Horizon Parking Fine – Should you Pay or Appeal?
Have you received a Horizon Parking fine and are wondering what to do? This is the right place for you. Every month, over 130,000 people visit our website looking for guidance on parking fines.
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 overwhelmed by the process, don’t worry. This article will provide simple and straightforward information on:
- Who Horizon Parking is.
- If you need to pay Horizon Parking fines.
- How to successfully appeal a Horizon Parking fine.
- When and why you might receive a Parking Charge Notice.
- How a parking fine can be enforced.
We know that getting a private parking fine can cause stress. But don’t worry; we’re here to help you understand your parking fine and what steps you can take next.
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.
Should You Pay or Appeal?
Janine Marsh, our financial expert, says not to ignore private parking tickets as it leads to escalating issues like constant letters and debt collectors’ visits. If you dispute the ticket, appeal directly to the parking company.
When can you appeal a Parking Charge Notice?
You can appeal the parking charge as soon after receiving the fine as possible. You have 28 days to contest it, but the sooner you do, the faster the matter is resolved.
Note: Make sure you follow Horizon Parking’s online appeal process when you challenge the ticket.
» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer
Appeal Process Steps
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| On receiving a council PCN | Read the notice, keep it, gather evidence and note all payment and challenge deadlines. |
| Windscreen or handed-to-driver PCN | An informal challenge may be available before the Notice to Owner. Early challenge can preserve a discount under the authority’s policy; 14 days is not a universal final appeal deadline. |
| Postal PCN or Notice to Owner | Normally make formal representations within 28 days as stated on the notice. Do not assume there is an extra informal stage. |
| Representations rejected | The Notice of Rejection explains how to appeal to the appropriate independent tribunal, normally within 28 days. |
| Appeal unsuccessful | Pay by the deadline given in the decision or obtain advice on any available review. Further statutory charges can follow if you do neither. |
| Other ticket type | Private parking charges and FPNs use different procedures; follow the actual notice. |
Further guidance: Traffic Penalty Tribunal; Citizens Advice.
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 to write an effective parking fine appeal letter
The more evidence you can provide, the stronger your appeal will be. However, how you word your appeal letter is also essential.
As such, we’ve included a link to our parking ticket appeal letter template for you to use.
How successful are Parking Charge Notice appeals?
We’ve included details of the POPLA published success rate for 2021/2022.
Source: POPLA
Challenging a parking ticket on private land
Base an appeal on what happened and support it with evidence. Relevant points can include:
- You complied with the displayed terms, paid or held a valid permit, or the vehicle details or recorded times are wrong.
- The parking terms were not adequately displayed, or the operator has not shown authority to issue the charge.
- A payment failure, breakdown, medical emergency or disability-related need affected the stay. Explain the circumstances and provide receipts, photographs or other evidence. These points do not guarantee cancellation.
- The operator did not allow an applicable consideration or grace period. A grace period does not apply to every kind of breach.
- The operator is pursuing the registered keeper but has not met the applicable legal conditions for keeper liability.
In England and Wales, where no notice was first left on the vehicle, a notice relying on Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 generally needs to be delivered within 14 days. A notice following a windscreen ticket uses a different timetable, normally days 29–56. Other conditions also apply. A late notice or the fact that you were not driving does not automatically cancel the driver’s liability.
Check the charge against the signs and the applicable industry code. The government’s withdrawn 2022 parking code did not introduce a universal £50 or £80 legal cap. Do not rely on those figures as an automatic appeal ground.
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.
What is a 10-minute grace period?
A grace period gives a driver time to leave after an allowed parking period ends. Under the private parking industry code, a ten-minute period generally applies after permitted, time-limited parking. It is not a blanket ten minutes of free parking or permission to stop where parking is prohibited.
The time allowed to arrive, read signs and decide whether to stay is a separate consideration period. Check the code and conditions applicable to the site and date, and explain the actual timing in an appeal. Camera entry and exit times are not necessarily the same as the time parked.
Horizon Parking Contact Details
We’ve included contact information for Horizon Parking in the table below.
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.
