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Appeal Double Parking Ticket UK – Step by Step Guide

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Scott
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Scott Nelson

Managing Director

MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.

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Janine
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Janine Marsh

Financial Expert

Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.

Learn more about Janine
· Jan 15th, 2024
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appeal double parking ticket uk

Did you receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for double parking and don’t know what to do next? This is the right place for you. More than 130,000 people visit our website every month for help with fines and parking tickets.

We know that getting a PCN can be very upsetting and hard to understand. So, in this guide, we’ll help you learn:

  • What double parking is, and why you might have got a PCN for it.
  • If you have to pay the PCN straight away.
  • How to challenge the PCN if you think it’s not right.
  • Times when you might not need to pay.
  • What could happen if you decide not to pay.

We truly understand your situation, and we’re here to support you. Let’s start by explaining the details.

Most Appeals Succeed

In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your 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 feeds, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.

Chat below to get started with JustAnswer

*Around 35,000 people dispute their tickets each year with the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, and a striking 64% of those appeals are successful, so it’s well worth a try. 

Is Double Parking Illegal in UK?

Double parking is illegal almost everywhere on public roads.

The legal definition of being double parked, is when your vehicle is parked and no part of the vehicle is within 50cm of the curb.

Or put simply, you need to make sure part of your car is closer than 50cm to the curb.

And although the law doesn’t expressly mention double parking, it is the 50cm rule that effectively outlaws it.

Can You Get Fined for Double Parking?

I will differentiate between parking on private land and parking on public roads in this section.

Firstly, if you are parking on private land, such as in a supermarket car park, it will depend on whether the parking operator has rules in place to prevent double parking.

If they have, then you might be issued with a parking charge notice if you do double park.

Secondly, if you are double parked on a public road, it will be the local council or the agents responsible for the area you were parked in who issue a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN). 

How much is the fine?

I’ve listed the cost of parking fines in the table below.

Type of parking ticket Cost of fine
Council-issued Penalty Charge Notices outside London £50 to £80
Council-issued Penalty Charge Notices in London £130
Parking Charge Notices (private land) £100 maximum

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.

Get started

In partnership with Just Answer.

Appealing Against a Penalty Charge Notices for Double Parking

A penalty charge notice is an official notification from a government body, that a standard penalty has been levied against you.

You have 28 days to pay the PCN or to appeal against it.

You will generally have to appeal in writing unless the relevant local authority offers a way to start an appeal online.

It might make sense to use a standard appeal letter template to begin the informal appeal process.

Minor errors such as spelling mistakes, or how long after the offence the PCN was issued, are not reasons to appeal against a PCN.

The reply to your appeal will be sent to you by post, telling you whether you have won your appeal or not.

Or potentially asking you for more information.

If you lose your appeal, you have the option of taking the appeal to court under the formal representation process.

Check out why this motorist wondered if they could challenge a Penalty Charge Notice because the area on the notice is incorrect.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

What evidence do I need to provide?

The more evidence you have to support an appeal, the stronger your case could be.

This includes providing photographic evidence if possible.

In my experience you could provide the following:

  • Photos of a delivery note proving you were unloading items
  • Photos of a collection note proving you were picking up items

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Appealing Against a Parking Charge Notices for Double Parking

A parking charge notice is generally not a legally enforceable parking fine.

It is just an invoice from a private parking firm.

In many cases, you can just ignore the parking charge notice and won’t actually need to appeal against it.

However, if you want to avoid being sent an almost endless stream of letters trying to get you to pay, you could contact the private parking firm.

Tell them that you dispute the parking charge, and you won’t be paying it. It is likely that this will stop the parking operator from chasing you further.

But there is no guarantee they will not take you to court.

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

Get started

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Getting More Help With a Double Parking Fine

If you need more help and advice about dealing with a fine for double parking, there are a number of excellent web resources.

The Citizens Advice Bureau website is a good place to start.

The government also gives some very good advice on how to make an appeal against a parking ticket or penalty charge. 

If you have already made an appeal against a PCN and failed, you could contact a solicitor for some legal advice, in relation to taking your appeal to court.

You should only go this far if you think you have a good chance of winning your appeal though, as there are potential financial losses if you lose.

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

Get started

In partnership with Just Answer.

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The authors
Scott Nelson Profile Picture
Author
MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.
Janine Marsh Profile Picture
Appeals Expert
Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.