When I opened a letter from ParkingEye, I was stunned to see a Parking Charge Notice (PCN) demanding payment for an alleged contravention at Asda Sheffield Manor Top on 8 April 2025. Their ANPR cameras showed my car entering the car park at 10:10 and leaving at 11:28.
Instead of just paying, I decided to fight back and I won.
The Background
I’m the registered keeper of the vehicle, but I wasn’t the driver that day. More importantly, when I read the notice carefully, I spotted several legal and procedural errors. I decided to put together a formal legal appeal letter, citing The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 (POFA), the British Parking Association Code of Practice (BPA AOS), and even relevant court cases.
My Appeal In Plain English
My letter wasn’t just an appeal it was a legal defence. I argued:
- Incorrect Payment Periods – ParkingEye calculated the payment deadline from the date they issued the notice, not the date it was deemed served (as required by POFA). This made the PCN defective.
- No Keeper Liability – The notice didn’t comply with POFA rules to transfer liability from the driver (unknown) to me as the keeper. I referred to the case Excel v Lamoureux, where the court confirmed that keepers are not presumed to be drivers.
- Lack of Signage – There was no entrance sign at the car park stating the parking terms, meaning no contract was formed. This broke BPA rules.
- Demand for Evidence – I asked for proof of landowner authority, photos of the signage, and other evidence. I warned that not providing these could be considered misrepresentation under the Fraud Act 2006.
The Outcome
ParkingEye cancelled the charge before it even reached POPLA or court. It proved that knowing your rights and challenging mistakes can make all the difference.
My Review
“I can’t thank ParkingMate UK enough. I thought I’d have to pay, but their guidance helped me draft a strong legal letter that made ParkingEye back down. It wasn’t about avoiding payment it was about standing up for my rights when the notice was wrong from the start. I’d recommend their service to anyone dealing with unfair private parking charges.”
If you’ve got a private parking ticket, I’d highly recommend using ParkingMate UK. It was extremely easy, completely straightforward, and it got the job done. Don’t just pay without checking they can help you get unfair charges cancelled too.