The two types of ticket – and how to fight back if you believe you have been wrongly charged
PARKING CHARGE NOTICE
THIS is the ticket you get when parking on private land.
Contact the car park company if you believe the fine is unfair.
In England and Wales, drivers can take their case to the Independent Parking on Private Land Appeals scheme, but this is not available north of the Border.
If the firm is a member of the International Parking Community, Scottish drivers can take their case to its independent appeals service.
If a private company is not signed up to trade associations, such as the International Parking Community, it will find it hard to continue with any demand for payment.
If a fine is not settled after an independent ruling against you – as in Danni Crawford’s case – it may rise if the firm decides to employ debt collectors to retrieve your money.
A company may say it is taking you to court, but most car park firms are unwilling to risk this – it is used as a frightener to persuade motorists to pay for the charge.
PENALTY CHARGE NOTICE
THIS is the penalty you receive if parked without a valid ticket on councilowned land. Motorists have 28 days in which to appeal. If your appeal is unsuccessful the council must then issue a ‘notice to owner’ where you are usually given a further 14 days to argue your case.
If you do not pay within this time period, you will be sent a charge certificate and the amount you must pay will be increased by a further 50 per cent. You will have to pay the local authority, but you will not have committed a criminal offence.
If you do not pay within the correct time period, the local authority can register the debt with the court without a court hearing, and recover the charge using sheriff officers.