Excel Parking Fine – Should you Pay or Appeal?
Are you trying to understand what to do with an Excel Parking fine? Should you pay or appeal it? You’re at the right place for answers.
Every month, more than 130,000 people visit our website looking for guidance on fines and parking tickets.
This article will help you understand:
- Who Excel Parking is
- The difference between a Parking Charge and a Penalty Charge
- When and how to appeal a fine on private land
- The impact of ignoring a Parking Charge Notice
According to research by Which?, even though 78% of its members think private parking fines are unfair, many hold back from challenging them because they doubt their appeal would succeed.1
If that’s your case, don’t worry. With our expertise, we’ll help you understand 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.
Were You Sent an Excel Parking fine?
It depends on whether you deserved the parking charge or feel it was wrongly given.
Despite concerns from the RAC Foundation, there’s still no law to cap parking charges or prevent excessive fines.2 This absence of regulation might lead you to consider the fine was unfairly issued.
In such cases, you have every right to appeal a fine, and I suggest you do so if the operator is at fault.
However, if the fine is correct and the operator abided by the Code of Practice, you may have no choice but to pay.
Excel could send debt collectors to you if you ignore the fine and any correspondence.
They could start legal proceedings, and if they win, you’ll have to pay. Plus, you’ll have a CCJ on your credit record.
It will impact your ability to borrow, get a credit card or a mortgage until it expires.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
Why can you appeal an Excel PCN?
I suggest you challenge the fine if any of the following applies:
- You broke no rules when using the car park
- The signs and markings in the car park were unclear or faded
- The parking fine was sent to you in the post over 14 days after you parked at the location
- You tried to pay, but the machines were not working
- You got a fine that was over £100 (the capped limit is £100)
- You had good cause to be late back to your vehicle. Maybe you are disabled, pregnant, or you had a young child with you. There are UK laws that protect you from being discriminated against
- You were waiting for a vehicle recovery vehicle because your car broke down
- You got back to the car park 6 or so minutes later and found you had a fine
- The fine was sent by mail, but no signs indicating there was surveillance technology in the location
Appeal Process Steps
If you believe the parking fine was unfairly issued, you have the option to appeal.
Here’s a quick table that explains each step of the appeal process. If you want to learn more about private parking fines or the appeal process, don’t forget to check out our specialized guides.
| 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. |
It’s worth noting you can appeal the charge within one year if you pay £15.
Remember that you should never ignore the fine. Either pay it or appeal it. This advice applies to all parking companies, such as Excel and GXS services.
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.
In partnership with Just Answer.
Should you provide evidence when you appeal a fine?
Appeals are stronger when there is evidence, but you are not obliged to prove your case.
However, when you can show the operator was wrong, your appeal will be strengthened by supporting evidence.
This could be:
- Receipts and correspondence linked to your case. This could be letters from Excel Parking and receipts from a vehicle recovery firm
- Photos of where you were parked, the ticket machine, the bays, signs and the parking fine you received
If you have any witnesses, provide the information to the operator!
The more proof you have, the better the appeal’s outcome could be.
Check out this message posted on a popular online forum.
Source: Moneysavingexpert
What happens when an appeal is rejected?
If Excel Parking rejects the appeal, you’ll be notified in writing.
The operator is also obliged to offer advice on how to file a further appeal with the Independent Appeals Service POPLA.
Note: It costs nothing to appeal to an operator or POPLA.
What is a 10-minute grace period?
The IPC Code of Practice clearly states that accredited operators must give motorists an extra ten minutes after their ticket expires.
This is a mandatory 10-minute grace period.
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Getting the support of a Solicitor can take a huge weight off your mind.
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What if you ignore the Excel Parking Charge Notice?
The consequences of ignoring Excel Parking fine could result in further action.
The operator could instruct debt collectors to recover the unpaid fine. They could also start legal proceedings against you.
A court could register a default if you don’t respond to a summons.
It means a County Court Judgement (CCJ) is recorded on your credit file. Keep in mind that a CCJ stays on your file for six years and it will negatively impact your credit rating.
Excel Parking Fine Contact Details
I’ve listed ways to contact Excel Parking customer service in the table below.
| Address: | 7 Europa View, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield, S9 1XH |
| Phone: | 0114 261 7111 |
| Fax: | 0114 267 8009 |
| Website: | https://excelparkingservices.co.uk/ |
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.
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