Parking Eye Appeal – Guide, Laws and FAQs

Have you got a Parking Eye fine and are wondering how to appeal it? You’ve come to the right place. 

Each month, over 130,000 people visit our website for guidance on fines and parking tickets. So, you’re not the only one facing this issue.

In this article, we will provide straightforward information on:

•  Who Parking Eye is.
•  What the British Parking Association does.
•  How to appeal a Parking Eye fine.
•  The difference between a Parking Charge Notice and Penalty Charge Notice.
•  Tips to avoid parking fines in the future.

The DVLA report that over 11 million parking tickets were issued last year, which is up by 29% year on year!¹ We know that a private parking fine can cause a lot of worry. But, there’s no need to panic. We’re here to help, offering advice and examples to guide you through the appeal process. 

Case study: Motorist pays but still gets fined

Check out this message posted by a motorist who paid to park but still got a ParkingEye ticket.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Is ParkingEye legally enforceable?

ParkingEye fines are only enforceable when you are ordered to pay the amount following a court hearing!

However, the fine could be cancelled when an operator does not follow the Code of Practice and issues a Parking Charge Notice.

Also, an operator cannot start legal proceedings once you appeal.

But if you lose the appeal, Parking Eye could take you to court.

The question is whether they would or not start legal proceedings because you didn’t follow their parking regulations.

How much is the fine?

The fine can be up to £100 if you get the Parking Eye ticket in England and Wales.

The amount could be reduced by 40% when you pay within 14 days rather than file a Parking Eye appeal.

However, suppose you’re convinced the fine was given incorrectly. In that case, you have the right to appeal the penalty.

It costs you nothing when you file a Parking Eye appeal!

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Reasons to appeal your ticket

Various scenarios could give you grounds to file a Parking Eye appeal.

It includes the following:

• The operator did not give you the mandatory 10-minute grace period before issuing the ticket
• You couldn’t get back to your vehicle in time for a valid reason
• Your vehicle was broken down, and you were waiting for assistance
• You had a young child with you
• You are disabled or pregnant (UK law protects you from discrimination)

When you have a valid reason, the operator must take your appeal seriously and deal with it accordingly and respect the rights of motorists.

However, when you don’t have a good reason for overstaying or parking incorrectly. In that case, you’re better off paying the fine!

In my experience it’s better to pay the ticket within 14 days of receiving the Parking Charge Notice.

It will cost you a lot less when you do. But only if the fine is deserved.

When it is not, then I suggest you challenge it!

The appeals process

You have 28 days to file a Parking Eye appeal. Plus, you must send the appeal in writing to the operator and provide the following:

• A valid reason for the appeal against the Parking Charge Notice
• Supporting evidence (if you have any)

The entire appeal process is a bit longer. To learn more about it, please take a look at the following table.

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.

Note: Don’t pay the fine while your appeal is being dealt with!

The appeal was rejected. What happens next?

When the operator rejects your appeal against a fine, you have the right to take the matter to the Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA).

Parking Eye must provide details on filing an appeal with the service when they reject your initial appeal.

How long do you have to appeal to Popla?

You must file an appeal with POPLA in 28 days!

So it’s essential you do it as soon as possible because you must respect appeal deadlines.

The 28 days time limit begins from the date you get the operator’s ‘Letter of Rejection’.

If you miss the deadline, you must provide a valid reason why you couldn’t appeal any earlier.

What happens if I lose my Popla appeal?

If your appeal to POPLA is unsuccessful, you must pay the Parking Charge Notice.

You’ll have 28 days to pay from the date of the POPLA decision.

The legal consequences of not paying could be far-reaching.

Failure to pay in time could mean the operator sends your details to a debt collection agency. 

In my experience, it’s best not to let this happen!

Plus, there’s no further recourse to appeal the Parking Charge Notice once POPLA turns it down.

Parking Eye Contact Details

Address:	40 Eaton Avenue, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, Lancashire, PR7 7NA
Website:	https://www.parkingeye.co.uk/
Online appeals:	www.parkingeye.co.uk/appeal

Tips for avoiding parking fines

As I see it, you could do specific things which could help avoid getting a parking ticket.

I’ve listed some tips here:

• Set an alarm on your phone to let you know when to get back to your car
• Make sure you enter your car registration details carefully when paying to park
• Park correctly within a designated bay
• Read an operator’s T&Cs carefully before you park and familiarise yourself with their parking guidelines
• Display a ticket correctly in your car
• Keep receipts in case there’s a dispute

References

1. RAC Foundation – Parking Tickets Statistics