Myparkingcharge - Should I Pay or Appeal?

Have you got a private parking fine from Myparkingcharge and are wondering if you should pay or fight it?

You’re not alone. Each month, over 130,000 people visit our website for help with understanding fines and parking tickets.

In this article, you’ll learn about:

If you need to pay Myparkingcharge fines.
How to appeal a Myparkingcharge fine.
Tips on avoiding a Myparkingcharge fine.

Research from Which? found that the rise in fines can be attributed in part to unclear rules and the variety of payment methods offered in private car parks¹.

Don’t worry; we’re here to help you navigate through this confusion and make the best choice about your Myparkingcharge fine.

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.

Get my free appeal template

Free editable parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Do you have to pay a Myparkingcharge fine?

Private companies are within their right to issue Parking Charge Notices to motorists who don’t follow their parking rules.

When you enter a private car park, you should read signs telling you that by using the car park you agree to their Terms and Conditions².

One of these conditions will be that you’ll pay the correct amount. So if you don’t pay or overstay (by more than ten minutes!), they can issue a fine.

A private parking fine isn’t considered to be a fine.

You should view these tickets as invoices for a service you received. As such, you can only be forced to pay when you’re ordered to do so by a judge.

It would require them to take you to court over the matter and win the case.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

What happens if you don’t pay?

If you don’t pay the Excel parking fine at Myparkingcharge.co.uk within 28 days, you will receive further communications from Excel.

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.

You might receive a Letter Before Action, which is essentially a letter that tells you to pay or expect to be taken to court.

Sometimes these letters are only sent to put fear into you and so you give up and pay.

But there’s also a chance that the legal threat is real and you will be subsequently summoned to court for not paying.

If you were to lose in court or not defend yourself, a court order will be issued stating you must pay the parking fine.

Ignoring a court order can result in enforcement action, such as bailiffs. You’ll also be the one to cover bailiff fees in this scenario.

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.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

How do you pay the parking fine?

You must visit myparkingcharge.co.uk to make an online parking fine payment. To make the payment you must first identify your vehicle and the fine you will be paying.

You’ll need:

Your vehicle registration number
The PCN reference number

An alternative way to pay the fine is to call Myparkingcharge on 0845 226 9138. This is an automated payment line which is open 24 hours per day.

Possible grounds for appealing a Parking Charge Notice

Possible grounds to appeal a parking ticket on private include:

The charge arrived in the mail more than 14 days after you used the car park
You parked your vehicle correctly
The car park signs were unclear, or the road markings were faded
You couldn’t pay because the machines were not working
The operator overcharged you
Someone else was driving when the ticket was issued
You have a valid reason for not getting back to your vehicle in time
You were broken down and waiting for assistance
The ticket was issued before the 10-minute grace was up

Provided you can prove any of the above, you could dispute the Parking Charge Notice and ask the operator to cancel it.

Appeal Process Steps

Here’s a quick table that will help you better understand the appeal process.

If you require further advice or want to learn more about the stages involved, be sure to read our detailed guide.

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.

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.

Get my free appeal template

Free parking appeal letter template from MoneyNerd.

Key timelines to appeal a Parking Charge Notice

We’ve listed the key timelines to appeal a Parking Charge Notice here:

The initial appeal to a car park management company must be made within 28 days
Appeals to an independent appeal service must be made within 28 days (POPLA appeal) or 21 days (IAS appeal) from when you receive a notice of rejection