Thousands of people receive parking fines every single week in the UK - and the fines can amount to hundreds – and potentially thousands - of pounds. The law on private parking tickets in Scotland and Northern Ireland mirrors the rest of the UK in most aspects but, as motoring disputes expert Scott Dixon explains, there is one key distinction – there is no keeper/driver liability. If you're unsure of how to put it in writing, you can use this Citizens Advice template letter . This only applies to firms in the British Parking Association (BPA) Approved Operator Scheme or the Independent Parking Committee (IPC) Independent Appeals Service. But these "fines" - which include your car's registration and make, the date and time of the so-called offence, and an officer's signature - are in fact breach notices from an offshoot of a private car parking company. Since private parking ‘fines’ or ‘penalties’ are not backed by legislation, these companies rely on contract law. Private parking fines are a very different beast to council-issued ones, but after a Facebook post went viral saying you didn't have to pay, … Penalty Charge Notices are regulated fines, backed by legislation. If you’ve been issued a penalty, here are the key points you need to know in the UK. If you've challenged your ticket and been outright rejected, you can take it to an independent appeals system. When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Look at the 'Parking Charge Notice' in the pic on the right to see how similar they can be. "So if they're unfair invoices you don't have to pay them. His claim, supported by many campaigners and legal experts, was that private firms had no legal right to impose a penalty beyond the extra cost the … Parking tickets will cost the motorist £100.00 but, if paid within the first 14 days of the issue, will be reduced to £60. So rather than a breach of law, it’s a breach of contract. This is a civil matter, not a criminal one. Please can you give me some advice?”. There are currently two of these: the British Parking Association and the International Parking Community. explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. If the private company ignores or rejects your appeal, you can appeal to either the Parking on Private Land Appeals service (POPLA), or the Independent Appeals Service (IAS). Unlike a council or local authority, they have no right to clamp or tow your vehicle - and they could be fined up to £5,000 if they do. If the parking firm listed on the ticket is not on either of these lists, they do not belong to a trade body, and you don’t have to pay. The most common reason for ­appealing private parking tickets is either i) there was no signage displaying the parking rules ii) the signage was not prominent and therefore was not clear to be seen by all or iii) the content of the signage was not clear. We Appeal Private Parking Tickests & Paking Fines- For as little as £18 with our professional services - Guranteed Service!. The Parking Charge Notice might look like an official fixed penalty from the police but it isn't one. Private versus public parking fines: Our lawyer explains your rights, When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. And on one point, the MoneySavingExpert.com founder was absolutely clear. The first thing to do is to find out if the private parking operator is a member of one of the two trade bodies – the British Parking Association (BPA) or the Independent Parking Committee (IPC). If you want to go ahead, start by appealing to the parking firm ­following their official complaints procedure. This means it’s the driver of the vehicle who is liable for breaching the parking terms, not the registered keeper of the vehicle (if not the same person). 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