The government has just set out an Appeals Charter for private car parks. Some charges should be cancelled, others cut to £20. Check yours free in about a minute, then send a clear appeal in your own words.
Free check, no sign-up. Based on the Private Parking Code of Practice laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Go on, it helps
Pull the ticket apart, or tap it. When Pardon checks your real charge, you get a verdict like this, the reasons behind it, and a letter ready to send.
The Appeals Charter, in plain English
From the government's Private Parking Code of Practice for private car parks in England, Scotland and Wales.
At least 5 minutes to read the signs and decide whether to stay. At least 10 minutes after your paid time ends before a charge. Short-stay car parks can be treated differently.
The £100 cap stays, and so does the 40% discount for paying early.
How it works
Answer a few taps about what happened. Pardon compares it with the Charter and tells you straight: cancel, cut to £20, worth appealing, or honestly, pay the discount.
Pardon drafts a calm, specific appeal from your answers, lists the evidence to attach and gives you the dates that matter. You read it, edit it and send it yourself.
If the operator says no, Pardon drafts your free independent appeal to POPLA or the IAS, and adds reminders to your calendar before each deadline.
Why not just ignore it?
A private parking charge isn't a fine, but it is a claim for money. Here's what usually happens if you bin it.
The company says you broke the car park's terms, which is a contract claim. It won't put points on your licence, but it stays on their books.
Reminder letters, then debt-recovery letters, often with extra fees added on top of the charge.
The company can take you to the small claims court. If you ignore court papers, you can get a County Court Judgment (CCJ), which can hurt your credit file if it isn't paid within a month.
Appeals have deadlines. Miss the operator's window and you usually can't use POPLA or the IAS, the free independent appeal services.
The cheaper route: appeal in time if you have grounds, or pay at the early discount if you don't. Council tickets have their own rules and go up if ignored too. This is general information, not legal advice. If court papers arrive, act quickly; Citizens Advice can help for free.
Why this matters
Just under 17 million private parking charges were issued in the UK last year.
GOV.UK, October 2026Driver records requested from the DVLA by parking firms in 2024/25 (14,381,119), more than double 2018/19.
Hansard written answer, April 2026Of completed POPLA appeals ended with the charge cancelled, mostly because the operator chose not to contest.
POPLA annual report, 2025The most a charge should be for the slip-ups the new Charter covers, such as paying for the wrong car.
Government response, October 2026Pricing
No success fees and no cut of what you save. SUGGESTED LAUNCH PRICES
Suggested prices for the owner to confirm. VAT treatment to be confirmed by the owner. Pardon drafts letters for you to send; it cannot guarantee any outcome.
How we behave
If the Charter doesn't help, Pardon says so and shows you the discount deadline instead.
You check every letter and send it yourself, so you stay in control of what's said.
The check runs in your browser. What you type stays on your device unless you choose to buy.
Pardon summarises public guidance. For court claims or debt letters, Citizens Advice can help for free.
Questions
Not yet. The Code was laid before Parliament on 20 October 2026 and is expected to apply from early 2027 (exact date to be confirmed). Until then operators are not bound by it, but you can still appeal on these grounds and ask them to follow it.
The Charter covers private car parks (Parking Charge Notices from companies). Council and TfL Penalty Charge Notices have their own process. Pardon's check has a council route with the common grounds and dates, but the Charter verdicts don't apply to them.
No one can promise that. Pardon tells you what the Charter and common appeal grounds say about situations like yours. The operator decides first, then POPLA or the IAS if you take it further.
It's a bad idea. Ignored private charges usually pick up debt-recovery fees and can end in a county court claim, and ignoring court papers can lead to a CCJ. You can also miss your chance to appeal. Appeal in time, or pay at the discount if you have no grounds. Not legal advice. More on this.
They are the free independent appeal services. If the operator belongs to the British Parking Association you go to POPLA, usually within 28 days of the rejection. If it belongs to the International Parking Community you go to the IAS, usually within 21 days.
No. Pardon is a self-help tool that summarises public guidance and drafts a letter from your answers. For anything heading to court, talk to Citizens Advice or a solicitor.
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