How I Beat a Private Parking Company in Court and Got Paid £100 Instead

mauroicardi

Most people just pay when they get a private parking charge. The letters look official. The language is intimidating. The legal process seems overwhelming.

But I didn’t pay.

In 2025, I was pursued for £908 by X Parking Services. Their claims escalated from ignored appeals to debt collectors, then solicitors, and finally the county court.

I fought back on my own.
 Both claims dropped
 £0 paid
 £100 paid to me

This is my story and why I believe private parking enforcement in the UK is broken.

The Beginning: A Loyal Customer

For over two years, I parked daily at the same car Park in Stockport. I paid the daily £3.70 via their Connect app or card machine.

Then, two incidents triggered a legal nightmare.

• Case 1: Their app and machine both failed for two consecutive days. I had no cash. I appealed rejected. £454 claim issued.

• Case 2: I paid for the wrong family car. They suffered no loss. Another £454 claim.

Why It’s So Different from Council Parking

Local authorities:

• £50–60 penalty,

• 50% discount if paid quickly,

• Genuine appeal process.

Private parking companies:

• £100 charges inflated to £170,

• Debt recovery threats,

• Solicitors,

• County court claims.

The system is designed to make you give up.

Building My Defence

I decided to fight:

• Filed my defence (and a £500 counterclaim for distress in Case 1).

• Compiled:

  • One year of parking receipts,

  • Psychiatric reports,

  • Debt collector letters,

  • Legal references.

• Cited key laws:

  • Consumer Rights Act 2015

  • Excel Parking v Wilkinson (2020) — £70 uplifts are unlawful

  • Data Protection Act 2018

  • Protection from Harassment Act 1997

• Argued X Parking Services can’t avoid liability by blaming “third-party apps”.

The Turning Point

As hearings approached, X Parking Service’s solicitors offered settlement. I refused to pay.

Finally:

• They filed N279 Notices of Discontinuance for both claims,

• Agreed to pay me £100,

• Confirmed both cases were closed with no admission of liability.

I withdrew my counterclaim only after payment and formal discontinuance.

What This Taught Me

• Many private parking claims can’t survive scrutiny.

• Their extra £70 fees are not enforceable.

• Debt letters are tactics, not judgments.

• With preparation, individuals can win.

This isn’t about dodging legitimate parking charges. It’s about challenging abuse.

Why I’m Going Public

Thousands of people in the UK face similar claims and pay out of fear. If more people stand up to these practices, the business model stops working.

If you’re facing a private parking charge:

• Don’t panic,

• Keep everything in writing,

• Learn your rights,

• Get help if you need it,

• And don’t be bullied.

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Disclaimer: This is my personal experience, not legal advice. If you’re facing similar issues, research or seek professional support.

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Both claims dropped
 £0 paid
 £100 received

Sometimes, persistence wins. I’m sharing this to help others not to encourage ignoring legitimate charges, but to push back against abusive practices.

Jenni_D

FYI - we have a whole board dedicated to private parking.  

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/parking-tickets-fines-parking

Edit: thread has been moved.

Nellymoser

@mauroicardi well done you 👏 It's not easy to take on the fight alone. I'm sure your story will inspire others.

kryten3000

How did a single PCN claim increase to £454?  That's not possible.

Half_way

In 2025, I was pursued for £908 by X Parking Services

mauroicardi

Cant Find X parking services on any list, a google search shows this cold be APCOA pakring, can you confrim this, or name the PPC involved

 well done on beating them - another one bites the dust
.

ThorOdinson

Reads like AI slop.

Half_way

ThorOdinson said:

Reads like AI slop.

The more you look into it the more it sounds like something made up by AI

Missing some key data:

 Name of PPC?

Location of car park - Stockport's a reasonably sized area, where is/was it?

Name/location of Court?

Name of Judge?

case number time etc?

The suffered no loss argument is now mostly discredited since beavis. What did the judge rule/comment about that defence point?

ThorOdinson

A counter filing for £500 for distress too. Very unlikely to succeed in the UK.

James_Poisson

Seems made up, they would have just withdrawn not folded and given up £100, and a counter claim wouldn't have frightened them into that. 

But who are "X Parking Services" and where on earth do claims of £454 fit in, which wouldn't get past the post for a Major keying error anyway.

All smells of Mackerel from a first time poster, with lots of detail but lacking the very detail required to verify anything!

Nellymoser

I may have been a bit too keen to accept OP's first post 🤦‍♀️. All good points posted by others, I really should have considered these too 🤔

95Rollers

Looks like A.I, but most of it is all kind of true based on most people's experiences. So hopefully it will inspire people that all is not lost and they can fight back if its posted elsewhere.