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County Court Business Centre Parking Fine? Read This

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
· May 27th, 2024
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County Court Business Centre Parking Fine

Have you received a private parking fine from County Court Business Centre (CCBC) and feel unsure about what to do next? You’ve come to the right place. Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website seeking advice on fines and parking tickets as, believe it or not, over 19,000 parking fines are issued each day in the UK.1

This article will guide you on:

  •  The role of the County Court Business Centre.
  •  Whether you must pay a CCBC parking fine.
  •  How to appeal a CCBC parking fine.
  •  Ways to stop CCBC from calling you.
  •  What to do if you get a County Court Judgement.

We know how a private parking fine can be concerning. But don’t worry; this guide is full of handy tips and examples to guide you through the process. 

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.

The role of the CCBC

The role of the CCBC is to provide various services including:

  • Bulk money claims
  • Parking ticket disputes
  • Deductions from debtor’s earnings by employers

No court hearings are held at the County Court Business Centre. When a hearing is needed, it takes place in a local county court.

In short, if a case goes to court because you’re disputing a parking fine, the hearing is held locally.

I got a letter from them. What should I do?

Before you send a payment to CCBC, I suggest you do the following:

  • Make sure the parking ticket debt is yours. You can do this by checking with a credit agency, whether Experian or another. The debt will be recorded on your file
  • Ask CCBC to prove the debt by sending a ‘prove the debt letter’. When a debt can’t be ‘proved’ it should be marked as settled

I was recently featured in The Sun about parking tickets, where I encouraged everyone to check whether the ticket was issued by a member of a trade association. If they aren’t, then they probably can’t get your details from the DVLA to pursue you.

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.

Should I pay?

You’ll have to pay CCBC if the parking fine debt is yours.

However, only if you can afford to.

That said, if you can’t there are debt solutions options available if you’re struggling with your finances.

In my experience, it’s best to check out your options before paying CCBC fines, including contacting independent debt advice charities.

Should I ignore the letters?

Don’t ignore any correspondence or calls you get from County Court Business Centre.

But seek advice from a debt charity before you do anything else. As I see it, this is the best way to find parking debt solutions that fit your needs.

When you ignore things, the debt doesn’t go away, and CCBC could begin further action against you.

The RAC found that the number of parking tickets being issued is up by nearly 30%! The report also found that misleading and deliberately confusing signage in private car parks is part of the problem.2

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Case study: What happens when you ignore a fine

I’ve included a message posted online by a motorist who chose not to pay a parking charge notice and ignore all correspondence.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Can they enter my home for an unpaid ticket?

No. A CCBC agent cannot enter your home or remove any of your possessions because they only write to you.

However, if a debt collector is involved, they cannot enter your home either.

They are not bailiffs (enforcement agents).

There must be a court order if a debt collector wants to:

What grounds could I have to appeal?

You cannot appeal a CCBC fine. However, you can file a written defence.

In short, you can challenge the fine by providing:

However, it might be worth settling a CCJ if one is registered against you. You should pay it within 30 days so it doesn’t adversely affect your credit rating.

The Appeal Process

Typically, appealing a parking ticket has several steps that must be taken to do so successfully. Here’s a quick table explaining what you need to do and when.

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.

Can I stop them from calling me?

No. You can’t stop CCBC from sending you letters.

It’s part of the debt collection process to send out letters asking for payment.

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

Get started

Reviews shown are for JustAnswer.

They won’t stop calling me. What should I do?

If a debt collection agency gets involved, you must know your rights. It makes dealing with debt collectors less stressful.

Debt collectors cannot threaten you with legal action.

They cannot:

  • Make out they have any legal powers (they do not)
  • Send you letters that resemble court documents
  • Chase you for a debt dealt with by an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) or a Trust Deed Scotland

Debt collectors must abide by the rules laid out by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

This means the debt collection agency should not:

  • Call you at an unreasonable time
  • Call your workplace without permission or when you’ve asked them not to
  • Contact you at times that go against the agreed preferences
  • Discuss your parking debt with anyone (including employer or family members)
  • Take payments from you without permission
  • Refuse to allow you time to consider any alternative debt solutions after you reached out for debt advice from an independent charity/organisation
  • Apply pressure on you to pay off the debt by borrowing money from elsewhere
  • Use confusing legal jargon 
  • Demand payment from you when the parking debt is statute-barred

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.

Glossary of terms

Enforcement agents – bailiffs who are engaged to recover unpaid debts

Charging Order – secures debts with creditors against properties

Attachment of Earnings Order – instructs employers to garner money directly from an employee’s wages to pay back a debt

CCJ – County Court Judgement issued by courts for unpaid debts

FCA – Financial Conduct Authority regulates conduct for financial services firms and financial markets in the UK

References

  1. Sky News — Parking Tickets Statistics
  2. RAC – Parking Tickets Statistics
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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.