If you’ve had a council parking fine land on your doorstep or left on your car, you’re probably worried about what it means and what comes next, especially if you don’t think you’re in the wrong. But, did you know that there are more reasons than you think for getting council parking fines? Don’t worry, you’re not the only person to have a parking fine from the council! We’ve put together this guide to help you find out what comes next when it comes to dealing with a council parking fine.
What is a Council Parking Fine?
A council parking fine, also known as a penalty charge notice or PCN, are issued to drivers that break local parking rules set by the council. If a parking attendant employed by the local council notices you have broken those rules, they can give you a penalty charge notice.
When you’re issued a penalty charge notice (PCN), the amount you’ll need to pay will be stated on the PCN, and you’ll have 28 days to make the payment. However, with most councils, if you pay within 14 days of the PCN being issued, there will be a discount on the amount due on the parking ticket. This is usually 50% of the parking ticket, but it may vary for different councils.
If you don’t pay within the 28 days, you’ll receive what’s known as a charge certificate, and you’ll then have 14 days to pay the full amount plus 50% on top of that fine. So, if you’re going to pay your fine, it’s best to save yourself some money and pay within 14 days.
It’s also important to note that even if you do not live in the locality of the council that issued the ticket, you’ll still need to pay. This means that if you parked outside of your locality and broke the rules, you could still get a ticket.
What are the reasons for getting a Council Parking Fine?
For many, getting a parking ticket or a PCN means parking in the wrong place or staying longer than the allotted time stated in that area. But, there are actually lots of reasons why you might get a penalty charge notice.
There will be a code on your parking ticket. This is known as a contravention code, and it’s indicative of why you’ve received it. Here are some of the most common reasons for getting a council parking fine.
01 – You’ve parked on a yellow line and no loading activities were observed by the traffic warden.
02 – Your vehicle was parking on a length of yellow line with kerb markings when waiting is not allowed.
05 – Your parking ticket purchase time has expired.
07 – More parking time was purchased after the maximum stay had been reached and you hadn’t moved your vehicle.
11 – You parked your vehicle without paying the parking charge.
14 – You’ve parked in an electric vehicle charging spot during restricted hours and without charging your vehicle.
16 – You’ve parked in a permit space without holding or displaying a valid permit.
20 – You’ve parked in a loading gap that’s been marked by a yellow line.
21 – You’ve parked in a suspended parking place.
22 – You reparked your vehicle in the same place with no return period.
23 – Your vehicle was parked in the wrong bay, such as an electric vehicle, motorcycle or car club bay.
24 – Your vehicle wasn’t parked correctly within the bay markings.
25 – You parked in a loading bay with no loading observed by the traffic warden.
30 – You stayed for longer than allowed in a parking spot.
40 – Your vehicle was parked in a disabled parking space without displaying a valid disabled blue badge.
41 – Your vehicle was parked incorrectly in a diplomatic parking place.
42 – You’ve parked in a police vehicle parking place.
43 – You’ve parked in a bay for the use of bridal vehicles only.
45 – You’ve parked in a taxi rank
46 – Your vehicle was on a red line or greenways route when parking is not allowed.
47 – You’ve parked in a bus stop.
As you can see, there are lots of reasons why you might receive a penalty charge notice – some that you may not have been aware of! Familiarise yourself with these reasons so that you can avoid getting a parking ticket in the future!
Do I have to pay a Council Parking Fine?
In short, yes.
If the council have rightfully issued the PCN to you, you will need to pay the fine. You have 28 days to make the payment, but in most cases, if you pay the fine within 14 days the amount is reduced, although this may be different in Northern Ireland or Scotland.
If you don’t pay your PCN, you might end up having to pay the full amount plus 50% of the fine on top of that too! So, your best bet is to pay the fine within 14 days (if possible) and save yourself some money.
However, if you feel that the PCN hasn’t been issued rightfully, you do have the right to appeal it! So, don’t just pay the fine, take the time to find out how to appeal!
How can I pay my PCN Council Parking Fine?
You may realise that the PCN was rightfully issued due to a simple mistake, but don’t worry, we all make mistakes sometimes! Paying a penalty charge notice is really simple, as most councils have an online portal where you can make a quick and easy payment.
However, you don’t have to pay online if you can’t or simply don’t want to. There will be a list of the different ways you can pay on the PCN.
How can I appeal a PCN Council Parking Fine?
If you think that your PCN has been wrongly issued, you can appeal to the local council that issued it and if you’re successful, the fine will be completely wiped. However, you need to make the appeal within 28 days of the date on the PCN.
It’s important to note which council has issued the PCN to you. For example, if you work in another locality to where you live, it’s completely possible to get a PCN from another council. This means that you need to make your appeal to the right council, not the one you live in.
There are a few other things to keep in mind too!
