July 2021
Fines and parking charges aren’t a pleasant thing for any motorist to deal with. Sadly, there is a lot of misinformation out there about Parking Charge Notices and whether you need to pay them, which creates additional confusion.
You must either pay or appeal a Parking Charge Notice – if you receive a PCN, you have deemed to be in breach of contract for parking on private land. It is your responsibility to pay the charge or submit a valid appeal as to why you believe you are not at fault.
What happened if I don’t pay my PCN?
Parking Charge Notices cannot be ignored, even if you refuse to pay and want to appeal you must interact with them. At its simplest level, avoiding a Parking Charge means you miss out on the cheaper payment cost. At its most serious, it can see you being sent additional reminders before finally being taken to court.
That alone can be stressful, and you need to consider the costs of legal fees in many cases. This can often cost you more than the parking charge would, which is why payment or appeal are the best two routes to pursue.
Does a Parking Charge Notice only impact the owner of the car?
Not necessarily. In the first instance, the Parking Charge Notice is sent to the registered vehicle owner. However, they can appeal on the grounds they were not responsible for the vehicle at the time.
They can choose to provide the driver’s details as part of their appeal; this then transfers the Parking Charge from the registered vehicle owner to the driver. This is what is known as a transfer of liability. The parking management company can then pursue the driver for the parking charge as opposed to the registered vehicle owner.
