Has anyone successfully appealed a PCN?

[inexperienceddriver]

The situation:
went to a large retail park that allows 5h free parking. There is no ticket, just ANPR.

I drove in the car park looking for an EV charger, they didn’t have one but right at the end of the car park there was a BP garage that did - there was no road separating it - just a through road straight in to the garage.

I plugged my car in and set an alarm for an hour to not get a PCN (the irony) for hogging the charger and went to my activity. I then moved my car to the main car park to complete it. I was in the main car park for about an hour and a half after that.

ive now got a PCN from the main car park citing ‘failure to display a valid permit’. Note above I said there is no permit system, just ANPR. And the bays were not disabled / child parking - just plain bays at the back of the car park.

So i have a feeling that they actually want to issue this as technically I exited and re-entered within a time frame but this is not specified on the PCN.

I also want to note I never initially parked in the car park, I continued driving through it in to the garage so my actual parking started when I moved the car back in to it after charging.

Chat GPT thinks the reasoning being incorrect as well as not parking there in the first instance is strong grounds for appeal but obviously it’ll affirm me in most circumstances so I’m looking for someone with real experience of appealing PCNs to see if I stand the chance!

TIA

I’d appeal. I had a similar situation. I drove in one entrance, did my shopping and exited another. I got a PCN stating I’d overstayed. I appealed stating what I’d done and never heard another thing,

I’ve appealed based on lack of appropriate signage. Look at martins money saver for template letters and emails. I got a letter back saying that it was issued correctly but they would waive on this occasion. Worth trying….

Yes, I've appealed quite a few and won.

If the reason on the PCN is "failure to display a valid permit" and there isn't one. Just reply with a photo of the car park signage.

Definitely appeal. I’ve won a few (been extremely unlucky to keep getting them unfairly even when I can evidence I’ve paid).
Respond specifically to the reason they’ve issued the ticket, don’t include your explanation of what you did. Use the Martin Lewis templates and keep an audit trail of your communications.

Thank you all! When I logged in to the appeals portal there were more photos including the sign. It does clearly state permit needed but also doesn’t say how to obtain the permit and whether this car park is for other people and not customers (ie staff) and it is clearly connected to the entire car park so I appealed based on that.

this is what chat gpt gave me for the appeal:

Your evidence shows a sign stating:
“A valid site permit must be clearly displayed in the front windscreen at all times.”
However, the signage does not explain where or how to obtain such a permit, who qualifies for one, or whether general visitors are allowed to park. The car park appears to operate as a standard retail car park, and there was no indication that a permit was required or how one could be acquired.

As such, the terms are ambiguous and unenforceable. It is impossible for a driver to comply with an obligation that is not explained or accessible. This breaches the IPC Code of Practice (Part E, Schedule 1 – Signage), which requires that parking terms be clear, legible, and unambiguous.

Furthermore, the PCN alleges “Not Displaying a Valid Permit,” yet the operator has provided no evidence that a permit was available or that I was not entitled to park. No contract could therefore have been formed.

let’s see what they say!

You're not appealing anything. You're disputing an invoice.

The reason given in the ticket isn't stated in the T&Cs, which are grounds to refuse to pay the invoice.

NEVER admit to being the driver of the vehicle. You refer to yourself as "the registered keeper of a vehicle which a PCN has been issued to". State your brief grounds for disputing the invoice and wait for their reply. If the company insists on you paying the invoice, take the matter up with POPLA, but sut don't be surprised when they side with the company.

I've had dozens of these, as long as you make it clear that you are happy to take the matter to court, they will usually cancel the invoice. Unless its ParkingEye. They seem to love a day out.

Thanks for this. Although the ‘appeal’ route is the only one to go by as it states on the letter when disputing and they force you to say you’re the driver in the drop down menu. I’ll keep the rest in mind pending the response

I appealed when we got a ticket for entering the drop off zone at Heathrow without paying. We'd entered by mistake. I asked them to look at my entry and exit times so they could see that we hadn't stopped at all, and they waived the fine.

I have appealedtwice successfully. Goid luck.

You know, OP, it's really so much easier to just pay it - and quickly,before it doubles.

Just chalk it up to experience, because that's a mistake you won't repeat.

If you lodge an appeal within the timeframe, even if unsuccessful you will only be fined the original amount.

Go look at the relevant section on the Martin Lewis forum - there's a lot of good advice there.

One of the parking firms tried to say that I'd parked in their car park for over 24 hrs - I was a victim of the 'double dip' scenario - had visited two days in a row.

I posted a query there and got a lot of help.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

I think we just found the CEO of Parking Eye. Just pay it because it’s easier? Seriously?

OP, this sounds like a fairly straight forward one. If there wasn’t a sign saying you needed a permit, then just tell them you won’t be paying their speculative invoice for ‘not displaying a permit’.

Do that and I doubt you’d hear from them again.

Yes in a sort of similar situation. I got threatening letters for two years but held my nerve. The last one said they were taking me to court. I submitted my defence. Haven’t heard anything for about 3 months now. I’m fully prepared to stand up in court and fight. But realistically these places never take anyone to court, just rely on the people who pay quickly.

Not true. They took me to court. I did fight it and eventually won but that was a year of my life I won’t get back.