Drivers across the UK have been receiving unexpected demands to pay £170 fines for parking mistakes reportedly made up to six years ago. These fines are linked to alleged errors such as incorrectly using pay and display machines.
One driver detailed their experience in a letter to the Guardian newspaper, reporting receipt of two letters from National Parking Enforcement Ltd (NPE) requesting payment related to a car park incident from six years earlier.
According to information from the Birmingham Mail, cases like these often involve limited details about the exact nature of the alleged breach, leaving motorists uncertain about what went wrong.
Circumstances and Motorist’s Experience
The driver highlighted that the letters did not specify the exact mistake committed. In their own words:
It doesn’t specify what I did incorrectly – I’m guessing I made a typo when entering my car reg because the buttons on the machines are so faded and Os and zeros look identical.
The motorist was also warned that if the fine was not paid, they could face court proceedings and a damaged credit rating.
The Guardian noted the timing of the demand, which arrived just days before the six-year legal deadline for such claims was reached. The deadline has since expired, which calls into question the enforceability of the fine.
Additionally, the newspaper pointed out:
Moreover, NPE has failed to provide evidence that you breached the terms and conditions,
emphasizing a lack of proof from the company regarding the alleged parking violation.
Car Fines Legal Rules and Time Limits
Under UK law, claims for unpaid parking charges generally must be pursued within a six-year period.
Receiving demands close to or after this deadline can invalidate the company’s ability to enforce payment.
The timing of these letters sent by NPE just before the six years elapsed appears to be a tactic to preserve the right to collect, though once the period has expired, the legal obligation to pay no longer stands.
How to Challenge Unfair Private Parking Tickets
Money Saving Expert (MSE), the consumer advice website founded by Martin Lewis, offers guidance on contesting private parking tickets. It describes three distinct routes for appeals:
- If the parking company is a member of a recognized trade body, motorists can appeal through that body’s established procedures.
- If the company is not a member of any trade organization, a different appeals process applies.
- Regardless of membership, there is an option to appeal based on a technicality, which is open to all drivers.
MSE advises that discovering whether the parking firm has made procedural errors is crucial, as this “will give you useful ammunition in your appeal.”
One key procedural step is verifying if the parking company complied with the Notice to Keeper rules, as set out in the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. Failure to comply with these legal requirements often means the ticket cannot be enforced.
MSE explicitly recommends:
First write directly to the company (contact details should be on the ticket) and tell it that as it did not comply with the Notice to Keeper rules set out in the Protection of Freedoms Act, you won’t be paying the ticket.
Lack of Evidence and Consumer Rights
The motorist’s case highlights a broader issue with private parking enforcement companies like NPE not providing clear evidence to justify the fine. This omission weakens their position and strengthens the driver’s right to dispute the charge.
Legal experts and consumer advocates encourage motorists to carefully review all correspondence from such companies and to seek advice before responding to demands for payment.
Ignoring or simply paying the fine may not always be in the driver’s best interest, especially when the company cannot substantiate its claim or when the statutory time limit has expired.
