How To Appeal Horizon Parking Charge Notice
Avoid Mitigation, Big Mistake!
Avoid Mitigating Reasons (Explaining What Happened)
Many people, when they receive a parking charge notice want to rush to explain the situation in the hope that Horizon Parking agree and counsel a parking charge notice.
Although describing mitigating circumstances may be emotionally powerful, legal reasons hold greater significance in the appeals process.
However, the reality is that it is very rare for Horizon Parking to cancel a parking charge notice based on mitigation alone.
According to the 2022 POPLA Annual on your report, only 686 appeals were referred to the adjudicator based on mitigation, out of 76,292, which is less than 1%.
Correct Appeal Procedure
The correct appeal procedure is to check if horizon parking have issued the parking charge notice correctly, have displayed the correct signage at the car park, have followed the British parking Association code of practice, have issued the parking charge notice within the legal deadlines.
As you can see, an appeal made on this basis puts you in a very strong position to get your parking charge notice cancelled. furthermore, if an appeal based on this type of argument goes to the tribunal, the tribunal is likely to find in your favour or horizon parking will likely concede the appeal.
If you focus on mitigation only, you are making it easier for horizon parking to identify your mistakes and to make it easier for them to pursue you for the parking charge notice.
Why Horizon Parking Issued a Parking Charge Notice?
To determine why Horizon Parking issued a Parking Charge Notice (PCN), you’ll need to check the specific reason mentioned on the parking charge notice.
Common reasons for the issuance of PCNs include:
Exceeding Parking Time Limits: If you parked for longer than the permitted time in a specific area.
Improper Permit Display: If the use of a parking permit is required, but it wasn’t displayed correctly or was expired.
Not Adhering to Terms and Conditions: Failure to comply with the terms and conditions of the private car park, such as parking in restricted areas or not following specified rules.
Failure to Pay Parking for Parking: Non-payment or insufficient payment for parking, as outlined in the terms of use.
Carefully check the details mentioned on the PCN for information about the alleged violation.
If you have any doubts or believe the PCN was issued in error, you can include this on your appeal letter.
Understanding the specific reason for the PCN is essential in building a successful appeal strategy.
Horizon Parking Appeal Process
Step 1: Prepare Appeal Letter using Parkingmateuk.com
An appeal letter to challenge the parking charge notice must be written corSeerectly, it must also not make it easy for horizon parking to identify the driver.
Use parkingmateuk.com to check your PCN for common errors, and to prepare an appeal letter that will be based on legal arguments.
Step 2: Submit Appeal to Horizon Parking
You will receive full instructions on how to submit your appeal, avoid common errors and what to do if your appeal is rejected.
The instructions include how to complete the horizon parking appeal form, the best reasons to select, and what to do if horizon parking ask you for driver information (Never provided driver information).
According to the British parking Association, Horizon parking will have to respond to your appeal within 35 days and if they do not comply with this deadline, your appeal will be successful at POPLA.
Step 3: Submit Appeal to POPLA
It is not uncommon for horizon parking to reject your appeal and then concede a sooners you submit the appeal to POPLA.
If your appeal is based on legal reasons and contains mistakes that Horizon Parking has made, you simply need to submit the appeal as instructed by Parking Mate UK.
Once you submit your appeal to POPLA, there is nothing else for you today, other than waiting for the lawyer at popular to assess your case and make the final decision.
What are the best excuses to get out of your parking charge notice?
There are four categories of reasons issued use in your appeal to get out of the parking charge notice.
Please note that if you have evidence of parking correctly, this is usually the easiest and fastest way to challenge parking charge notice, but you should to check if your parking charge was issued correctly to build a stronger case.
Here is our top 10 reasons that can get you out of a parking charge notice:
- If a parking charge notice to keeper wasn’t issued within 14 days
- If the notice does not state relevant legal wording
- If they signage at the car park was poorly placed
- If you paid for parking and displayed your permit correctly
- If you were not aware of any parking restrictions on the vehicle was parked
- If a parking charge notice does not show how long the vehicle was parked
- If you went to a car park more than once and left then returned to the car park.
- If the parking charge notice has included force information or statements such as mentioning the word fine or contravention.
- If there was a mistake with how the parking charge notice was issued
- And finally, if horizon parking do not have landowner authority to issue parking tickets at the car park
As you can see, these reasons are less about trying to explain the situation but focus more on the regulations.
The Parking Mate UK website will help you check the legal requirements and exemptions and produce a letter that you can simply send to Horizon parking.
Can I pay the discount amount and appeal?
The amount of the parking charge notice will be frozen at the rate it is when you submit your appeal.
However, because horizon parking would try to get payment regardless, they may offer you a discount amount even if the amount of the parking charge notice when you appeal is the full amount.
So for example, even if your parking charge notice is at £100, they may offer you a £40 discount to encourage you to pay rather than go to the tribunal POPLA. While this might seem like a good idea, it is important to make sure that if your appeal letter is based on legal reasons, you should take it to POPLA where you are very likely to be successful.
Please note that if you pay a parking charge notice at any time, it will be conceded that you have accepted liability and therefore the case is closed and you cannot claim a refund.
Can private companies send bailiffs?
If your case has not yet going to court, or if the amount of the court claim is less than £600, it is unlikely that Horizon Parking will send bailiffs.
However, if you have a high value case over £600 and Horizon Parking has successfully won a court case, then they may instruct the bailiffs to come and enforce the warrant.
Please note that, even if a warrant is issued, it can still be challenged and the whole procedure can be restarted if you apply to have the County Court judgement set aside.
So, although private companies can send bailiffs, this is usually in high-value cases or over £600, but please remember that the legal process can only work if executed fairly and both parties have had a chance to resolve the issue.
What if Horizon Parking don't reply within 35 days
Can Horizon parking pursue drivers in Scotland?
The law is very clear that the registered keeper of the vehicle cannot be held liable for a parking charge notice in Scotland.
However, many people make the mistake of trying to explain the situation, and in the process revealing that they were driving the vehicle.
Parking companies will often try to make it sound like they are being very helpful and want to resolve the issue, however it is important to remember that any information you give them only helps to build a strong case against you.
The Parking Mate UK website will guide you on how to write an appeal using the Scotland legal exemption and avoid naming the driver. That website is a very good resource for challenging parking tickets, it really is.
What if your appeal is rejected at POPLA?
Depending on the reason that you appeal has been rejected, we often recommend that you pay the parking charge notice at this stage.
The reason for this is that, if you decide to escalate the matter to court, it will require more specialist knowledge to defend a County Court claim and therefore it would be cheaper and easier to pay if rejected by POPLA.
However, please note that parking companies have to pay POPLA for using the appeal system, so in the worst case scenario you are still only paying £60 to Horizon Parking.
Start Your Appeal
Complete the Parking Mate UK form to receive your legal letter and appeal instructions for Horizon Parking.
