Guide to making an appeal
In this guide we'll take you through the steps to making an appeal covering what you'll need to include, the common grounds for appealing and examples of what we'll consider as relevant information.
What you will need
There’s a few things you’ll need to hand before starting your appeal, we have provided more information on these in the drop-downs below.
Please note: while your appeal is carried out with POPLA, your parking charge notice will not be suspended and the parking operator may add additional fees for later payment.
10 digit verification code
You should have received this verification code when you received your rejection notice from the private parking operator. If you haven’t received your code, you can contact the parking operator who will provide one, but only if you appealed within 28 days of receiving your Parking Charge Notice.
Your parking charge notice number
You can find this number on your original Parking Charge Notice.
Your vehicle's registration number
You'll need to supply the registration of the vehicle involved in the appeal.
Evidence
You should attach or enclose any evidence that you believe supports your case. For example:
Crime reference number (if the vehicle was stolen)
Photographs (if you think that the signage was inadequate)
Pay and display voucher (if you say it was displayed and had not expired)
Witness statement
Preferred evidence:
Images; can be from your mobile phone (.jpg)
Videos (.mpg)
Documents scanned onto computer (.pdf, .docx or .doc)
For any physical evidence sent to POPLA, please make sure they are copies as we cannot return evidence that it sent to us.
Selecting Grounds For Appeal
You can appeal on whatever grounds you feel to be relevant, however, our assessors will decide whether these grounds are valid.
Below is a list of the common grounds for appealing.
My Vehicle was stolen
Your vehicle was improperly parked after being stolen
This does not include circumstances where the vehicle owner has given another person (e.g. a friend or family member) permission to drive their vehicle
The fact that you told the driver they could only use your vehicle if they did not get a parking ticket is not grounds for appeal
Supporting evidence may include:
Crime reference number
Police reports
I was not improperly parked
The vehicle was not parked where it was stated on the parking notice
You were still within the time you paid for
You did not overstay the free parking allowed in the car park
You paid the correct amount for parking
Your car parking ticket was clearly displayed
The terms and conditions of the car park were not properly signed
You were parked in an area where you were free to park
You complied with the terms and conditions on the signage
Supporting evidence may include:
Evidence of payment such as your parking ticket
Evidence from a parking app
Photographs of the car park
The amount requested on the parking charge notice is not correct
You have already paid your parking charge
You are being asked to pay the wrong amount
Supporting evidence may include:
Evidence that you have paid your parking charge and the date you paid
Evidence demonstrating why you believe the charge is not correct
Extreme circumstances prevented me from parking correctly
You were not able to comply with the parking conditions due to extreme circumstances
Supporting evidence may include:
Evidence of the extreme circumstances leading to the breach
Evidence your car broke down and a recovery company was called out
Evidence of a medical emergency that prevented you from keeping to the parking conditions
Other
There may be other reasons you are appealing your parking charge
Supporting evidence may include:
Any other evidence to support your reasons for appeal
What makes a good appeal?
We want to hear your side of the story so please give as much detail as possible about your parking experience. Things that might not seem particularly relevant could be important. For example, detail around why you visited the car park or where you went before or afterwards could allow us to build a picture of events to better understand your story. It will really help to back up your explanation with evidence, where possible.
How can I appeal on behalf of someone else?
The process is similar to appealing a charge of your own. The only difference is that you will need to tell us who you are appealing on behalf of and upload evidence to show that you are authorised to handle their appeal.
For example, if your husband received a parking charge notice and you wanted to appeal it on his behalf, you would need to provide your husband’s details as well as your own. You would also need to provide something from your husband – such as a letter or an email – which names you and authorises you to handle his POPLA appeal on his behalf.
You won’t be able to submit an appeal on someone else’s behalf without providing evidence you’re authorised to do so, so please don’t leave it to the last minute to get this evidence. Our assessors will always check they have appropriate authority and may contact you if they need further evidence.
Appeals process
We recommend reading through the 5 step process, so you are aware of what’s involved from preparing your evidence to receiving the final decision.
Case Studies
Our case studies provide real-life examples of previous appeals, including details on the case and evidence presented, as well as our analysis and decision.
Ready to start your appeal?
If you have read this guide and have all your evidence ready to submit, you can start your appeal below. Please make sure you understand the guidance, you use your own words, you are honest and you submit accurate evidence to support your appeal.