If the PCN was left on your car, your first step will be to make an informal appeal to the local council. This will need to be done within 14 days of the date that the PCN was placed on your vehicle. You can make an informal appeal by writing them a letter or finding out other contact details on their website. If your informal appeal isn’t accepted, you still have the right to make a formal appeal.
However, if the PCN came through the post, you don’t have the option to make an informal appeal. From here, you’ll need to make a formal appeal to the council that issued the PCN. Formal PCN appeals must be completed within 28 days of the date on the PCN.
Appealing a PCN process
When it comes to making a formal appeal, you’ll need to write a letter explaining why you’re appealing the PCN. You’ll also need to make sure you have a sufficient reason or evidence supporting your reason for challenging the PCN.
Some people find the idea of appealing against the council a daunting thought, but it’s not actually as complicated or scary as it might seem. Basically, you have 28 days to make a formal appeal after you’ve received your PCN. You’ll need to write a letter that’s known as a representation letter that includes all of the details stating why you’re appealing the PCN.
Your representation letter will also need to include all of the evidence you’ve collected to support your appeal, such as a picture of misleading signage or unclear road markings. You’ll also need to include your address, your registration number, and the PCN number.
There are lots of good reasons to appeal a PCN, so make sure you know your rights before coughing up any money!
Source: Money Saving Expert
You might feel confident in writing your own appeal letter, but if you don’t we’ve created a PCN appeal letter template that’s easy to use and gives you that peace of mind that you’re not missing off any valuable information.
When it comes to PCN appeal response times, you might find yourself waiting a while for their decision. The council has 56 days to review, consider and make a decision to your formal appeal.
However, if your PCN appeal has no response from the council after 56 days have passed, you’ve won your appeal by default and are no longer liable to pay the fine.
What happens after I appeal my PCN?
The local council has 56 days to review, consider and make a decision of your case and let you know if they accept or reject the appeal you’ve made. If you’re successful and win your PCN appeal, your penalty charge notice will be cancelled and you don’t have to take any further action.
However, if the council rejects the appeal you’ve made, they will send you what’s known as a notice of rejection. This notice will contain details on how you can appeal further if you wish to.
Can I appeal against the Council’s decision?
Yes, you can appeal against the council’s decision. Your notice of rejection letter will also have details on how to make a further appeal to the General Regulatory Chamber.
What happens if I don’t pay my PCN Council Parking Fine?
If you choose not to pay your PCN, the problem won’t just go away. In fact, the council could take you to court, and you could be given a court order that will force you to pay the fine. If you don’t pay your PCN within 28 days, you’ll be given what’s called a charge certificate.
This extends your deadline by 14 days, but you will have to pay the full amount plus an extra 50% of the fine on top. That means that if your original PCN was £70, you’ll now need to pay £105 within those 14 days.
If you still don’t pay the fine, you’ll be issued with a court order that will force you to pay. This is known as an order of recovery, and you’ll then have a further 21 days to pay the fine or challenge the court order. However, if you don’t do either of those things, you can expect bailiffs to visit your home to repossess your belongings to clear that debt.
How can I avoid getting a PCN Council Parking Ticket?
While you might not be able to avoid getting out of your PCN this time, you can still take notes to avoid getting one in the future. There are lots of rules that dictate where and how you can park, but if you understand a few simple rules, you’ll be able to avoid getting a PCN in the future.
You are actually allowed to stop on double yellow lines
While you’re not allowed to park on double yellow lines, you are allowed to drop someone off or pick them up. However, you cannot leave your car. If you’re picking someone up, try and make sure they know you’re about to arrive so that you’re not waiting for a long time.
If you’re dropping someone off, wait until your passenger is safely out of the car and pull away when it’s safe to do so. Many people worry that they have to rush, but if you have a passenger that might find it harder to get out of the car, you’re free to wait for them as long as it takes without the risk of a fine.
However, if you’re caught by a parking attendant or on camera and are deemed to be loitering, you might be ticketed. Try to make sure you and your passenger are punctual if you do need to stop on double yellow lines.
Be careful how you park
You might feel that if you do have to park up for a little while, that parking with your car partially on the pavement is a conscientious thing to do for other road users. However, parking wardens probably won’t see it that way, and you may end up with a ticket.
Your best bet is to make sure your vehicle is completely on the road to avoid getting ticketed, even if you’re only parked for a short time.
Check parking signs
Any parking areas owned and managed by the local council should have parking signs that dictate who can park there, for how long, and any other rules such as resident permit holders only or disabled parking spaces.
Take the time to read parking signs before leaving your vehicle to make sure that you’re not breaking any rules and ultimately, putting yourself at risk for a penalty charge notice.
Some signs may dictate certain days and times during the week, and parking your vehicle outside of these times could lead to a penalty charge notice.
Don’t stop in a bus stop
It’s easy to quickly swing into a bus stop to drop someone off or pick them up, but you cannot stop or wait in a bus stop for any reason at all. The only exception is if you’re stuck in traffic, but you still shouldn’t pull into the bus stop itself.