Parking Fines on Private Land – What you need to know

Have you received a private parking fine and are now wondering what to do next?

This is the perfect place for you. Every 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 rules about parking on private land.
•  How to spot and understand parking signs.
•  What a Parking Charge Notice is.
•  How to appeal against a private parking fine.

We know that getting a private parking fine can be very annoying, but you’re not alone. Research shows that over 19,000 parking fines are issued each day in the UK¹.

Don’t worry; we have plenty of useful tips and real examples to help you make the best choice. So, whether you’re thinking about paying the fine or appealing it, we’ve got you covered. 

Is it illegal to park on private land?

You are not allowed to park on somebody else’s private land, which is not a car park.

Parking regulations on private property are referred to as unauthorised parking rather than illegal parking.

But you can park on private land owned by:

• A supermarket
• Hospital
• Business
• Regular private car park

You usually have to pay for parking when you leave your car on private land.

The RAC found that the number of parking tickets being issued is up by nearly 30%! The report also found that misleading and deliberately confusing signage in private car parks is part of the problem.²

So a lot of people get fined for making a genuine mistake!

Are parking fines on private land enforceable?

Private parking companies cannot force you to pay their fine.

However, the fine may be enforced if a small claims court judges that you must pay.

Thus, a parking fine on private land is not initially enforceable, but it can become enforceable if the car park operator takes legal action against you and wins.

UK law on private parking enforcement means there must be a court order to pay in place, but there are some exceptions.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Importance of signage on private land

Landowners and car park operators must erect proper parking signs and follow signage regulations for UK private parking.

According to the British Parking Association (BPA), signs must be clear and easily visible to motorists who use their car parks.

You could have grounds to challenge a parking ticket if the signs are unclear or missing.

Can you ignore a parking ticket from a private company?

You could ignore a parking ticket from a private company and get away without having to pay.

But as we see it, this is risky, and the car park operator could take further action against you, which eventually forces you to pay.

Ignoring the parking ticket could also increase how much you have to pay. 

In short, the consequences of not paying private parking tickets could be expensive.

What happens if you don’t pay a parking ticket?

If you don’t pay a private land parking ticket, the company will either stop chasing you for payment or take court action.

They could ask a small claims court to give you a court order to pay.

And if you don’t pay, they could ask to use private parking enforcement action, including the use of bailiffs (enforcement officers).

Not paying a Penalty Charge Notice is more serious.

They will send you a charge certificate if you do not pay these council parking fines within 28 days.This automatically increases the fine by 50% and gives you 14 days to pay before taking court action. 

Can you appeal private land parking charges?

You are allowed to appeal against private parking charges if you believe the ticket is unjustified.

To help you better understand the appeal process, here’s a quick table for reference.

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.

How do you appeal against private parking tickets?

You challenge a private land parking charge by making an appeal detailing why you believe the parking ticket should be cancelled.

You should provide evidence to support your appeal, which may be:

·        Photos

·        Statements from witnesses 

The specific appeals process should be made clear by the company that issued your private parking ticket.

If your appeal is rejected, you also have the opportunity to take your appeal to an independent appeals service.

The appeals service to use is based on which trade body the car park company is a member of. 

Note: Make sure you follow the right steps to challenge a private parking fine as detailed on the parking ticket you receive.

Misconceptions and myths about private parking tickets

There are many myths and misconceptions about private parking tickets.

We’ve listed some of the common misunderstandings about private parking charges here:

• You don’t have to pay a private parking ticket. Not true. The issuer could take you to court and win a case. Once an order to pay is issued, you must pay the parking ticket
• You can ignore a Parking Charge Notice: Not true. It is a risky decision which could earn you a County Court Judgement
• Private parking tickets are not enforceable. Not true. As previously mentioned, the issuer could start court proceedings to recover what you owe

Check out what happened to one person who got a CCJ for not paying a Parking Charge Notice.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

Private land parking tickets time limit

The private car park operator usually has 14 days to issue you a Parking Charge Notice. But this timeframe can be extended in some circumstances. 

Some private car park operators will place the Parking Charge Notice on your vehicle.

But other car parks don’t use parking wardens and instead rely on specialist cameras to spot motorists who don’t pay.

They get your address from the DVLA and send the parking fine in the post using your vehicle registration if you are the registered keeper.

They should serve the private parking ticket within 14 days, but they can get much longer if the DVLA is slow to provide your information. 

References

1. Sky News — Parking Tickets Statistics
2. RAC – Parking Tickets Statistics