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Britannia Parking Fine – Should you Pay or Appeal? 

Scott Nelson MoneyNerd Janine Marsh MoneyNerd
By
Scott
Scott Nelson MoneyNerd

Scott Nelson

Debt Expert

Scott Nelson is a renowned debt expert who supports people in debt with debt management and debt solution resources.

Learn more about Scott
&
Janine
Janine Marsh MoneyNerd

Janine Marsh

Financial Expert

Janine is a financial expert who supports individuals with debt management, cost-saving resources, and navigating parking tickets.

Learn more about Janine
· Mar 18th, 2024
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britannia parking fine

Have you received a Britannia parking fine, and you’re unsure whether to pay or appeal? You’re not alone! Every month, over 130,000 people come to our website to get guidance 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 Don’t worry; we’re here to help you navigate through this confusion.

This article will give you simple and clear information on:

  •  Why you might get a Britannia parking fine.
  •  Whether you need to pay Britannia parking fines.
  •  How to appeal against a Britannia parking fine.
  •  Tips on avoiding Britannia parking fines.
  •  Where to find Britannia parking contact details.

Whether you’re confused about private land rules or worried about a court case, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the details and help you make the right decision about your Britannia parking fine.

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.

Why would you get a Britannia parking PCN

Standard rules you might break when using a private car park include:

  • You forgot or omitted to pay the car park fee
  • You overstayed the time you are allowed to park
  • You did not park in an allotted bay
  • You parked the vehicle in a disabled or families with infants bay

You should challenge the fine when you know that you broke no rules, yet you still got a Parking Charge Notice.

But if you committed a parking violation, you could be better off settling the amount within 14 days.

You have the right to appeal the parking ticket in the Private Parking Code of Practice2.

Appeal Process Steps

As mentioned above, if you think the Parking Charge Notice is wrong or unfair and want to file an appeal, you have the right to do so. However, you must appeal the fine in writing within 28 days of the Parking Charge Notice issue date. Complete the appeal form and send it to Britannia Parking.

Include all the information and evidence to support your appeal when you challenge a Britannia Parking Charge Notice.

Here’s a quick table that will help you better understand the steps you should take to file an appeal. For more information, please read our detailed 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.

When the operator upholds your appeal, the Parking Charge Notice should be cancelled in a day. However, if they reject the appeal, you could take the matter to POPLA, which could take 2 to 3 months!

Can you get a CCJ for not paying a private parking ticket?

Despite concerns from the RAC Foundation, there’s still no law to cap parking charges or prevent excessive fines.3 This absence of regulation might lead you to consider ignoring the fine. However, it’s important to keep in mind that if you receive any official court papers about a parking fine, you should never ignore them. If you do, things quickly spiral out of control.

The impact of parking fines on credit history when you don’t pay or appeal could be significant.

Once you have a CCJ on your credit history, you’ll find it hard to borrow money in the future. The record remains on your credit file for up to 6 years.

When you get a Britannia Parking fine, first check whether the notice was given to you correctly. If it is not, you have the right to appeal the Parking Charge Notice. However, when the operator follows all the rules and the ticket is correct, you may not have any choice but to pay the fine if you know you broke Britannia Parking rules and regulations.

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.

What is a good excuse to get out of a parking ticket?

As mentioned, accredited private parking operators must abide by the Code of Practice. When they don’t, you could have grounds to appeal a Parking Charge Notice.

We’ve listed some reasons why you could make parking fine dispute:

  • You received the Parking Charge Notice over 14 days after you parked a vehicle in the private car park
  • You parked your vehicle correctly in the right bay
  • The car park signs or bay markings were not visible
  • The operator gave you a Parking Charge Notice over £100
  • You were not driving at the time the Parking Charge Notice was given
  • You were unable to get back to your car due to a disability, had a young child with you, or because you were pregnant. This falls under the Equality Act 2010, which states nobody can be discriminated against and must be treated fairly with ‘understanding’
  • You broke down and were waiting for roadside assistance to fix your vehicle or tow it away
  • You were only 5 to 10 minutes late getting back to your vehicle which means the operator did not give you the 10-minute grace period!

Note: You could have grounds to appeal if you received the fine in the mail, yet there were no signs saying there was ANPR (automatic number plate recognition) parking enforcement in operation.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Britannia Parking Contact Details

Address: 7th Floor, County Gates House, 300 Poole Road, Poole, BH12 1AZ
Phone: +44 (0) 1202 555888
Website: https://www.britannia-parking.co.uk/

What is a reasonable grace period for parking?

Private car park operators must allow you a 10-minute mandatory grace period before issuing a Parking Charge Notice. When you park correctly in a designated bay, the operator should not issue a ticket unless the 10-minute grace period has expired.

If you get a Parking Charge Ticket and are not given the grace period, you could have grounds to challenge the fine by appealing it!

Also, it’s free to make a POPLA appeal which you must do before you file an appeal with an independent trade association.

As we previously mentioned, in this instance it would be the Parking on Private Land Appeal Service (POPLA) because the operator is a British Parking Association (BPA) member.

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.

References

  1. Which? – The rise of private parking fines
  2. GOV.UK – Private Parking Code of Practice
  3. RACF – Private Parking: Public Concern
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The authors
Scott Nelson MoneyNerd
Author
Scott Nelson is a renowned debt expert who supports people in debt with debt management and debt solution resources.
Janine Marsh MoneyNerd
Appeals Expert
Janine is a financial expert who supports individuals with debt management, cost-saving resources, and navigating parking tickets.