Expert reveals laws around private parking penalty fines – Drivers warned not to pay until they’ve read crucial advice
A CAR expert has revealed laws around private parking penalty fines to help combat soaring charges seen over the last six months
The DVLA revealed that 5.7million tickets were handed out in the second half of 2022.
This means 31,000 fines were issued daily between June and December 2022.
Whilst the DVLA is correct in providing information on motorists that are breaking the law, some feel some private parking agencies are often unfair and misleading with signage.
With this in mind, experts at YourParkingSpace have focused on how to tell the difference between the two types of parking tickets.
And, importantly, what to do if you think you’ve been unfairly issued a private parking fine.
Despite both tickets looking similar, one is an invoice rather than a council-issued fine.
Regardless of whether the ticket is from a private company, if you’ve broken the rules, you need to pay up.
However, drivers frequently complain about being landed with ‘unfair’ fines from private companies, commonly from retail and supermarket car parks.
Brannan Coady, CEO at YourParkingSpace, advises what to do if you find yourself in this situation, “Firstly, make sure to check the British Parking Association (BPA) or International Parking Community (IPC).
“The websites will tell you if the parking company is a member of their approved operator schemes.
“Every parking company must be a member of one of these organisations. If they are, then the usual first port of call would be to appeal through the advised process.
“Make sure you include any evidence you’ve been able to gather while still at the scene, including photographs of anything relevant to the fine, correspondence, mitigating circumstances, and witness statements if possible, from anyone who can back up your story.
“This will give you the best chance possible of a successful dispute.
“If your appeal is rejected, we would then recommend contacting the landowner directly. They’ll often be willing to sort it from their side.”
These are the top tips to help you avoid parking fines:
Read signs carefully
Before you leave your car somewhere, always double-check the signs.
Even if you are familiar with the parking space, rules can frequently change, so it’s always best to be sure.
Check where you’re parking
All car parks have different rules, so make sure you’re familiar with them when choosing to park somewhere.
Brannan Coady added: “The majority of car parks across the UK now operate with restrictions.
“Whether it’s a private or local authority car park, rules can differ quite a bit. Don’t get caught out by maximum stay limits to avoid unnecessary fines.”
Book your parking in advance
To avoid stress, book your parking in advance so you can be certain of the rules and cost beforehand.
And booking via your phone on an app is the easiest way to avoid fines, as it makes it super easy to extend your stay should something come up.