Vehicle Control Services - Pay or Appeal?

Have you got a private parking fine from Vehicle Control Services and are unsure whether to pay or appeal?

Don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place. Every month, more than 130,000 people visit our website for guidance on dealing with fines and parking tickets.

In this easy-to-understand article, you’ll find information about:

Who Vehicle Control Services Ltd are
The cost of a Vehicle Control Services parking ticket
If you may need to pay these fines
How to appeal a Vehicle Control Services parking fine

Research from Which? found that the increase in fines can be attributed in part to unclear rules and the variety of payment methods offered in private car parks¹.

Don’t worry; this article is filled with useful tips and examples to help you make sense of it all.

Most Ticket Appeals Succeed

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

Not only did I save £50 on solicitor fees, I also won my case and didn’t have to pay my £271 fine.

Chat below to get started with JustAnswer

Ask a question,get an answer ASAP!

*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.

Do you have to pay a Vehicle Control Services parking ticket?

Like many people, you may be asking, ‘do I have to pay Vehicle Control Services parking fines?’ The answer is that Parking Charge Notices aren’t real fines.

They’re invoices from a company for breaking the terms and conditions of a contractual agreement you agreed to by entering their private car park.

You aren’t forced to pay unless a judge tells you to pay.

However, if you’re taken to court for this to happen, you may be stung with even more costs and expenses.

Keep in mind that if you don’t pay the Vehicle Control Services parking fine by the deadline (usually 28 days), it’s likely that Vehicle Control Services will pass the recovery process to a debt collection agency.

These companies don’t have any more legal powers than Vehicle Control Services Limited themselves. But they may be more persistent in trying to get you to pay.

They certainly aren’t bailiffs!

Should you pay or appeal the PCN?

You probably wish to appeal a Vehicle Control Services Parking Charge Notice if you have a good reason backed up by evidence.

The thing that makes the decision to appeal more difficult is what you will lose.

By lodging a PCN challenge, you are giving up the discounted fine rate that is available if you pay within 14 days.

This means if you lose your appeal, you will have to pay the original fine amount. Thus, you should be confident about your appeal.

Otherwise paying the reduced rate may be the better option.

» TAKE ACTION NOW: Get legal support from JustAnswer

Appeal Process Steps

You have the right to appeal a Vehicle Control Services Parking Charge Notice.

You must state the reasons why you think the parking ticket is unjust, and back up any arguments with evidence.

For example, you might state that you overstayed in the car park because your hospital appointment was delayed. In this case, you may need a letter from the hospital to say this is true.

I’ve created this table to help you better understand how to appeal your Vehicle Control Services PCN. If you want to learn more about parking tickets or the appeal process, be sure to read our detailed guides.

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.

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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In partnership with Just Answer.

They rejected my appeal

Vehicle Control Services will email or write to you – or both – to let you know the outcome of your appeal.

If they accept the appeal, the ticket will be cancelled, and you won’t have to pay anything. But if it’s rejected, you can:

Accept the rejection and pay the fine
Escalate the appeal to an independent tribunal

Vehicle Control Services will provide instructions on how to escalate the appeal within their rejection letter.

Vehicle Control Services Number and Contact Details

Address:	7 Europa View, Sheffield Business Park, Sheffield, S9 1XH
Vehicle Control Services contact number:	0114 261 7373
Vehicle Control Services email address:	[email protected]
Website:	https://vehiclecontrolservices.co.uk/
Vehicle Control Services complaints/litigation:	[email protected]