Sip Parking Fine – Should I Pay or Ignore It?

Have you received a Sip parking fine and are feeling unsure about whether to pay it or appeal it? You’ve come to the right place. Each month, over 130,000 people visit our website for advice on fines and parking tickets.

In this friendly guide, we’ll help you understand:

•  The rules around parking fines on private property.
•  The difference between a Parking Charge Notice and a Penalty Charge Notice.
•  Your options when it comes to Sip parking fines.
•  How to appeal a Sip parking fine.
•  Useful tips to avoid getting a Parking Charge Notice 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. So, you’re definitely not alone.

We know how annoying it can be to get a private parking fine. But don’t worry; we’re here to help you understand your rights and options.

Can you ignore a Sip parking fine?

No. Don’t ignore a Sip parking fine because you could end up in court. That is if the operator wants to chase you for the money through a civil court.

You could end up with a County Court Judgement on your credit file if you don’t respond to a court summons.² First, the operator will hound you for payment by sending letters. Next, they may give your details to a debt collection agency.³ It means you’ll be hounded for payment even more.

It’s part of the debt recovery process that car park management companies have in place.

I suggest you should pay or appeal the parking fine, but you should never ignore it.

Appeal Process Steps

If you want to appeal your SIP parking ticket, it’s crucial to understand the steps you should take. That’s why I’ve created this table that explains the process. For more information, please read our complete guide.

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.

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What happens if you don’t pay?

The operator starts chasing you for the money when you don’t pay a Sip parking fine within the specified deadline.

First, they’ll send you letters demanding payment (a private operator cannot legally demand payment from you without a court order).

The operator could pass your details to a debt collection agency if you still don’t pay.

This is when things go up a notch. In short, the debt collection agency will chase the debt a lot more aggressively.

Moreover, a debt collector could show up at your home.

Lastly, if the operator wants to take the matter to court, they can. Not paying a Sip parking fine could end up being a lot more expensive.

That’s the impact of non-payment of fines in the UK.

Note: An operator may not take you to court, but there’s no guarantee they won’t!

What is the grace period?

I was recently featured in The Sun⁴ to help educate people around the 10 minute grace period. This means you can’t be fined if you overstayed by 10 minutes or less.

That said, your car must be correctly parked, or the 10-minute grace period does not apply.

Note: The fine should be cancelled when you are not given a grace period in a Sip managed car park.

Will you get a CCJ?

Getting a Sip parking fine in itself will not earn you a CCJ.

But if the operator takes you to court and wins, things change. You could end up with a County Court Judgement on your credit history.

You have 30 days to settle a CCJ or it will remain on your credit file.

Note: County Court Judgement (CCJ) implications make it harder to borrow money and get a mortgage or credit card. It stays on your credit history for up to 6 years!

Can you appeal the parking fine?

Yes. As mentioned above, you have the right to appeal a Sip parking fine when you feel it’s unfair. The same applies if the charge was not issued correctly.

However, you must file an appeal within a specified time. This is 28 days after receiving the fine. If you wait too long, the operator could give your details to a debt collection agency.

If you decide to appeal the Sip fine, you’ll need to provide the following information:

• Parking fine reference number
• Vehicle registration details

Check out what happened to one motorist who paid to park but in the wrong car park.

Source: Moneysavingexpert

How do you appeal?

How to fight parking tickets means providing evidence to support an appeal.

You can appeal a Sip parking fine in the following ways:

• Submit an appeal online
• Submit an appeal in writing by registered post

The address to submit a Sip parking fine appeal by post is as follows:

What is the role of an independent appeals service?

An independent appeal service could be:

• The Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA), or
• The Independent Appeal Service (IAS)

Car park operators are either members of the British Parking Association or the International Parking Community. Sometimes both. As such, when an operator rejects an appeal, you have the right to escalate your appeal to an impartial, independent appeal service.

The operator should provide details on how to do this in their letter of rejection.

References

1. RAC Foundation – Parking Tickets Statistics
2. Money Helper – CCJ
3. StepChange – Debt Collection Agencies
4. The Sun — Grace Period Rule