The ADAS resets and plasti dipping experts at our car dent removal and accident repair centre have explained everything you need to know about when and how to appeal a parking fine. Obviously, parking tickets should only really be challenged if you think that they’re unfair. In the following situations, it’s a good idea to appeal…
The parking signs or road markings were unclear
Your ticket should be cancelled if you can prove that:
You couldn’t see any road markings or signs;
The markings or signs were hard to read such as being covered by a tree;
The signs were misleading or confusing or there weren’t any signs saying that parking was suspended.
You may also be able to win if there weren’t any signs saying CCTV or an automatic number plate recognition system was in use where you parked.
You were charged too much
Of course, it’s right to appeal if you’ve been charged too much. Penalty Charge Notices work on a higher band and lower band system, so if you’ve been charged a higher band fine for parking for longer than your ticket allows, it should be cancelled. Rules state that you shouldn’t be paying any more than £100 unless the parking company can prove that your incorrect parking caused them to lose this much money. If the extra cost is unjustified, our ADAS resets and plasti dipping experts at our car dent removal centre believe that you should appeal.
You weren’t driving when the ticket was issued
You weren’t guilty so you shouldn’t pay. Use crime reference numbers, car sale receipts, DVLA registration certificates and whatever other evidence you deem useful, depending on who was driving the car.
You were parked correctly
Appeal the ticket if you think you were parked correctly (i.e at the right time and place). If you’ve got photographic evidence, all the better.
You couldn’t get back to your car
People who find it difficult to walk because they’re disabled, are pregnant or have a very young baby can appeal as getting back to their car in time might have been more difficult.
Your car broke down
This one’s pretty obvious. Your ticket will be cancelled if you can prove you were waiting for your car to be fixed or towed away when you got it.
You were only just out of time
And this one is the most frustrating. There’s often a five to 10 minute ‘grace period’ after your parking runs out. It can be tricky though – some companies will time it from when you parked, while others will time your stay from the moment you enter the car park. All this said, most parking rules state that you must clearly display a valid ticket inside your vehicle. If you fail to do this or lose your ticket, then the weight of evidence is against you. Nevertheless, appealing the decision by producing a valid ticket will often win you a pardon.
There was no way to pay
If the meter was broken and there was no other way to pay, you should be let off. Send evidence of the broken machine to the company who issued the ticket. But, if there was a sign there telling you not to park if there’s no way to pay, your appeal will probably be rejected.
Take on the challenge
It’s free to make a formal appeal by contacting whoever gave you the parking ticket. You can’t be taken to court if you’re appealing informally so it won’t affect your credit rating. It’s only if your appeal is unsuccessful and you don’t pay a ticket or appeal to a tribunal that you’ll be taken to court, which may impact your credit score. Those who want to go down the traditional route can find out how to challenge a parking fine through their local council website. There are six different types of Penalty Charge Notice, so our car dent removal specialists recommend that you make sure you know which one you’ve got before you go ahead.
An informal challenge
This will be a local council PCN, which is received on the spot. If you appeal within 14 days of receiving the fine and your challenge is rejected, you may only have to pay 50% of the fine. It’s usually a case of completing an online form or writing to the address on the reverse of the PCN and being as clear as possible in explaining why you’ve decided to appeal.
The formal alternative
As you can imagine, a formal challenge is a little more complex. Basically, you have 28 days to formally challenge (known as a ‘representation’) a Penalty Charge Notice. The process will start with a ‘notice to owner’ which will explain how to make a formal challenge. Make sure you go into as much detail as you can about why you’re challenging the PCN and provide copies of any evidence or documents to support your challenge. You won’t have to pay a thing if your challenge is accepted but if you receive a ‘notice of rejection’, you’ll have 28 days to cough up the cash. Then again, standing firm by appealing a penalty often proves successful. Thus, if you’ve made an honest mistake or been treated unfairly, then our car dent removal experts reckon that your fine stands a good chance of being cancelled on appeal.
Use Jenkins & Pain, Award-Winning Accident Repair Centre
There you have it, if you do find yourself with damage to your beloved paintwork and need a car repair, van repair or courtesy car you can count on us to complete all jobs using industry-standard processes. We offer free quotes and with our exclusive repair service, we are sure you will be happy with the results. Contact our Vehicle Body Shop today. Jenkins & Pain are an accident repair centre based in Dover, Kent. We are proud to call ourselves an award-winning accident repair centre. Check out our guide on how to look after your alloys!
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