Pay or Appeal Vehicle Control Services? Know Your Rights

Have you got a parking ticket from Vehicle Control Services? It can be a bit scary, but you’re not alone. Each month, over 32,000 people visit this site for advice on tickets and fines.

In this article, we’ll show you:

•  Who Vehicle Control Services Ltd are
•  If parking charges are really legal
•  What to do if a VCS fine comes in your post
•  If you can beat your ticket
•  If you must pay a VCS parking fine

We know how you feel — it’s not nice to get a parking ticket. Remember, we’re here to help you with your VCS parking fine.

Do you have to pay a VCS parking fine?

Although a VCS parking fine is actually an ‘invoice’, it’s best to engage with the operator rather than ignore a parking charge. Parking charges may not be immediately enforceable, but the issuer could chase you through a small claims court for payment.

So, you could be better off paying a parking charge notice from VCS within two weeks. For example, you could save time, money, and a ton of hassle. That said, make sure the fine was served correctly before paying it!

Note: You usually have 28 days to pay the fine but paying it within two weeks is worth considering. For example, VCS reduces the fine by 40% when you settle things early! So, if the fine was £100, you get to pay £60.

What can you do if a VCS fine drops through your letterbox?

First, check the details on the parking charge. Then check the date of the alleged infraction. After this, check the date when the parking charge arrived through the mail.

You see, a Parking Charge doesn’t have to be left on your car’s windscreen. More often than not, the fine is recorded on camera. The operator then retrieves a registered keeper’s details from the DVLA. The fine is sent to your address if you’re the registered keeper.

Chances are you didn’t even know you had ‘broken the rules’ when parking on a site managed by VCS. Unfortunately, it happens to many motorists who are probably just as surprised as you when a fine arrives in the post. This is typically around 28 days after the alleged ‘contravention’ occurred.

But a VCS fine could arrive through the post later than that. For instance, if the DVLA is slow to respond to the issuer’s request, it can take much longer to arrive.

So, why would you contest a VCS parking fine?

You get a week longer to pay or appeal a parking charge when it arrives by post than if left on your car. So, you must appeal the fine within 21 days if it arrives in the mail. 

That said, when you’re set on contesting a VCS fine, it’s best to do so within two weeks. Like this, if the operator rejects it, you still get to pay 40% less.

But you’d need a good reason to challenge the fine. So, I’ve listed a few below:

• You got the fine in the post well after the alleged parking infraction happened
• You parked correctly and paid the right fee
• An emergency prevented you from returning to the car park
• You didn’t own the vehicle when the fine was issued
• The parking charge contains the wrong details
• The signs were unclear, and the road markings were faded
• The amount charged seems excessive
• VCS issued the parking charge before the 10-minute grace period expired

Although it could be a hard slog to get a parking charge from VCS cancelled, it could be worth the effort. After all, it costs you nothing and prevents things from progressing.

What’s the best way to file an appeal against a VCS parking fine?

I’ve put together a table showing the best way to file your appeal against a VCS parking fine below:

Join thousands of others who got legal help for a £5 trial

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

Get started

Reviews shown are for JustAnswer.

Are you unhappy about the amount VCS charged you?

You’re not alone if you’re unhappy with the amount a VCS fine could be. Check out what many people think of private car park management companies! 

Knowing your rights when confronted with a VCS parking fine

You have the right to appeal a VCS parking charge, and many motorists do. Unfortunately, the operator has a reputation for rejecting appeals, so the more evidence you can provide, the better.

On the positive side, the advantages of appealing the fine are:

• Everything goes on hold, and VCS can’t chase you for payment
• When you appeal within 14 days, and it’s rejected, you get to pay a reduced fine
• You have the option to escalate your appeal to the IAS when it’s rejected, which gains you more time. But you’ll have to pay the full fine if the IAS sides with VCS
• It costs nothing to appeal a VCS parking charge notice!

I hope the information in my post helps you decide whether to pay or appeal a Vehicle Control Services fine. In addition, knowing your rights when dealing with a parking charge notice makes the process less stressful!

Do VCS take people to court?

Yes. VCS takes people to court over unpaid parking charges. You’d get threatening letters which you could ignore, but it’s best not to. You see, if VCS wins the case by default, a court orders you to pay the fine. Plus, the amount would have increased, and you’d get a CCJ on your credit history.

So, when you don’t pay a VCS fine within 28 days, things escalate, and it gets more expensive, to say the least.

Also, you may have to deal with a debt collection agency which is not a pleasant experience, followed by a visit from an enforcement agent (bailiff).

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Are parking charges legally enforceable?

A parking charge notice, although not legally enforceable to begin with, shouldn’t be ignored. After all, when you don’t pay, you don’t get to pay a reduced fine. In a worst-case scenario, you could face court proceedings!