Armtrac Security – Pay or Appeal?

Have you received a private parking fine from Armtrac Security? Are you wondering if you should pay it or appeal?

You’ve come to the right place. Over 130,000 people visit our website each month to understand their fines and parking tickets. 

This article will provide simple and helpful information about:

•  Who Armtrac Security is.
•  The difference between a penalty charge notice and a parking charge notice.
•  The reasons you might have received a Parking Charge Notice.
•  How to appeal a Parking Charge Notice.
•  What happens if an appeal is rejected.

Which? found that, despite 78% of members deeming private parking fines unfair, many don’t contest due to low confidence in appeal success.¹ Don’t worry! We’re here to share our knowledge and guide you through the process.

Amtrac Security parking fine – should you pay or appeal?

Although Amtrac Security seems to reject most appeals they receive, I recommend you don’t pay the fine until you are sure it’s correct. Filing an appeal is free, preventing the operator from taking things further.

However, if the parking fine is correct and you deserve it, I suggest you pay within 14 days because it’ll cost you a lot less. The one thing not to do is ignore a Parking Charge Notice.

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.

Why did I get a Parking Charge Notice?

There have been reports of private management companies issuing parking tickets unfairly. In fact, Which and the BBC have reported the problem. As a result, motorists around the country feel they were given parking fines unfairly, or they were overcharged!

However, Amtrac Security is authorised by landowners to issue fines to motorists who commit parking violations. So sometimes it can be for minor infringements too!

That said, if you commit any of the following parking infringements, the operator could give you a fine:

• You failed to pay or display the parking ticket correctly in your car
• You returned to your vehicle well after the allotted time had expired
• You parked the car strangely, or you used bays designated for the disabled and families with young children

If any of the above applies to your fine, you may have to pay it. But, remember, when you pay a deserved fine within 14 days, the amount is significantly less than the Parking Charge Notice. That’s the upside!

Note: Don’t automatically think you deserved the fine without first checking it out!

How do I appeal a Parking Charge Notice?

You can appeal an Amtrac Security parking fine, but you must do so within the deadline. Also, you must send the appeal via email to the company! The deadline is 28 days from receiving the fine.

There have been many complaints that Amtrac Services rejects appeals, and the operator has received lots of negative feedback on trusted review sites!

However, when you appeal, it prevents further action from being started against you until the matter is resolved!

Appeal Process Steps

To help you better understand the appeal process, I’ve created this table that explains all the steps you should take.

If you have any doubts or simply want to learn more about the appeal process, be sure to read our complete guide on the topic.

What happens when an appeal is rejected?

Amtrac Security is not a BPA member. However, they are an IPC accredited operator. Therefore, POPLA, the independent appeals service will not take on your case when they reject your appeal.

You can, however, get in touch with the Ombudsman Service!

I would contest the Amtrac Security parking fine if: 

• You broke no ‘rules’ at the location where you parked
• The ticket arrived in the post more than 14 days after you parked at the location
• Signs and road markings were unclear or not visible
• Payments machines were ‘out of order’
• The fine issued was over £50 (the cap on Private Parking Charges is £50 – £80 in London)
• You were unable to get back to your car for a valid reason
• Your car broke down, and you had to wait for a recovery truck
• You got back to your vehicle under 10 minutes after the allotted time had elapsed
• You got the parking ticket in the post, but there were no signs indicating CCTV or ANPR was in operation at the location

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Do I need evidence to challenge an Amtrac Security fine? 

You need to provide a valid reason for contesting the parking fine. When dealing with an operator known to reject appeals, I recommend you gather as much evidence as possible.

Note: Even with evidence, Amtrac Security may reject an appeal!

The type of evidence to support an appeal could include:

• Photos of where you were parked, the ticket you got, payment machines, signs and road markings etc
• Witness statements that support your appeal
• Receipts and other relevant documents. This could be a receipt from a garage, correspondence from the operator and your replies

What is a 10-minute grace period?

Amtrac Securities are accredited by the IPC. Therefore, the operator should abide by the Code of Practice. In short, they should allow you a ten minute grace period when returning to your car.

You should not get a parking ticket if the ten minutes are not up. However, if you do, I suggest you contest the fine!

Note: Appealing a fine from Amtrac Securities may not be successful. But at least you prevent the operator from taking things further until a decision is made!

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Can you get a CCJ for a parking charge fine? 

Not for the parking fine itself. However, if Amtrac Securities starts legal proceedings, things change. If the operator wins the case, a judge will order you to pay. At this point, you won’t have any choice but to pay.

I recommend you pay before a judgement can be made against you. Remember, a County Court Judgement (CCJ) remains on your credit history for six years! Getting a loan, mortgage, or credit card would be problematic.

Armtrac Security Contact Details

References

1. Which? – The rise of private parking fines