Parking Ticket Appeal Template - Download, Edit, Send

Have you received a private parking ticket and are wondering what to do next? You’re not alone. Every month, more than 130,000 people visit our site seeking advice on fines and parking tickets. This is not surprising, as over 19,000 parking fines are issued each day in the UK.¹

This article will help you understand:

What private parking fines are.
Whether you need to pay these fines.
How you can make an appeal against a parking fine.
Helpful advice on avoiding parking fines in the future.

We know that getting a private parking fine can be annoying. But don’t worry. We’ve got plenty of handy tips and examples to make things easier for you.

Remember, it’s essential to stay calm and deal with the situation in the right way. We’re here to help you do just that.

Most Ticket Appeals Succeed

In some circumstances, you might have a legitimate reason not to pay your 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.

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*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.

How to challenge it

Parking management companies, such as ES Parking Enforcement, must respect the BPA Code of Practice. It covers how they manage private car parks for landowners. In addition, the code has rules/guidelines on how an operator issues and deals with parking fines.

Local authorities, the police and Highways Agency must also abide by the law that governs the issuing of Penalty Charge Notices.

When you feel the fine you got was unfair, prohibitive, or issued incorrectly, you have the right to appeal.

First, make sure it’s been issued correctly. Secondly, you were the driver at the time.

Note: Never assume a parking fine has to be paid.

What you can do if you get one on private land

You have three options when you get a parking ticket on privately owned land.

These are:

To pay the parking ticket.
Ignore the parking fine (not a wise decision)
Contest the fine by filing an appeal against it.

Note: It would be a mistake to ignore a parking ticket you get on privately owned land. Even when you feel it’s unfair, ignoring it could be a costly mistake due to private parking enforcement methods.

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.

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*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 Charge Notice vs Penalty Charge Notice

Parking Charge Notices issued by management companies on behalf of landowners are not ‘fines’. Instead, they are ‘invoices’ raised because you have broken some rules.

Penalty Charge Notices are covered by the Road Traffic Act, and therefore the issuer has the power to enforce payment.

Note: A private operator cannot legally demand payment from you without having a court order to back up the demand.

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What is the best excuse to dispute a fine?

There are various legitimate reasons for disputing a Parking Charge Notice, which includes:

Your vehicle was parked correctly
The car park’s signs and road markings were not clear
You couldn’t pay because the machines were broken
The fee charge was prohibitive
You were not the driver when the parking fine was issued
You were unable to get back to your vehicle for a valid reason
You were broken down
You only just ran out of the allotted time (you were not given a 10-minute grace period to leave)

A broken machine is solid ground for appealing a parking fine. However, you must first complain to the retail park/store, attaching evidence of the broken machines. Insist they tell the parking operator to cancel it. They may also be able to cancel it themselves.

How long do I have to challenge it?

You must appeal the parking fine within 28 days of receiving it.

I suggest you do (always) file an appeal with the parking operator as soon as possible. The sooner you do, the quicker the matter will be resolved. Either way!

Note: When you appeal a parking fine, it stops the issuer from taking further action against you until a decision is made.

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Sample Letters

You’ll find plenty of appeal letter templates online. However, be careful to use a template covering Parking Charge Notices and not Penalty Charge Notices.

Appealing a Fine

There is a set procedure to follow when you appeal a parking ticket on private land:

1. Reach out to the parking operator

Contact the parking operator and tell them why you are challenging the parking fine. Ask them to withdraw the ticket. You can also contact the landowner and request they withdraw the parking fine. An example is a supermarket owner.

Ensure you provide as much documentation evidence as possible when you contact the operator. This could be photos of where your car was parked, unclear road markings/signs or proof you no longer owned the vehicle when the ticket was issued.

You can use appeal templates provided by Citizens Advice. The two templates cover an appeal because the ticket was unfair or because you had a good reason for being late.

2. File with an independent appeals service

The operator may reject your appeal. A high percentage of appeals against private parking fines get dismissed. But when this happens, you can file an appeal with an Independent Appeals Service (IAS) or POPLA. Check which organisation your parking operator belongs to.

Note: Filing a second appeal stops further action from being taken against you until the matter is resolved.

3. Do it on the POPLA or the IAS Website

Make a formal appeal to the relevant appeals service. For example, if the operator is a British Parking Association (BPA) member, this would be POPLA. You can file the appeal on the POPLA website.

Suppose the parking management company is not a BPA member. In that case, you can file an appeal with the IAS, but only if the operator is willing to accept. Plus, you must file the appeal within 21 days of receiving the rejection letter from the operator.

You can file an appeal with IAS on their website. However, you must provide evidence to support your appeal.

Note: If the operator continues to contact you during the appeal process, you have the right to ask them to stop. You can file a complaint for harassment.

Downloading, editing and sending a letter

Download the letter of appeal when you are happy the evidence to support it is clear. Keep a copy for your records. If the operator rejects your appeal, you may need this and file one with the IAS or POPLA.

Next, make sure you click the send button. If you are at all concerned, seek advice from an independent adviser. You should get a reply from an operator within a few days or sometimes longer.

Note: If you don’t hear from the operator, seek advice from an independent adviser (e.g. Citizens Advice) and consider filing a complaint against them.

Include any evidence you have, such as:

Time-stamped videos
Photos of signs that are hard to see or understand
Mobile app receipts
GPS location logs
A valid pay and display ticket
A repair note, if your car broke down

What happens if your appeal is rejected?

If your appeal is rejected, you might be better off just paying your parking ticket. This will ensure you don’t end up paying more should the parking company take you to court and you lose.

The good news is if you win, you won’t have to pay the fine, and the parking company might have to pay court costs.

Alternatively, you can pay the fine but state that you’re paying “under protest.” This will stop the fine going up and also give you a chance to go to small claims court to seek a refund.