Croydon parking fines – Pay or Appeal? 

Have you just got a Croydon parking fine and are wondering whether to pay it or appeal?

This is the right place to get the help you need. Our website is visited by over 130,000 people each month who are seeking advice on how to deal with fines and parking tickets.

In this article, we’ll provide simple information on:

• Whether you have to pay Croydon parking fines.
• How to appeal a Croydon parking fine.
• What could happen if you do not pay the fine.
• Ways to avoid getting a parking fine in Croydon.

Churchill Motor Insurance reports that in 2022, UK councils issued 19,631 parking fines every day – that’s an increase of 12% from the previous year!¹ So, rest assured, you’re not alone

With our experience, we’ll show you how to deal with a parking fine in Croydon. Let’s dive in!

What is a PCN?

A Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) issued by Croydon Council is essentially a fine for motorists, typically related to a parking violation, but not limited to that.

Penalty Charge Notices can also be sent by Croydon Council for some traffic offences.

The most common Penalty Charge Croydon that isn’t for a parking offence is driving in a bus lane at a time when not permitted. 

Parking fines sent by a local authority are not treated the same as private parking fines from companies.

These are called Parking Charge Notices and are more like an invoice than a fine. 

Check out why one motorist got a Penalty Charge Notice in Croydon.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Do you have to pay?

You must pay a Croydon Penalty Charge Notice within 28 days of receiving the fine. Otherwise, you must appeal against the parking ticket within the same timeframe. 

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Appeal Process Steps

If you believe the PCN was unfairly issued, you have the option to appeal. It’s essential to understand this process to tackle any obstacles efficiently.

That’s why, I’ve created this table that explains the steps of the appeal process. If you want to learn more, don’t forget to read our complete guide.

Process:	Steps you should take:
When you receive the ticket…	You should gather as much evidence as you can to support your appeal claim and prove that the ticket was unfairly issued.
If you were given the ticket in person/attached to your car…	You must make an informal appeal (sent to the local authority/council that issued the PCN) within 14 days. This should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given.
If it was posted to you…	You will be given 21 days to submit an informal appeal (from the day you received the letter). Your informal appeal should be a letter with the evidence proving why the ticket was incorrectly given.
If the informal appeal is rejected…	You will receive a Notice to Owner and will have 28 days to respond to this with a formal appeal. You can conduct the formal appeal online or via paper form. The Traffic Penalty Tribunal can send you one of these forms.
If the formal appeal is rejected…	You will receive a Notice of Rejection. From here, you are free to challenge the council’s verdict at an independent tribunal.
If the independent tribunal disagrees with your appeal…	You should pay the ticket within 28 days of the tribunal rejecting your appeal. If you don’t, the fine will be increased by 50%. If you don’t have the money to pay the fine, you should contact Citizens Advice or another debt charity.

If you don’t pay or appeal against the Croydon parking ticket, your fine will increase and you could face court action.

What happens if it is rejected?

Croydon Council will write to you to let you know if they have rejected your PCN appeal. But this doesn’t have to be the end of your appeal. 

You have a right to escalate a PCN challenge to an independent tribunal, which is handled by London Tribunals

How much are parking fines?

Croydon parking fines start at £60 and go up to £130.

The amount you will be fined is determined by the area of the parking contravention (Band A or Band B) and the seriousness of the offence. 

However, you can get a 50% fine reduction by making the payment within 14 days.

For example, if you receive a Croydon PCN for £60 and pay within the first 14 days, you’ll only have to pay £30. 

Does it cost the same as other Boroughs?

The cost of a Croydon PCN is the same as in other London Boroughs and more expensive than outside of the capital.

Will it affect your insurance premium?

No.

Getting a penalty charge will not affect your insurance premium because you don’t get any penalty points on your licence.

That said, if you don’t pay the fine, a court could issue a judgement against you.

A County Court Judgement (CCJ) will impact your credit rating and it will remain on your file for six years.

How do you pay a penalty?

You can pay a Croydon PCN over the phone, by cheque, at a post office or online. Full details of ways to pay your Croydon parking ticket can be found here.

The easiest and fastest way to pay is to use the council’s online payment portal.

Keep in mind that all methods require you to have your Croydon PCN number, which is found at the top of your PCN. 

If you’ve lost your notice and want to pay, you’ll need to contact the council to retrieve your Croydon Penalty Charge Notice number.

Remember that paying early can score you a 50% discount! 

Should I accept or challenge it?

Sometimes appealing a PCN will make you miss out on the 50% fine reduction.

Thus, it can be difficult to decide whether you should pay the reduced rate or make a Croydon Council Penalty Charge Notice appeal. 

There is no right answer. It all depends on personal circumstances and preferences.

Sometimes the council will still offer a reduced fine after an appeal. You should ask if this is the case before making a decision. 

Croydon PCN contact number

Phone:	0345 3000 614
Website:	https://www.croydon.gov.uk/

Note, the Croydon Council Penalty Charge contact number above is to make a payment only. To speak to a human at Croydon Council you’ll need to call 020 8762 6000.

Is parking suspended today?

Croydon Council stopped issuing all new Penalty Charge Notices during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they have since restarted issuing them again.

So take care when you park to avoid receiving a Croydon parking fine. 

Consider using mobile parking apps

One way of reducing the risk of getting a penalty charge is to use a mobile parking app.

I’ve listed some of them here:

• Ringo
• Pay by Phone
• ParkMobile

What about private parking tickets?

The above information only refers to parking tickets issued by a local authority. As mentioned at the start of our post, these are not the same as a private parking ticket.

If you need help fighting back against private parking tickets and want to know if you can ignore them, check out this dedicated guide. 

References

1. SkyNews – Number of parking tickets issued every day in UK revealed