Businesses, supermarkets, hotels, sports centres, colleges and councils are clamping down unauthorised parking and they are hitting hardest the worst off.
From 7 to 21 May, the search for ‘Fines (Penalty)’ increased by 50% on Google. With this in mind, Scott Nelson at MoneyNerd wanted to answer some of the most common Parking Fine questions in the UK to increase awareness of what is actually involved with this type of penalty.
-
Can I be fined for parking in a private car park?
-
What is a Parking Charge Notice (PCN)?
-
How much is a parking ticket fine in the UK?
-
Can you be issued a parking ticket while in your car?
-
Are parking charge notices enforceable?
Can I be fined for parking in a private car park?
Yes, you can be given a parking fine for parking on private land and not obeying the terms and conditions of the car park, such as paying for your parking or parking correctly when using the car park.
When you enter a private car park, there must be adequate signage stating the terms and conditions of using the car park, or where to find them. By using the car park, you automatically agree to these terms and conditions.
What is a Parking Charge Notice?
A Parking Charge Notice is the official name of a private parking fine. They might also go by the name of a contractual Parking Charge Notice, simply because the individual who receives one is deemed to have broken the contractual agreement when they used the private car park.
You shouldn’t confuse a Parking Charge Notice with a Penalty Charge Notice, despite their similar sounding names and an identical abbreviation – PCN.
How much is a parking ticket fine in the UK?
A private parking ticket fine is currently capped at £100. But the car park company is obligated to offer at least a 40% discount if you pay within 14 days. So the fine can be reduced to £60 at most.
Can you be issued a parking ticket while in your car?
Yes, you can be issued a parking ticket while in your vehicle. Whether or not you’re inside or outside your vehicle is irrelevant to whether you’ve committed a parking contravention.
However, if you’re sitting in your vehicle preparing to leave, there might be times when you can avoid a parking ticket. Read our parking ticket while in your car post to uncover this loophole!
Are Parking Charge Notices enforceable?
Private parking fines can become enforceable by a court. The private parking company would need to take you to court and convince a judge to order you to pay.
The situation is complicated because not all parking companies are willing to take legal action. We’ve made your options and the associated risk easy to understand in our Are Private Car Park Fines Enforceable? post.
