If you don’t think you should have to pay a parking ticket

Many of us will get a parking ticket eventually, and most of the time we’re bang to rights. But there are parking fines that can seem unfair or even plain wrong. Maybe you didn’t buy a ticket because restrictions weren’t clearly marked. Maybe you couldn’t buy one because the machine was broken. Is it worth appealing? What evidence will you need to show that you’re being unfairly treated? And if you’ve had a fine from a private company, can you ignore it altogether?

Find out if it’s worth appealing

If you’re trying to appeal a parking ticket, the evidence you’ll need will depend on your circumstances. For example, if you’re being charged for overstaying, you’ll need to prove that you left the car park earlier than has been alleged. Or, if you couldn’t buy a ticket, you’ll need to show that tickets weren’t available. It’s worth remembering that you’ll need to raise your appeal in a certain timeframe – if you don’t respond soon enough, you could end up being taken to court.

How Which? Legal can help

If you’ve had a parking fine you don’t think is fair, we can tell you whether you’ve got grounds for an appeal. We’ll suggest what evidence you could use to support your appeal and tell you what your next steps should be if it’s rejected. We can also advise you on what to do if a private parking firm takes you to court – although if a local council takes court action, we won’t be able to help. We’ll:

• listen to what the situation is
• tell you whether you’ve got grounds for an appeal
• suggest next steps if your appeal is turned down