Private Parking Charges: Paying and Appealing

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Received a Parking Charge Notice from a private company? This guide explains the main things to check before deciding whether to pay or challenge it. Private parking charges are contractual charges, not council or police fines.

Check the notice for the payment, discount and appeal deadlines. Rules can differ across the UK, including who may be liable. Do not ignore a letter before claim or court papers; respond by the stated deadline and seek independent help if needed.

In this article, we’ll:

•  Explain what a private parking fine is.
•  Discuss if you are required to pay these fines.
•  Show you how to make an appeal against a private parking fine.
•  Offer tips to avoid getting a private parking fine.
•  Provide insight into private parking companies and their rules.

We know that getting a private parking fine can be a stressful and confusing experience. But don’t worry, we’ve got plenty of helpful advice and examples to guide you through the process. 

Find the information you need about private parking fines

There’s certainly a lot to discuss when it comes to private parking fines. To zone in on the information you’re looking for, choose from the headings below. 

We’ll provide some important points on each topic and direct you to MoneyNerd articles to uncover further details and top tips. 

Parking Tickets

We make it easy to understand what private parking tickets are and what they aren’t in our private parking fine post. The most common questions are answered here and it’s the perfect place to start if you’ve received your first Parking Charge Notice. 

Private parking charges can be enforceable. Whether a particular charge is valid depends on the parking terms, signage, evidence and applicable law. The Supreme Court upheld the charge in ParkingEye v Beavis; this does not mean that every charge is valid or that every appeal will succeed.

Paying a Parking Ticket

Do you have to pay a private parking ticket? And if so, how do you go about it? We’ve answered these two important questions and more in our paying a private parking fine guide. You’ll want to know this before you reach for your wallet!

Paid legal information from JustAnswer. This is a third-party commercial service. Check its charges, any recurring membership and cancellation terms before signing up. You can challenge a notice directly without using this service.

Appealing a Parking Ticket

You can challenge a private parking charge if you believe it is incorrect. Explain your reasons and provide supporting evidence. If your challenge is rejected, the notice should explain whether an independent appeal is available and its deadline.

The independent appeal route depends on the operator and where the notice was issued. In England and Wales, BPA members generally use POPLA and IPC members use the IAS. Check the rejection notice and GOV.UK’s challenge guidance. Check whether an appeal affects the discounted payment period; do not assume the discount will remain available.

Parking Eye Fines

Parking Eye is one of the UK’s biggest car park operators, which has resulted in scores of motorists receiving a Parking Eye fine. If this rings true with you, take a look at our Parking Eye fine guide to understand the available payment and challenge routes.

Private Parking Companies

What is a private parking company and what gives it the right to issue you with a Parking Charge Notice? If you want to know more about private parking companies and understand how to respond to a notice from a particular operator, MoneyNerd’s private parking companies post is for you! 

Private Parking Fines Scotland

Did you receive a private parking fine in Scotland and don’t know what to do? We explain your position and the processes in Scotland in our dedicated guide on Scottish private parking fines.