Once you've determined that you have grounds for appeal the next
step is to collect evidence that supports your
claim.
Take photographs of the scene where the alleged
offence occurred (a camera phone will do).
Things to photograph include:
- Road signs. Any unclear signs such as
suspended bay signs or residents' parking signs.
- Road markings. Any unclear bay markings or
yellow/red lines.
- Lack of signs/markings. Areas without signs or
markings you believe should be there.
- Your car. If you're disputing where you were
alleged to have parked, take a picture of your car and capture the
immediate area around your car.
- The meter. If you were parked in a paid-for
bay, keep your ticket or take a photo of the meter if it still
registers the time your paid-for parking expired.
Gather all relevant paperwork
Documentary evidence can also be very useful when making an
appeal. Examples of this include proof of mitigating circumstances
(eg. Travel documents if you were on holiday, a doctor's note if
you were ill), a crime reference number if you your vehicle was
stolen, witness statements, or anything else you feel might help
your claim.
Remember to keep copies of all correspondence and make several
copies of important documents as the appeal process can potentially
take a long time, passing through different departments before your
appeal is upheld.
Lodge your appeal
The next stage is to send your appeal together with your
supporting evidence to the authority that issued the ticket to you.
The relevant address can usually be found on the ticket itself or
on your local council's website.
The appeal process takes two or three steps depending on how
your ticket was issued:
- If your PCN was stuck to the window of your vehicle then your
first appeal will be classed as informal. If this is rejected then
you can re-send your appeal under the formal process.
- If your PCN was sent to you in the post, if your vehicle was
clamped or towed away, or if your informal appeal is rejected then
your complaint goes to the formal process.
- If the formal appeal is rejected then you will be able to send
your case on to an independent tribunal. This is completely
FREE and can be done by post, email or fax; you do
not have to attend any hearings. Make sure to send all previous
correspondence and documents, including rejection letters from the
council, relating to the appeal.
Which body carries out the tribunal depends on where you are in
the UK:
It may seem a daunting process but remember that the majority of
these appeals are successful, saving motorists
hundreds of thousands of pounds every year. If you
have strong grounds for appeal then the odds are in your
favour. Don't let the jobsworths win.
Claims Financial
Testimonial
"I just had to put pen to paper and write to say I'm more than delighted with my settlement that you won me back from my PPI I had with Lloyds TSB. The Claim Forms were simple to fill in. It was a breeze"
Mr R Evans 11 Nov 2010