BPA Parking Charges: Payment and Appeals Explained
Have you received a BPA parking fine and are unsure whether to pay it or appeal? You’re not alone! Each month, over 130,000 people visit our site seeking advice on fines and parking tickets.
Which? found that unclear rules and various payment methods in private car parks are partly to blame for an increased number of fines.1 So if you’re feeling confused, don’t worry. In this easy-to-follow guide, we’ll help you understand:
- The role of the British Parking Association (BPA).
- Your rights as a car owner.
- Steps to take if you want to appeal a fine.
- How to manage parking on private land.
- Why you might not always have to pay a fine.
We know that dealing with this issue can be a real headache. But you’re not alone. We’re here to help you find out if you should pay or appeal your BPA parking fine.
Let’s dive in!
Not sure what to write in your parking appeal?
You don’t need to start with a blank page.
We’ve created a free parking ticket appeal letter template that gives you a clear structure to follow.
Free editable parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.
Who is the British Parking Association (BPA)?
Which independent appeal service should you use?
The British Parking Association (BPA) is a trade association. A private charge from an operator in its Approved Operator Scheme generally goes to POPLA after the operator rejects an appeal. The IAS is normally the route for operators in the International Parking Community (IPC). Follow the rejection letter, because ordinary trade-association membership and the approved-operator scheme are not the same thing.
What’s Included in the Free Appeal Template
A clear structure
The template gives you a simple framework for putting your parking appeal together, so you don’t have to work out what to write from scratch.
What you’ll add
- Your parking charge details
- Why you’re appealing
- Any relevant evidence
- What you want the parking company to do
Easy to adapt
Just replace the sections in [square brackets] with the details of your own situation and edit the wording where needed.
You’ll get the template by email so you can save it, edit it and use it when you’re ready.
Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.
How do I appeal a PCN to POPLA?
If the operator rejects your appeal, check its rejection letter for a POPLA verification code and instructions. A POPLA appeal is normally due within 28 days of rejection and is free for the motorist. Include your evidence and address the operator’s reasons.
POPLA’s decision binds the operator, but it is not a court judgment binding the motorist. If you win, the charge must be cancelled. If you lose, the operator can continue to seek payment and may bring a court claim; you can still defend a claim. The discounted amount is generally no longer available after a POPLA appeal.
Parking on private land
Private Parking Charge Notices generally concern a contract for parking on private land. Council Penalty Charge Notices follow a statutory process. They are different forms of liability with different challenge routes; a private charge is not outside the law.
Operators may manage retail, residential, hospital and other sites. Railway and airport notices need particular care because byelaws or other rules may apply. A parking notice alone is not a criminal conviction.
An operator’s approved trade-association status can allow it to request keeper information from the DVLA where the legal requirements are met. Access to keeper data does not automatically prove that the keeper owes the charge.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
Management of private car parks explained
A landowner may set lawful, properly communicated conditions for parking and authorise an operator to manage them. Contract and consumer law still apply: an operator cannot make any charge valid simply by putting it on a sign.
A private Parking Charge Notice is separate from a council penalty. It can be a valid contractual debt, but a disputed claim must be supported by the terms, evidence and any applicable keeper-liability rules.
Understanding your rights as a motorist
First, you must file an appeal with the operator and if they reject it, you escalate the appeal to the Parking on Private Land Appeals Service (POPLA).
Note: There is no such thing as a BPA parking ticket which is why understanding UK parking fines and who issues them is so important.
Feel more confident before you send your appeal
Writing a parking appeal can be difficult when you’re not sure what to include or how to structure it.
Our free template gives you a clear starting point, helping you:
- Set out what happened clearly
- Explain why you’re disputing the charge
- Include the important details
- Avoid starting from a blank page
Simply adapt the template to your own circumstances before sending it.
Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.
The fine has not been issued within 14 days – is it invalid?
Not necessarily. For keeper liability in England and Wales under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, a postal notice without an earlier windscreen notice generally needs to be delivered within 14 days. If there was a windscreen notice, a different timetable normally applies: delivery between days 29 and 56. Other statutory conditions must also be met.
Failure to satisfy keeper-liability conditions does not automatically invalidate a claim against the driver. The rules also depend on the location and type of land. Keep the envelope and notice and seek advice if the operator is pursuing you as keeper.
I got a ticket, but I wasn’t the driver of the vehicle. What should I do?
The registered keeper and driver are not necessarily the same person. You do not have a general legal duty to identify the driver merely because a private parking operator asks. Do not provide false information.
In England and Wales, an operator can sometimes recover a charge from the keeper if all the conditions in Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 are met. Being the keeper but not the driver is therefore not an automatic defence. Check the notice, timing, land and legal basis; rules elsewhere differ.
BPA Parking Contact Details
Ready to appeal your parking ticket?
Don’t start with a blank page.
Get our free parking ticket appeal letter template and use it as the starting point for your response.
Add the details of your parking charge, explain why you’re appealing and adapt the wording to your circumstances.
We’ll send the template straight to your email.
Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.
References
For the underlying rules, see Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, the current POPLA appeal guide and IAS appeal guidance. For court matters in England and Wales, see the Civil Procedure Rules pre-action protocols and GOV.UK guidance on CCJs.
