Sip Parking Fine – Should I Pay or Ignore It?
Have you received a Sip parking fine and are feeling unsure about whether to pay it or appeal it? You’ve come to the right place. Each month, over 130,000 people visit our website for advice on fines and parking tickets.
In this friendly guide, we’ll help you understand:
- The rules around parking fines on private property.
- The difference between a Parking Charge Notice and a Penalty Charge Notice.
- Your options when it comes to Sip parking fines.
- How to appeal a Sip parking fine.
- Useful tips to avoid getting a Parking Charge Notice in the future.
The DVLA report that over 11 million parking tickets were issued last year, which is up by 29% year on year!1. So, you’re definitely not alone.
We know how annoying it can be to get a private parking fine. But don’t worry; we’re here to help you understand your rights and options.
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.
Can you ignore a Sip parking fine?
No. Don’t ignore a Sip parking fine because you could end up in court. That is if the operator wants to chase you for the money through a civil court.
You could end up with a County Court Judgement on your credit file if you don’t respond to a court summons.2 First, the operator will hound you for payment by sending letters. Next, they may give your details to a debt collection agency.3 It means you’ll be hounded for payment even more.
It’s part of the debt recovery process that car park management companies have in place.
I suggest you should pay or appeal the parking fine, but you should never ignore it.
Appeal Process Steps
If you want to appeal your SIP parking ticket, it’s crucial to understand the steps you should take. That’s why I’ve created this table that explains the process. For more information, please 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. |
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
What happens if you don’t pay?
The operator starts chasing you for the money when you don’t pay a Sip parking fine within the specified deadline.
First, they’ll send you letters demanding payment (a private operator cannot legally demand payment from you without a court order).
The operator could pass your details to a debt collection agency if you still don’t pay.
This is when things go up a notch. In short, the debt collection agency will chase the debt a lot more aggressively.
Moreover, a debt collector could show up at your home.
Lastly, if the operator wants to take the matter to court, they can. Not paying a Sip parking fine could end up being a lot more expensive.
That’s the impact of non-payment of fines in the UK.
Note: An operator may not take you to court, but there’s no guarantee they won’t!
What is the grace period?
I was recently featured in The Sun4 to help educate people around the 10 minute grace period. This means you can’t be fined if you overstayed by 10 minutes or less.
That said, your car must be correctly parked, or the 10-minute grace period does not apply.
Note: The fine should be cancelled when you are not given a grace period in a Sip managed car park.
Will you get a CCJ?
Getting a Sip parking fine in itself will not earn you a CCJ.
But if the operator takes you to court and wins, things change. You could end up with a County Court Judgement on your credit history.
You have 30 days to settle a CCJ or it will remain on your credit file.
Note: County Court Judgement (CCJ) implications make it harder to borrow money and get a mortgage or credit card. It stays on your credit history for up to 6 years!
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 appeal the parking fine?
Yes. As mentioned above, you have the right to appeal a Sip parking fine when you feel it’s unfair. The same applies if the charge was not issued correctly.
However, you must file an appeal within a specified time. This is 28 days after receiving the fine. If you wait too long, the operator could give your details to a debt collection agency.
If you decide to appeal the Sip fine, you’ll need to provide the following information:
- Parking fine reference number
- Vehicle registration details
Check out what happened to one motorist who paid to park but in the wrong car park.
Source: Moneysavingexpert
How do you appeal?
How to fight parking tickets means providing evidence to support an appeal.
You can appeal a Sip parking fine in the following ways:
- Submit an appeal online
- Submit an appeal in writing by registered post
The address to submit a Sip parking fine appeal by post is as follows:
Appeals Department
SIP
PO Box 5450
Manchester
M61 0JX
Make sure you follow the Sip parking fine appeal process when you challenge a ticket.
What is the role of an independent appeals service?
An independent appeal service could be:
- The Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), or
- The Independent Appeal Service (IAS)
Car park operators are either members of the British Parking Association or the International Parking Community. Sometimes both. As such, when an operator rejects an appeal, you have the right to escalate your appeal to an impartial, independent appeal service.
The operator should provide details on how to do this in their letter of rejection.
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.
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In partnership with Just Answer.
References
