Private Parking Fine Appeal Letter

What is a private parking fine appeal letter?

A private parking fine appeal letter is a letter that is sent to a private parking company to appeal (in other words challenge) a parking fine. This letter may be sent to a private parking operator in England and Wales.

What is the difference between a private parking fine appeal letter and a local authority parking fine appeal letter?

A private parking fine appeal letter is used to appeal a fine that has been issued by a private parking operator. Parking via a private parking operator is governed by a contractual agreement. Private parking operators do not need a licence.

If a parking fine has been issued by a local government body (i.e. a local council) different rules apply. A different letter should be used to challenge or appeal a local authority fine.

What is a Parking Charge Notice?

A Parking Charge Notice (PCN) is another term for a private parking fine. This is different from a Penalty Charge Notice (also a PNC) and a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) – both of which are issued by the government/ a government body.

What must be done after a parking fine appeal letter has been signed?

Once the letter has been completed it should be signed and sent to the private parking company. Some parking operators may accept correspondence via email.

Where the desired outcome is not reached, it may be possible to issue a further formal appeal via an independent adjudicator such as:

• The Parking on Private Land Appeals (POPLA) - if the company is a member of the British Parking Association. This must be done within 28 days of the rejection of the initial appeal
• The Independent Appeals Service - if the company is a member of the International Parking Community. This must be done within 21 days of the rejection of the initial appeal (it is still possible to issue an appeal outside of this time limit, but a fee will apply)

What documents should be attached to a parking fine appeal letter?

It can be helpful to attach documents to support a parking fine appeal. This might include:

• photographs - to show that the car was parked in compliance with the rules, or that the signage was insufficient
• letters and emails - including evidence of any mitigating circumstances

On what grounds might a private parking fine be appealed?

A private parking fine might typically be appealed when:

• the notice of the fine is invalid - for example, because it did not show the correct information or was not provided within the correct time limit
• the signs in the car park displayed incorrect information or were not visible
• there are mitigating circumstances – for example, an emergency or health issue
• The fine was excessive - a fine should not usually be for more than £100
• There has been a keying error - where the driver made a minor error when inputting the vehicle registration number into the payment machine

What should a parking fine appeal letter contain?

A parking fine appeal letter should contain:

• information about the fine – this should include the date, reference number and details of the vehicle
• the grounds of appeal – this might include some mitigating circumstances or some information to argue that the ticket has been issued in an improper manner

What laws apply to a parking fine appeal letter?

The following laws might typically apply to a parking fine appeal letter:

• The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
• The Consumer Rights Act 2015

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