How to Win Every
Parking Appeal
Most private parking tickets are actually "invoices", not fines. They rely on you being scared. Here is how to beat them.
1. Is it a "Penalty" or a "Charge"?
Check the top of the letter.
- Penalty Charge Notice (Council): This is a real fine from the government. You must take this seriously.
- Parking Charge Notice (Private): This is an invoice for a "breach of contract". Use our tool to fight this.
2. The Golden Rule: "Registered Keeper"
Never admit to being the driver. Always refer to yourself as the
"Registered Keeper".
Why? Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA). If they
don't know who the driver was, they have to jump through complex legal
hoops to transfer liability to the keeper. They often fail to do this
correctly (e.g., missing the 14-day deadline).
3. Common Winning Arguments
The 10-Minute Grace Period
The BPA Code of Practice states you must have a minimum of 10 minutes grace period at the end of your session before a fine can be issued. If you were 8 minutes late, the ticket is invalid.
"Frustration of Contract"
If the machine was broken, you physically could not pay. Since you couldn't uphold your side of the contract due to their failure, the contract is "frustrated" and void.
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Open Appeal Generator →4. POPLA and The IAS
If the parking company rejects your appeal (they usually do), demand a POPLA code. POPLA is the independent appeals service. They are much more likely to uphold the law than the parking company. Around 40-50% of POPLA appeals are successful.