Challenging a parking ticket - PCN

Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) are more commonly known as parking tickets.

A PCN issued in a Council car park can be identified either with the prefix CCG or in relation to East Strand car park Portrush the prefix will be CPS.

A PCN of £90.00 must be paid within 28 days from the date the PCN was affixed to your vehicle.  If the PCN is paid within 14 days from the date of the PCN the amount of the PCN will be reduced by 50% to £45.00.

How to pay a PCN.

You need to have your Penalty Charge Number which is noted on the PCN affixed to your vehicle together with your VRM to hand.

Online: To make a payment online with a debit or credit card, please visit https://carparkservices.ec6pay.com or scan the QR code on your PCN

By Telephone: 02895907942 (24-hour automated line)

By Post: Cheques or Postal Order payable to Car Park Services Ltd, 36 Great Patrick Street, Belfast, BT1 2LT.  Please ensure to include the PCN and vehicle registration on the back of the Cheque or Postal Order.  Do not send cash through the post.

If you have received a PCN and you feel that it has been issued incorrectly you have the right to challenge this.

How to Challenge a PCN.

A PCN can be challenged in either of two ways.  Challenges cannot be accepted over the phone.

Online via https://carparkingservices.zatappeal.com or

In writing to,

Car Park Services Ltd
36 Great Patrick Street
BELFAST
BT1 2LT

Once Car Park Services Ltd (CPS) receives the Challenge the parking ticket (PCN) is placed on hold until you receive a decision.

CPS will endeavour to respond within 14 days.

 If you have submitted your Challenge via the online portal, you will receive the decision via the email address you have supplied. (Please ensure you check your junk/spam folder).

If you have submitted your Challenge in writing by post, you will receive the decision in writing by post unless an e-mail address has been provided.

After a Challenge

If a Challenge is successful, the PCN will be cancelled, the case closed, and no further action will be taken.

If a Challenge is rejected, you will be informed as set out above of a new discount deadline date in order for you to pay the PCN.

You can then either pay the PCN at the discounted rate or, if you are the registered keeper and wish to continue to contest the PCN, you should await the issue of a Notice to Owner (NTO).

When a Notice to Owner (NTO) has been issued, the registered keeper of the vehicle may make a Representation, which will be considered by CPS.

If a challenge to the PCN is received within 14 days, the discount period will not end while the challenge is considered.

If a Challenge is received after the expiry of the discount period, the full charge will apply if the PCN is upheld.

Making a Representation about a PCN

If, as the registered owner of a vehicle, you receive a Notice to Owner about a PCN, you can either choose to pay it or contest it. If you choose to contest it, you can make a Representation.

A Representation is how you state the reason(s) why you feel you should not have to pay the PCN. It will be considered by Car Park Services.

The grounds for making a Representation are listed in the Notice of Owner document you receive.

How to make Representations:

Online @ https://carparkservices.zatappeal.com

By Post:  Complete the details on the Notice to Owner by ticking one or more appropriate boxes. Give all relevant details in the space provided. If possible, please supply evidence to support your claim. The registered keeper must sign the form and return it within 28 days of the NTO issue date to: Penalty Processing Department, Car Park Services Ltd, 36 Great Patrick Street, Belfast BT1 2LT.

If a Representation is successful, the PCN will be cancelled, and the case will be closed. You will be informed of this in writing.

If a Representation is refused, you will be informed in writing and you will receive information about how to appeal to an independent adjudicator. You can then either pay the parking ticket or appeal.

Adjudicator appeals

To appeal to an adjudicator, you must first have received a Notice of Rejection of Representation from Car Park Services Ltd.  At that time, you will also receive information about how to appeal.

You will be given the opportunity to explain fully why you feel the PCN should not have been issued.

You may make a request for a personal hearing to be arranged so that you can present your case directly to the adjudicator, or you may choose to have the matter dealt with as a postal appeal.

In either case the adjudicator will consider the material provided by both the person appealing and by Car Park Services Ltd before reaching a decision.

Both the person appealing, and Car Park Services will be informed in writing of the adjudicator’s decision.

If you lose an appeal

If an adjudicator decides the PCN was correctly issued, it must be paid within 28 days of the adjudicator’s decision.

If it isn’t paid, a Charge Certificate will be issued to you which increases the amount from £90.00 to £135.00.  If there is no response to the Charge Certificate, a Notice of Enforcement will be issued against you.

Statutory Declarations

The Notice of Enforcement affords you the opportunity to serve A Statutory Declaration on an Adjudicator before the end of the period of 21 days from the date of the Notice.  A Statutory Declaration is a sworn written statement, signed by either a Solicitor, Commissioner of Oaths, Justice of the Peace, Notary Public, or Resident Magistrate/ Lay Magistrate. It is an offence to make a false statement knowingly or wilfully.

A Statutory Declaration may be made on one of the following grounds:

the person appealing did not receive a Notice to Owner
the person appealing sent a representation to Car Park Services but did not receive a Notice of Rejection
the person appealing sent an appeal to an adjudicator but did not receive a notice of his/ her decision

Statutory Declarations are dealt with by an adjudicator.

Non-payment of a parking ticket PCN

If a PCN is not paid or is not cancelled as a result of Challenge or Representation, the amount not paid will be pursued using debt recovery procedures.  All documentation served by Car Park Services Ltd will inform you of the procedures that may be taken.

The amount may be pursued through the procedures of the Enforcement of Judgments Office and/ or may result in vehicle clamping and removal operations.

If there are any additional fees and costs as a result of debt recovery procedures (including clamping/ removal/ storage), these will be added to the amount not paid.

Penalty Charge Notice (PCN)

The amount of a PCN is £90.00, however if you pay within 14 days, a 50 per cent discount is applied and you may pay £45.00.

If a PCN is not paid within 28 days, a Notice to Owner will issue to the registered keeper of the vehicle.

When a Notice to Owner has been issued, the parking ticket PCN must be paid within 28 days or a Charge Certificate will be issued. The effect of a Charge Certificate is to increase the amount from £90.00 to £135.00.

Getting a Notice to Owner (NTO) but didn’t get a PCN

If you did not get a PCN but have now received a Notice to Owner requesting that you pay £90.00, the discounted rate of £45.00 is not available, as it only applies for 14 days from the date of the PCN.

Getting a PCN for a vehicle you no longer own.

The most likely reason is that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The registered keeper of the vehicle at the time a PCN is issued is responsible for the PCN.

If you are no longer the registered keeper of the vehicle, you need to tell DVLA.