UKPC Parking Fine – Pay or Appeal?
Have you received a UKPC parking fine and you’re not sure what to do? You’re in the right spot. Every month, our website is visited by over 130,000 people seeking advice on fines and parking tickets.
Which? found that unclear rules and various payment methods in private car parks are partly to blame for an increased number of fines.1
So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the process, don’t worry; this article will provide you with simple and clear knowledge about:
- The role of UKPC.
- What a UKPC parking fine is.
- The cost of a UKPC Parking Charge Notice.
- How to challenge a UKPC parking ticket.
- Steps to take if your UKPC parking fine appeal is rejected.
We know it can be stressful when you get a private parking fine, especially if you believe it’s unfair. Rest assured that we’re here to help with lots of handy tips and examples to guide you through the process.
Let’s get started!
Most Ticket Appeals Succeed
In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your parking fine.
It’s a bit sneaky, but the last time I needed legal advice, I paid £5 for a trial to chat with an online solicitor called JustAnswer.
Not only did I save £50 on solicitor fees, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.
Chat below to get started with JustAnswer
*According to Martin Lewis, 56% of people who try to appeal their ticket are successful and get the charge overturned, so it’s well worth a try.
Do you have to pay the parking charge?
UKPC is allowed to issue you with a Parking Charge Notice if you didn’t stick to the terms of using the private car park. However, these are not considered real fines or penalties. So you don’t have to pay unless instructed to do so by a court.
That said, UKPC can take you to court2 if you don’t pay, so it’s still possible that you’ll have to pay the fine.
UKPC – appeal or pay?
The decision to appeal for free or pay the fine is made more difficult by the 40% discount offered when paying within 14 days.
Instead of going through the appeals process, which could be fruitless, it’s tempting to take advantage of a cheaper fine.
The decision usually hinges on how strong you think your appeal is.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
How do you dispute the ticket?
You can dispute a UKPC parking ticket within the first 28 days since the parking ticket was issued.
You must do this by completing a dedicated form either on the UKPC website or by printing the form and sending it completed in the post.
You can’t make a UKPC appeal over the phone.
You must provide the following details:
- Your vehicle registration number – VRN
- The reference number on the Parking Charge Notice
If you want to save time and write an effective appeal, you can download MoneyNerd’s free parking ticket appeal letter template. This free resource gives you a fantastic starting point to launch your appeal.
Appeal Process Steps
We’ve put together this table to help you better understand the appeal process. If you want to learn more about the steps you should take, please read our detailed 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. |
Parking fine appeal rejected – your next step!
As a British Parking Association (BPA) member, UKPC must allow motorists to escalate an appeal they have rejected. They must inform you after rejecting an appeal about the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) service.
POPLA is an independent body that will assess each UKPC appeal impartially. They can agree with UKPC or overturn their decision and request that the parking fine is cancelled.
This service is free for you to use.
Successful Appeal Case Study
Situation
| Initial Fine | £100 |
| Additional Fees | £171 |
| Total Fine | £271 |
The Appeal Process
Scott used JustAnswer, online legal service to enhance his appeal. The trial of this cost him just £5.
| Total Fine | £271 |
| Cost of legal advice | £5 |
JustAnswer helped Scott craft the best appeal possible and he was able to win his case.
Scott’s fine was cancelled and he only paid £5 for the legal help.
In partnership with Just Answer.
Can you ignore a parking charge from them?
Janine Marsh, our financial expert, says not to ignore private parking tickets as it leads to escalating issues like constant letters and debt collectors’ visits. If you dispute the ticket, appeal directly to the parking company.
Also, if you ignore a UKPC Parking Charge Notice, you might be taken to court and eventually forced to pay.
Or UKPC could stop chasing you for payment and you might get away without paying.
There is no way of knowing for sure what they will do, but you should expect court threats if you don’t pay the fine.
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Getting the support of a Solicitor can take a huge weight off your mind.
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What happens if you ignore it?
UKPC are known for using a debt collection agency when you ignore the Parking Charge Notice.
The operator uses debt recovery services to recover outstanding fines.
It’s important to understand that debt collection agencies are not bailiffs and don’t possess any additional legal rights than UKPC themselves. All they are doing is outsourcing the task to another company that may be more persistent and threatening.
Are the company’s legal threats real or empty? It’s impossible to say for certain! But if they do win in court you are likely to owe even more money due to the expenses involved.
To win the case they will need to show that they operate the car park within the law when issuing tickets.
In short, unpaid parking fine consequences can be expensive.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
UKPC Contact Details
| Post: | UK Parking Control Ltd, PO Box 1608, High Wycombe, HP12 9FN |
| Phone: | +(44) 333 220 1070 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| Website: | https://www.ukparkingcontrol.com/ |
Hire a Parking Solicitor for less than a coffee.
If you’re thinking about appealing your parking ticket then getting some professional advice is a good idea.
Getting the support of a Solicitor can make your appeal much more likely to win.
For a £5 trial, Solicitors from JustAnswer can look at your case and help you create an airtight appeal.
Try it below
In partnership with Just Answer.
References
