ParkingEye – and indeed many other carpark cash generators – are wankers, and they’re infamous for sending extortionate fines to drivers who spent 5-10 minutes checking the parking terms, deciding against it (for whatever reason) and leaving immediately. In the UK the law says drivers have got 5 minutes grace after entering, sometimes extended to 10 minutes depending on the size of the car park. Many car parks offer longer – my local station car park offers 20 minutes – but the minimum is 5 minutes.

This allows time to enter, find a space to safely park, find the terms and conditions of parking on a legally-required physical sign, assess the offer being made, decline it, go back to your car, and leave.

Or, y’know, agree to the terms and leave your car parked.

This of course doesn’t stop cunts like ParkingEye from trying it on anyway, because enough people won’t know their rights and will be intimidated into paying. It’s a low-effort lucrative scam that relies on nothing but scare tactics, ignorance, and throwing enough of these bullshit fines into the post that plenty of money pours back in.

Well fuck them. If this has happened to you then here’s a nice template letter courtesy of Jim123321321 on Reddit, delete irrelevant context as appropriate – and if this doesn’t work refer them to POPLA:

Dear [insert fine issuer here],

I wish to appeal this Parking Charge Notice.

The vehicle entered the site solely so the driver could determine whether parking was permitted and, if so, how payment could be made.

The driver downloaded the relevant parking app, created an account and added the vehicle registration in preparation for payment. During this process, the driver realised that the car park was restricted to permit holders only during the relevant period and that parking was therefore not permitted.

Having read and understood the terms displayed on the signage, the driver did not accept those terms and immediately left the site. Your own ANPR images show the vehicle remained on site for no more than ten minutes.

This was a consideration period only. The BPA Code of Practice requires operators to allow motorists sufficient time to read the terms and conditions and decide whether to remain. The driver exercised that right by declining the offered contract and leaving promptly.

As no parking contract was accepted and the driver left within a reasonable consideration period, I request that this Parking Charge Notice be cancelled.

I look forward to your confirmation that the charge has been withdrawn.

Yours faithfully,

The Registered Keeper

It’s important to note the language used here – this person is replying as the Registered Keeper of the vehicle, as they were addressed by the fine issuer. They are not replying as the Driver. The fine issuer may well ask you to identify the driver but it’s my understanding that where they’re a private parking company, and not the police or the council, you’re under no obligation to answer them.