Q. Ref: Private Parking Companies' Response Time to Appeals
Discussion
Please can people share their experiences of timescales for private parking companies to respond to appeals.
For context, I received a private PCN, (parking charge notice), in the post last Saturday. I submitted my appeal (as the registered keeper) on Sunday evening via the company's portal, (and no confirmation of receipt of my appeal received via e-mail from the company).
My appeal is based on the usual parameters: signage not compliant to their (BPA) code of practice, signage and parking bays on-site not being clear on where customers of the store can and cannot park etc.
I haven't heard anything back from them yet, (appreciate it is only Thursday), but I am mindful they might do something underhand like wait an age to the reject the appeal hoping I will miss it the e-mail and not then raise an appeal with POPLA.
Thanks.
For context, I received a private PCN, (parking charge notice), in the post last Saturday. I submitted my appeal (as the registered keeper) on Sunday evening via the company's portal, (and no confirmation of receipt of my appeal received via e-mail from the company).
My appeal is based on the usual parameters: signage not compliant to their (BPA) code of practice, signage and parking bays on-site not being clear on where customers of the store can and cannot park etc.
I haven't heard anything back from them yet, (appreciate it is only Thursday), but I am mindful they might do something underhand like wait an age to the reject the appeal hoping I will miss it the e-mail and not then raise an appeal with POPLA.
Thanks.
Edited by 7Llewelyn on Thursday 26th June 13:24
Not very helpful but the last private one I appealed against I didn't receive anything back regarding my appeal. Instead after some weeks I received an invoice for £170 (I think) which I ignored, I also ignored all the ones I received after that.
I would have gone to court with it but it never came to that and after some months the demands for money stopped. This was about 20 months ago.
I would have gone to court with it but it never came to that and after some months the demands for money stopped. This was about 20 months ago.
My update to this thread I started is as follows:
1. The PPC took just over a month to respond to my appeal and rejected it. Their reason to reject it was lightweight to say the least and they just responded stating the vehicle was parked in contravention of their Ts and Cs. They didn't address my notes in the appeal about the signage being non-compliant to their (BPA's) code of practice.
2. I submitted an appeal to POPLA yesterday evening around 9PM. By 11:00AM this morning I received this from POPLA:
The operator has contacted us and told us that they have withdrawn your appeal.
If you have already paid your parking charge, this is the reason your appeal will have been withdrawn. Unfortunately, you cannot pay your parking charge and appeal, which means that POPLA s involvement in your appeal has ended. You will not be able to request a refund of the amount paid in order to resubmit your appeal to us.
If you have not paid your parking charge, the operator has reviewed your appeal and chosen to cancel the parking charge. As the operator has withdrawn your appeal, POPLA s involvement has now ended and you do not need to take any further action.
I hadn't paid anything of course.
My appeal was based around this: The BPA Code of Practice Version 1.1, 17th February 2025, Section 3.1.1. states: An entrance sign must be displayed and maintained at the entrance to controlled land to inform drivers as appropriate whether parking is permitted. There are no signs positioned at the entrance of ###########.
The second point in my appeal was: There are three small, discreetly wall mounted signs above head height at the site that are not clearly visible to drivers as they enter the site and park to collect items from the ##### store. These signs state: VEHICLES PARKING WITHIN ##### LOADING BAYS ARE LIMITED TO A 15 MINUTE MAXIMUM STAY PERIOD, WITH NO RETURN PERMITTED WITHIN 1 HOUR. NO PARKING IS PERMITTED OUTSIDE OF MARKED BAYS, ON HATCHED AREAS OR CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTION TO OTHER USERS OF THIS AREA. The signage at the site does not state or identify the location of the loading bays for #####. The vehicle registration: ##### was parked within a yellow outlined painted box near the rear entrance to #####. There is a sign at this location giving the times ##### customers can collect items. A reasonable person would interpret and use the yellow painted box at the rear of the ##### store as a marked bay for ##### customers.
Hope this helps someone else challenge an unfair PCN.
1. The PPC took just over a month to respond to my appeal and rejected it. Their reason to reject it was lightweight to say the least and they just responded stating the vehicle was parked in contravention of their Ts and Cs. They didn't address my notes in the appeal about the signage being non-compliant to their (BPA's) code of practice.
