Parking Ticket Lawyer - Do You Need One?

Have you received a private parking fine and are wondering if you should pay or appeal? This article will offer clear and simple advice.

Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website to understand their fines and parking tickets. You are not alone.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

What a parking charge notice is.
Whether you must pay a parking charge.
How to appeal a parking charge.
Who is responsible for a parking ticket – the driver or owner?
How long a parking company has to respond to your appeal.

We know that private parking fines can be a real headache. But there’s no need to worry; we’re experienced in dealing with these sorts of issues and are here to help you navigate through them.

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.

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*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 need a lawyer?

You don’t have to get a parking ticket lawyer to make a parking ticket appeal. The vast majority of people appeal their parking tickets themselves. However, you might want to get parking ticket legal advice before deciding whether or not to appeal.

A parking ticket lawyer could tell you how likely it is that your appeal will be successful. They might explain why your appeal would be rejected, which would then allow you to pay the reduced fine within the first 14 days instead.

Ultimately, it’s a personal decision but the cost of parking ticket legal advice could easily exceed the cost of the parking ticket.

UK Law

Private landowners are legally allowed to serve Parking Charge Notices to motorists who fail to pay for parking. Although they aren’t considered real fines, these cases can go to court where the Parking Charge Notice can be made enforceable by a judge.

However, for the parking company to win in court, they must have:

Adhered to all rules of operating the car park, such as displaying signs adequately
Offered a reduced fine if you pay within 14 days
Given you a ten-minute grace period AFTER your time runs out
Not fined you above the amount they are allowed to as stated by law, which has now been reduced to £50 or £70 depending on location

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Who is responsible – driver or owner?

The car park operator must request the parking fine is paid by the person who was driving the vehicle. However, this can be difficult for the car park operator to know.

They might only know the vehicle registration number, which only helps them find out the vehicle owner’s address. There may be cases when the person driving wasn’t the registered vehicle owner.

If the car park operator only knows the registered vehicle owner, they are allowed to send the Parking Charge Notice to the vehicle owner due to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. This is called Keeper Liability.

But there’s something else you need to know!

Only car park operators that are members of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA) can request the vehicle owner’s address. So if the car park company isn’t a member they can only get your address if you tell them, which they might encourage if they left a notice on your vehicle.

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.

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In partnership with Just Answer.

Can you appeal?

You have the right to appeal a private parking ticket within 28 days – the same amount of time you get to make the payment.

Your appeal, which can also be known as a representation, must be made in writing. Some car park operators will ask you to send a letter, while others may accept written appeals via their website.

The representation should state why you believe the Parking Charge Notice should be cancelled and accompanied by supporting evidence. We discuss some of the best reasons shortly.

But first, will you need a parking ticket lawyer to lodge your appeal?

What is the best excuse to appeal a fine?

Some of the most effective excuses to appeal a private parking ticket include:

You broke down
You were within the new grace period
The only payment machine wasn’t working
You were involved in a (medical) emergency

Excuses should be supported by appropriate evidence.

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

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How long do they have to respond?

The parking company must respond to your appeal within 56 days of receiving your representation. If they fail to make a decision on the appeal by this deadline, they will have to accept your appeal and cancel the parking fine.

Is there an ombudsman for parking fines?

You can escalate a rejected appeal by a parking company to an independent service, which could be considered a parking fine ombudsman. However, there isn’t just one independent service for escalated appeals.

The independent service you must use will depend on which Accredited Trade Association the car park operator is a member of.

If they are a member of the British Parking Association, you must escalate the appeal to Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA). But if they are a member of the International Parking Community (IPC), the appeal must be escalated to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS).