CCJs for Private Parking Tickets: Payment and Options
For free and impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper.
For free and impartial money advice you can visit MoneyHelper.
Are you worried about a CCJ for your parking ticket? Well you’ve found the right article. Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website to understand more about fines and parking tickets.
In this easy-to-understand article, we’ll cover:
- County Court Judgments for private parking claims in England and Wales.
- The different types of parking tickets.
- Whether you have to pay a Penalty Charge Notice or a Parking Charge Notice.
- The impact of unpaid parking fines on your credit score.
The DVLA reports that over 11 million parking tickets were issued last year, which is up by 29% year on year!1 So you’re not alone.
We know that dealing with a private parking fine can be frustrating and confusing. But don’t worry; we’re here to help you understand your options.
Can you get a CCJ for an unpaid parking fine?
Yes, it’s possible to be issued a County Court Judgment (CCJ) if you don’t pay a Parking Charge Notice.
We first need to explain what a CCJ really is. It’s a type of court order that is regularly used to make individuals responsible to pay a debt.
A CCJ can follow a defended claim, an admission or a default where the defendant has not responded as required. A claim form is not a criminal summons. Respond within the court deadline and keep evidence.
A judgment formally decides that money is owed and sets payment terms. A valid parking debt can exist before judgment; liability does not begin only when a court order is made.
If you don’t clear the debt, the private car park company could ask the court to allow debt enforcement action. This type of action is designed to ensure the claimant gets their money, and one of the most popular options is to use bailiffs.
Bailiffs will give you an opportunity to pay before coming to your home.
Enforcement fees depend on the court and enforcement route. Do not assume a universal £75 charge. Check the notice and current fee rules; different rules apply to county court bailiffs and High Court enforcement.
If you don’t pay, they can come to your home and seize goods to be sold and clear the debt. This adds various and much bigger fees to your debt.
That said, I was recently featured in The Sun about parking tickets, where I encouraged everyone to check whether the ticket was issued by a member of a trade association. If they aren’t, then they probably can’t get your details from the DVLA to pursue you.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
How about an unpaid council parking fine?
The escalation process is different for council parking tickets, meaning you won’t be issued with a CCJ but you can be issued with an Order for Recovery.
This is also a court order asking you to pay within 21 days – or face bailiffs
An Order for Recovery can be challenged only on the permitted grounds using the correct witness statement or statutory declaration. It is not a fresh merits appeal. Follow the order and the official TEC guidance.
What happens if you don’t pay a Parking Charge Notice?
If you don’t pay a Parking Charge Notice after 28 days, the private company will chase you for payment.
Private parking claims and council PCNs use different procedures. A council PCN registered through the Traffic Enforcement Centre does not become an ordinary CCJ. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different court systems.
Firstly, the private company might try and chase you for the payment themselves. Or they could outsource this task to a debt collection agency.
The company or the debt collection agency is likely to:
- Repeatedly contact you to ask for payment
- Seek additional sums only where a valid legal or contractual basis permits them; disputed additions can be challenged.
- Threaten court action if you don’t pay
It’s important to know what a debt collection agency really is and what it cannot do. Read about them here.
Whether the company will go through with legal threats is unknown.
Some private companies will take motorists to court when they’ve ignored a Parking Charge Notice, whereas some others might not.
Can it affect your credit score?
An unpaid private parking demand alone does not appear as a CCJ. If a judgment is obtained, full payment within one month normally allows it to be removed from the register.
If you don’t pay a private parking fine and get taken to court, you could be issued a County Court Judgment which decreases your credit score.
A judgment paid after one month can be marked satisfied but normally remains on the register for six years from judgment. If the judgment was entered incorrectly or you have grounds to defend, seek prompt advice about applying to set it aside. An application is not automatically granted or a substitute for meeting court deadlines.
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