2. I submitted an appeal to POPLA yesterday evening around 9PM. By 11:00AM this morning I received this from POPLA:
The operator has contacted us and told us that they have withdrawn your appeal.
If you have already paid your parking charge, this is the reason your appeal will have been withdrawn. Unfortunately, you cannot pay your parking charge and appeal, which means that POPLA s involvement in your appeal has ended. You will not be able to request a refund of the amount paid in order to resubmit your appeal to us.
If you have not paid your parking charge, the operator has reviewed your appeal and chosen to cancel the parking charge. As the operator has withdrawn your appeal, POPLA s involvement has now ended and you do not need to take any further action.
I hadn't paid anything of course.
My appeal was based around this: The BPA Code of Practice Version 1.1, 17th February 2025, Section 3.1.1. states: An entrance sign must be displayed and maintained at the entrance to controlled land to inform drivers as appropriate whether parking is permitted. There are no signs positioned at the entrance of ###########.
The second point in my appeal was: There are three small, discreetly wall mounted signs above head height at the site that are not clearly visible to drivers as they enter the site and park to collect items from the ##### store. These signs state: VEHICLES PARKING WITHIN ##### LOADING BAYS ARE LIMITED TO A 15 MINUTE MAXIMUM STAY PERIOD, WITH NO RETURN PERMITTED WITHIN 1 HOUR. NO PARKING IS PERMITTED OUTSIDE OF MARKED BAYS, ON HATCHED AREAS OR CAUSING AN OBSTRUCTION TO OTHER USERS OF THIS AREA. The signage at the site does not state or identify the location of the loading bays for #####. The vehicle registration: ##### was parked within a yellow outlined painted box near the rear entrance to #####. There is a sign at this location giving the times ##### customers can collect items. A reasonable person would interpret and use the yellow painted box at the rear of the ##### store as a marked bay for ##### customers.
Hope this helps someone else challenge an unfair PCN.
Edited by 7Llewelyn on Friday 25th July 22:11
GasEngineer said:
Thanks for the update and the info OP.
Odd terminology - POPLA says "the operator has contacted us and told us that they have withdrawn your appeal."
Wouldn't it be up to the appellant to decide to withdraw their appeal or not?
Yes I agree. POPLA's wording is very odd and illogical. You don't get the feeling their position between the appellant and the PPC(s) is completely neutral. Oh well, it's saved me £60 and cost the PPC circa £25 for their POPLA fee plus admin time for their staff. Odd terminology - POPLA says "the operator has contacted us and told us that they have withdrawn your appeal."
Wouldn't it be up to the appellant to decide to withdraw their appeal or not?
It is worth remembering that whenever replying to private parking PCN. to never identify who was driving as the contract is with the driver and not the RK..... So always in reply ssy 'the driver saw this... the driver did that' and not my aunt,son, father next doors cat as they can then chase a named person. Under POFA 2012 yiu are under no obligation to say who was driving even if it was you, but do not say it was your 'friend'from overseas.. UNLESS it was as if it goes to court and the judge asks you who was vehicle the wheel you could be in trouble. Also when you get a PCN go through it comparing their wording to what is mandated in POFA. small errors will get thrown out at POPLA. and also remember that PPC cannot chsse you if you park on non relavent land, which is normally railway car parks and airports..as these are normally covered by byelaws.. I would also recommend that you start a new enquity in the private parking ticket forum at FTLA.COM .These guys give good advice but always be honest with them, they do not like stories being amended AND even when writing to them do not reveal the driver the PPC do read posts! As i said POFA 2012 is your friend .
I am alright Jack said:
Not very helpful but the last private one I appealed against I didn't receive anything back regarding my appeal. Instead after some weeks I received an invoice for £170 (I think) which I ignored, I also ignored all the ones I received after that.
I would have gone to court with it but it never came to that and after some months the demands for money stopped. This was about 20 months ago.
So they still 52 months to issue court proceeding.I would have gone to court with it but it never came to that and after some months the demands for money stopped. This was about 20 months ago.
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