Euro Car Parks Fine Scotland – Pay or Appeal?

Got a parking fine from Euro Car Parks in Scotland and not sure what to do next? This is the right place for you. 

Every month, more than 130,000 people visit our website for advice on fines and parking tickets. There’s a lot of us in this boat – in fact, the DVLA report that over 11 million parking tickets were issued last year, which is up by 29% year on year!¹

In this article, we’ll make things clear and simple for you. Here’s what we will cover:

• Who Euro Car Parks are
• Whether you must pay Euro Car Parks fines in Scotland
• How to appeal a Euro Car Parks fine 
• The importance of photographic evidence
• What happens if you don’t pay a Euro Car Parks fine in Scotland

We know it can be really annoying to get a private parking fine. But don’t worry, we’re here to help. We have a lot of handy tips and examples to guide you. 

What to do with a Euro Car Parks fine in Scotland?

Whether you pay or appeal a Euro Car Parks fine in Scotland depends on certain things. If the parking charge is incorrect and you did not commit the infringement, you have the right to appeal.

Deciding between paying and appealing Euro Car Parks fines depends on whether you believe you have grounds to challenge the fine and a good chance of winning.

However, if the parking charge was issued correctly and you broke the T&C for using the car park, you’ll have to pay.

Do not ignore the parking charge or any correspondence because things can get complicated and more expensive.

But if you know you committed a parking violation, I suggest you take advantage of paying less by settling the amount within 14 days.

Should I appeal the fine?

You may have good reason to appeal the parking charge, but you should follow the Euro Car Parks fine appeal process and provide a valid reason for cancelling a ticket.

This includes:

·         Mitigating circumstances prevented you from getting back to your car

·         You weren’t given a 10-minute grace period

·         The parking charge was sent to you more than 14 days after you used the car park

·         You were overcharged

·         There were no signs in the car park

Importance of photographic evidence

Providing evidence for Euro Car Parks fine appeal is essential.

Therefore, gather as much evidence as you can before you send in an appeal against a Euro Car Parks fine.

The more evidence you have, the stronger your appeal will be.

I suggest you gather photos of the following:

• Unclear or missing signage
• Faded road markings
• Broken payment machines
• Witness statements if anyone can corroborate your appeal

I’ve included a message one motorist posted on an online forum.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Euro Car Parks Must Follow the Code of Practice

Euro Car Parks must follow the BPA’s Code of Practice. In short, they must follow the rules when managing a car park and issuing parking charges.

If they issued a parking charge incorrectly, you have the right to appeal on the Euro Car Parks website.

Note: You have 28 days to appeal a Euro Car Parks fine in Scotland.

How much is their fine?

Euro Car Parks fines and fees can leave a hole in your budget.

The maximum amount a private operator can charge is £100 for a minor parking violation.

That said, if you pay the parking charge within 14 days, the amount could be reduced by 40%.

In short, you may end up paying £60.

How successful are appeals?

The success rate of appeals against specific car park management companies is not available.

As such, Euro Car Parks appeal success rate is unknown.

However, POPLA publishes an annual report, and in 2022, they found that out of 76,292 appeals they dealt with, 34,635 were upheld.

That’s 45% of motorists who had their Parking Charges cancelled.

The pros and cons of going to court

There are pros and cons of going to court over a Euro Car Parks fine.

First, the court may uphold your appeal and order the operator to cancel the parking charge.

In this case, you won’t have to pay the fine. It means appealing the parking charge was worth your time and effort.

Second, the court may rule in the car park company’s favour and order you to pay. It means:

• You’d have lost the chance of paying a discounted fine
• You’d have to pay the total amount plus court costs and other fees

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Will you get a CCJ for a Euro Car Parks charge in Scotland?

Getting a parking charge notice in Scotland does not mean you’ll get a CCJ on your credit history.

A private operator cannot legally demand payment from you. Only a judge can do that when they win a court case.

But if you ignore the parking charge, or fail to respond to correspondence you’re sent, a default notice is registered by the court.

This is when a parking charge could result in a County Court Judgement against you.

Note: A CCJ on your credit history will impact your ability to borrow, get a mortgage or credit card for 6 years.

Can I appeal online?

Yes. There’s an online appeal process for Euro Car Parks. Remember, the appeal must be made within 28 days of receiving the charge on private land.

Also, you’ll have to provide evidence to support your appeal which includes:

·         Why you’re appealing the parking charge

·         Evidence the ticket was issued incorrectly

Here’s what the standard appeal process looks like to give you a general idea.

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.

What if my appeal is rejected?

The next steps after Euro Car Parks appeal rejection involve appealing to POPLA which the operator should tell you how to do.

When you appeal the decision with POPLA, it puts everything on hold.

Note: This gives you more time to find the funds to pay in case you’re taken to court and lose.

References

1. RAC Foundation – Parking Tickets Statistics