When I first got told I had a County Court claim from ParkingEye, I couldn’t believe it. This was all over a short visit to a birthday party, where I’d even paid for parking and later found out I should have had two hours free as a guest.
The company claimed I had overstayed by 15 minutes, but the reality was far from that. I’d followed the instructions given to me on the day, paid for my ticket, and had no reason to think I was breaking any rules.
What My Defence Said
My defence didn’t just say “I don’t agree with this”, it clearly explained why the claim had no proper legal footing. In plain English, it argued:
- They never proved I broke the rules. The camera only showed my car entering and leaving, not actually parked anywhere in breach of the terms.
- The times didn’t add up. Their own evidence didn’t match what actually happened that day.
- The amount they wanted was over the top. They were asking for more than the standard parking charge, which isn’t allowed without a proper reason.
- Their paperwork was wrong. They didn’t give enough detail about what I’d supposedly done wrong, and some of the required legal statements were missing.
- I had already paid. This should never have been escalated to court when I had followed the rules as far as I could see.
In short, my defence made it clear that there was no good reason for them to take me to court — and that if it went ahead, they were likely to lose.
The Outcome
A few weeks later, I got an email from the court confirming:
“On our system it is showing status as case discontinued by the Claimant.”
That meant ParkingEye gave up before it even got to a hearing.
My Advice to Anyone Else
If you get a private parking ticket especially if it reaches the court claim stage don’t just panic and pay. In my case, ParkingMate UK helped me put together a strong, clear defence that made the other side walk away. It was straightforward, stress-free, and it worked.
If they can help me get a claim dropped, they can help you too.