Applies to private parking charges and council PCNs
It is a hire, lease or company vehicle
Liability works differently when the registered keeper is a hire firm, a lease company or an employer. The notice has often been addressed on an assumption that does not hold.
No account, no card, nothing stored.
Why this works
Hire agreements shift liability
Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 contains specific provisions for hire vehicles. Ask the operator to direct the notice to the hirer and to cancel it as against the keeper.
Hire firms add their own admin fee
Many pass the charge on with a handling fee attached. Challenge the underlying charge quickly, because once the hire firm has paid it becomes much harder to unwind.
Company vehicles are not automatically the keeper's fault
Ask the operator to confirm the basis on which it seeks to hold a corporate registered keeper liable and to evidence that every condition has been met.
Evidence to attach
- The hire or lease agreement covering the date
- Any correspondence from the hire firm passing the charge on
- Company records showing who had the vehicle if relevant
More appeals fail on missing evidence than on weak arguments. Send copies, never originals, and keep a proof of posting.
Common questions
Can I appeal a parking ticket if the car is a hire or company vehicle?
Where a vehicle is on hire under a written agreement, liability may pass to the hirer provided the required documents are supplied. Where it is a company vehicle, the registered keeper is not automatically the driver. Challenging costs nothing, and if the issuer rejects you the escalation to an independent adjudicator is also free.
How long do I have to appeal?
Usually 28 days from the date on the notice, but the deadline that matters is often 14 days. Challenge within that window and most councils keep the 50% discount open for a further 14 days if they reject you. Private operators normally offer a reduced sum for the same period.
What evidence should I send?
The hire or lease agreement covering the date. Any correspondence from the hire firm passing the charge on. Company records showing who had the vehicle if relevant.
Does it cost anything to appeal?
No. Challenging the issuer is free, and escalating to POPLA, the Independent Appeals Service, the Traffic Penalty Tribunal or London Tribunals is free for motorists. Voidly does not charge you either.
Write your appeal now
Answer a few questions and Voidly assembles the right grounds for your case, with a checklist of what to attach.
Start my appealOther reasons people appeal
- The signs were not clear
- The notice arrived too late
- You were not the driver
- You paid but mistyped your registration
- Your vehicle was never at that location
- You were only a few minutes over
- The payment machine was not working
- You had a Blue Badge
Voidly produces a draft letter to help you appeal. It is not legal advice. Always check the letter and the deadline on your notice before sending.