Park Direct UK no return within 2 hours fine

Semi_20

Hi All,

First time poster longtime lurker.

A fine was sent by the above company, template was used but turns out time for appeal was missed. Looking at the fine and response it seems the contravention is due to a no return within 2hours policy.

this is what I sent: 

I dispute your 'parking charge', as the keeper of the vehicle. I deny any liability or contractual agreement and I will be making a complaint about your predatory conduct to your client landowner.

 

There will be no admissions as to who was driving, and no assumptions can be drawn. Since your PCN is a vague template, I require an explanation of the allegation and your evidence. You must include a close up actual photograph of the sign you contend was at the location on the material date as well as your images of the vehicle.

 

If this allegation concerns a re-entry contravention there is no evidence that a driver has "re-entered" a car park as it could have been driven by multiple people you must provide evidence that this was a single driver entering and re-entering.

 

If the allegation concerns a PDT machine, the data supplied in response to this appeal must include the record of payments made - showing partial VRNs - and an explanation of the reason for the PCN, because your Notice does not explain it.

 

Regards

this is the reply:

We note your position as the registered keeper of the vehicle and your denial of liability. Please be advised that as the driver has not been identified, liability may be pursued against the registered keeper in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

 

Additionally, please note that the time frame to appeal this charge has now expired. As the charge remains unpaid, the matter has been escalated to our appointed debt recovery agency, Debt Recovery Plus Ltd. 

 

Any further communication regarding settlement should now be directed to them.

The contravention relates to returning to the site within a 'no return period', as clearly stated on the signage displayed at the location. The signage has been reviewed and approved by the International Parking Community and meets the standards required to bring the terms and conditions to the attention of motorists.

 

Should you wish to obtain a full copy of the evidence we hold, you may submit a Subject Access Request (SAR) under the Data Protection Act 2018. Please respond to this email and provide a copy of your valid photographic ID (such as a driving licence) or proof of keeper status (such as the V5C logbook) to verify your identity.

 

We trust this clarifies the matter. If you have any questions regarding the SAR process, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

 

Kind regards 

Park Direct UK Ltd. 


Sorry for being dense but unsure on what to do now. The fine wasnt sent in time for an appeal which seems to put the blame on ParkdirectUK.

Gr1pr

It wasn't a fine,  magistrates issue fines,  not private parking companies 

Its just an invoice for the alleged breach of the parking contract on that private property 

Ignore them and come back to this thread if or when you receive a Letter of Claim giving you 30 days notice,  or a court claim against you,  within the next 6 years 

Ps, they had 6 months to obtain keeper details and one month to get it to the keeper,  your PCN definitely arrived within the 7 months allowed 

Car1980

Not much point in "appealing" on the basis of "show us your evidence".

That would possibly only have worked if it had definitively been two drivers (which it might still have been).

Even then, 99% chance they'd still just decline your "appeal" with the exact same templated response.

Follow the advice above.

"No return" court cases aren't very common because they're tricky for them. They have problems with people legitimately returning to make another purchase because they have legitimate interest hurdles. 

Semi_20

Gr1pr said:

It wasn't a fine,  magistrates issue fines,  not private parking companies 

Its just an invoice for the alleged breach of the parking contract on that private property 

Ignore them and come back to this thread if or when you receive a Letter of Claim giving you 30 days notice,  or a court claim against you,  within the next 6 years 

Ps, they had 6 months to obtain keeper details and one month to get it to the keeper,  your PCN definitely arrived within the 7 months allowed 

Apologies I meant to say when the fine was sent it says 28 days to appeal from the time the incident occured. They had apparently sent me a letter 4 days since the incident (which occured over the weekend) which is why im skeptical over the dates I only received this fine close to a month after the incident and roughly a week before the reminder letter.

Semi_20

Car1980 said:

Not much point in "appealing" on the basis of "show us your evidence".

That would possibly only have worked if it had definitively been two drivers (which it might still have been).

Even then, 99% chance they'd still just decline your "appeal" with the exact same templated response.

Follow the advice above.

"No return" court cases aren't very common because they're tricky for them. They have problems with people legitimately returning to make another purchase because they have legitimate interest hurdles. 

I would say as the keeper this car is 100% driven by more than two people especially on the day in question so i am confused as to how they would prove it was the same driver 'Returning' as in my head it could have been another driver unrelated to the first where it was their first time entering the carpark.


Unfortunately I cant remember what happened on the day as it was near 2 months ago now but in the instance someone did return to either purchase something from another shop or if they left their wallet and needed to return to pick it up would they actually be liable for this fine hypothetically?

Gr1pr

The answer to those questions can only be decided by a judge in court   ( its irrelevant what we think, although your reasoning is sound in certain circumstances   )

Clearly the defendant may be liable in law to pay the alleged breach charge they issued,  but then it may never reach a courtroom and a judge,  or the defendant might win on a point of law

If they wanted to invoke keeper liability under POFA2012,  they would have to show that they acted in accordance with the law and that they posted the NTK PCN letter in good time to be presumed to be delivered 14 days later,  or earlier   ( they don't have to prove receipt  )

Semi_20

Hi, I can now upload pictures of the fines, I just received this today. There is a huge discrepancy between the dates which is why I think its unfair I didnt have a chance to appeal as clearly the post is being delivered late.


First fine:





Second Fine:




DRP Letter Issued 17/07/2025:






What are my next steps considering I am pretty confident no-one 'returned' to that retail park? Ideally I do not want debt collectors at my house as my elderly parents live with me and I dont want to cause them undue stress.

Thanks in advance

ChirpyChicken

No one will call round 
Where did you get that piece of misinformation from ?
Ignore DRP

Semi_20

ChirpyChicken said:

No one will call round 
Where did you get that piece of misinformation from ?
Ignore DRP

What am I waiting for exactly? If they arent going to be knocking on my door is there an appeal I need to raise?

ChirpyChicken

Your not waiting for anything 
No there isnt

If you ever get a court claim or move let us know 

Gr1pr

You are at the impasse stage,  you do nothing until legal action begins,  an LoC followed by a possible court claim 

Sometimes sitting on your hands and doing nothing is the correct action,  but do study the 4th post in the newbies sticky thread in announcements near the top of the forum,  perhaps study posts 5 and 2 as well as post 4

Nobody will come knocking,  but letters are an almost daily occurrence,  like emails, so only deal with important letters,  not the trash