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Parking Control Management – Pay or Appeal

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By
Scott
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Scott Nelson

Managing Director

MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.

Learn more about Scott
&
Janine
Janine Marsh Profile Picture

Janine Marsh

Financial Expert

Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.

Learn more about Janine
· Feb 13th, 2024
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parking control management

Have you got a parking fine from Parking Control Management? Not sure whether to pay or appeal? You’ve come to the right place. Each month, more than 130,000 people visit our website seeking advice on fines and parking tickets.

In this easy-to-understand article, we’ll cover: 

  •  The basics of Parking Control Management.
  •  Whether you need to pay parking control fines.
  •  How you can appeal a parking ticket.
  •  The role of the British Parking Association in appeals.
  •  The repercussions of unpaid parking fines.

Which? found that, despite 78% of members deeming private parking fines unfair, many don’t contest due to low confidence in appeal success.1 Don’t worry; we’re here to share our knowledge and help you through this process.

56% of 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 feeds, 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. In partnership with Just Answer.

Parking Control Management – should I pay or appeal a Parking Charge Notice?

You could challenge a Parking Charge Notice if you didn’t break the rules or because the operator failed to follow the Code of Practice.

It costs you nothing to file an informal appeal against an operator. Plus, it prevents them from taking further action until a decision is made.

However, suppose you were in the wrong and parked without paying or obeying the operator’s rules.

In that case, you may be better off paying the fine and moving on!

Appealing a Parking Charge Notice

A mentioned earlier, you can appeal a Parking Charge Notice and have the right to do so if:

  • You got the fine through the post over 14 days after you parked a vehicle on private land
  • You were parked correctly
  • No signs or road markings were visible
  • Your fine was over £100
  • You couldn’t return to your vehicle because you are disabled, have a young infant with you, or are pregnant. UK law does not allow for discrimination!
  • You were not driving when the fine was issued
  • No mandatory 10-minute grace period was given before getting the Parking Charge Notice
  • The fine was sent by post, but there weren’t any signs saying there was ANPR or CCTV in operation at the car park

Appeal Process Steps

If you want to appeal your parking ticket, it’s crucial to understand the process. That’s why I’ve created this table that outlines the steps you should take.

For more information on the appeal process, please check out our complete guide.

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.

Keep in mind that if the operator rejects your appeal, you also have the right to appeal to the Independent Appeals Service (IAS).

Moreover, the operator must abide by their decision if they uphold your appeal against the Parking Charge Notice.

Make sure you provide as much supporting evidence as possible when you contest a parking ticket. And keep copies of everything for your records.

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.

Can I ignore private parking fines?

I suggest you do not ignore a Parking Charge Notice or any correspondence you receive.

It is wiser to deal with the problem whether you choose to pay the fine or file an informal appeal. Plus, I suggest you check out the Parking Charge Notice validity.

When you file an appeal with the operator, they cannot start proceedings against you until they reject it or uphold it.

Then you have the option to file an appeal with an independent appeals service.

Why you could get a Parking Charge Notice

Private landowners and operators must abide by the Code of Practice if they are members of the British Parking Association (BPA).

When they do not, and you receive a Parking Charge Notice, you might have the right to contest the fine.

You could receive a parking fine on private land if you:

  • Don’t pay
  • Overstay the time you are allotted
  • Didn’t park correctly in an allocated bay
  • Used a bay designated for people with children or the disabled

That said, private landowners, such as Parking Control Management or PPS Parking, must erect signs that explain the Terms and Conditions of using their car parks.

If there aren’t clear and visible signs, you can’t be in breach of the contract. Therefore, you should be given a Parking Charge Notice.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

The repercussions of unpaid parking fines

There could be far-reaching repercussions if you ignore correspondence from Management Parking Control and don’t pay.

Apart from getting a County Court Judgement on your credit file, you may have to deal with a debt collection agency.

In a worst-case scenario, enforcement agents (bailiffs) could get involved and seize some of your possessions.

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

Get started

Reviews shown are for JustAnswer.

Can I get CCJ for an unpaid private parking ticket?

Yes, if the operator takes you to court and wins, a judge will order you to pay the fine.

When you ignore a County Court Judgement (CCJ), a record of it will remain on your credit history for six years if you don’t pay the CCJ within 30 days.

A CCJ on your credit history will affect your ability to get future loans, credit cards or a mortgage!

Never ignore any court correspondence you receive.

It’s best to deal with the problem because it won’t go away, and things can quickly get harder to settle.

In short, it’s wiser to either pay the fine or appeal it by following the correct procedure.

Parking Control Management Contact Details

Address: Parking Control Management (UK) Ltd.
The Courtyard, 1a Cranbourne Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 2XF
Phone: 01753 512603
Website: https://www.parkingcontrolmanagement.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.

Try it below

Get started

In partnership with Just Answer.

References

  1. Which? – The rise of private parking fines
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The authors
Scott Nelson Profile Picture
Author
MoneyNerd’s founder, Scott Nelson, has a decade of financial industry experience, including 6 years in FCA regulated loan and credit card companies. Troubled by a lack of conscience in the industry, he founded MoneyNerd to give genuine advice to those in debt and struggling financially.
Janine Marsh Profile Picture
Appeals Expert
Janine Marsh is an award-winning presenter and a valuable member of the MoneyNerd team. With a wealth of experience as a financial expert, she's been featured on BBC Radio 4, BBC Local Radio, and BBC Five Live, and is a regular on Co-op Radio.