

A parking ticket on private land looks like an official penalty charge notice, but it is not the same. A parking charge on private land is an invoice or notice from an operator telling you they’ll take you to a civil court when you don’t pay.

What happens when you ignore a parking ticket on private land?

You might think it’s a good idea to ignore a parking ticket you get on private land, so you get out of paying. But beware, an operator can take you to court and win a case. If so, you’d be legally obliged to pay the charge!

You have 28 days to pay or appeal a parking ticket on private land. When you don’t pay or appeal, this happens:

• The operator sends you payment reminders which can be pretty threatening
• Ask a debt collection agency to chase you for the payment, which is not a pleasant experience
• Sell the ‘debt’ when there’s a court judgement to a debt collector (to be avoided at all costs)

Will a private operator take you to court over an unpaid parking charge?

Yes. An operator has the right to take you to court over an unpaid parking charge. However, you’ll have to pay if the operator wins the case in a small claims court. Plus, you must pay the full amount within a set time. Moreover, you’ll incur more costs on top of the fine.

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What happens if you ignore a court order to pay a parking charge?

Things escalate pretty quickly when you ignore a court order to pay a parking ticket on private land. Enforcement agents are tasked to recover the ‘debt’ and will seize your possessions if necessary!

Do private parking companies often win court cases?

Unfortunately, yes. Private car park operators often win when they take you to court for unpaid parking charges. That said, the operator must have followed the right procedure when they served the parking ticket.

But each case is judged on its own merits. So, there’s never any guarantee a judge will side with an operator or motorist.

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Are there any private parking tickets court cases examples?

Yes. There are private tickets court cases examples, two of which I’ve listed below:

• A 28-year-old woman had to pay a massive amount of money because she repeatedly ignored parking tickets. Instead of paying for a parking permit, the woman parked outside her father’s rented property
• Parking Eye Vs Barry Beavis is a crucial court case that set a precedent when it escalated to the Supreme Court! Barry Beavis lost the case, and the Supreme Court ruled in Parking Eye’s favour

Private parking tickets court cases. Should you worry?

It’s always a bit of a gamble when you appeal against private parking tickets. Even when evidence shows the parking charge is wrong, a court could still rule against you!

That said, the more proof you have that a parking charge should be cancelled, the better your chances are. Therefore, you should weigh up the chances of winning an appeal before you decide to challenge a parking fine on private land.

Think about the stress and time it could take. But at the same time, remember that when you appeal a fine, you gain time because an operator puts things on hold. Plus, some operators take weeks to respond to an appeal.

Then you have the option to escalate an appeal to an independent appeals service which is free of charge. It gains you even more time! In short, you may pay the full amount, but much further down the line.

Thanks for reading my post about private parking tickets court cases. I hope the article’s information gives you food for thought on whether to appeal or pay a parking charge!